Cristina Jiménez

CHRISTINA JIMÉNEZ

By Daniela Madrid

"...[if she had] stayed silent then, her friend would have gone through the injustice millions of other young undocumented faced."

Cristina Jiménez

About: Cristina Jiménez is an Ecuadorian immigrant who has diligently worked to help young immigrants achieve tertiary education, obtain several unbeknownst benefits, and much more. During Jiménez’s adolescence in America, she found it arduous to pursue much of anything since she battled with the limitations of being an immigrant. Fortunately, through immense support and encouragement from her family, she continued to fight against numerous boundaries and challenged those who dared say “No” to her dreams.

Jiménez was a voice for Lintions, everywhere, within her university, and actively continued to do so even after graduating from Queens College, City University of New York (CUNY). Today Jiménez is a managing director of the United We Dream network, an activist for young immigrants, and an active participant of several networks.

☆ Latin American born and raised in Educator.
☆ Christina came to Queens, New York at the age of 13 with her parents.
☆ A Queens College, City University of New York (CUNY) graduate.

☆ In 2008 she co-founded United We Dream and continues to do so to this day.
☆ Works and efforts have to lead to serval profound effects, such as the signing of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

Awarded

✭ The New York City Council Proclamation for Outstanding Service to the Latino Community by Queens College's Student Activities Award.

The Lead

Cristina Jiménez's Pursuit

Christina Jiménez is an Equadoren immigrant, now a U.S citizen since 2019, is well aware of the universal fear and terror of deportation and how daunting the process is. After witnessing her closest friend placed in a detention facility for three days and having to fight for his freedom, she learned the importance of activism. Raising a voice was a form of activism that Jiménez learned to utilize and amplify. If she had stayed silent then, her friend would have gone through the injustice millions of other young undocumented faced. Ultimately, this led to her pursuit of activism for immigrants within her community and beyond.

Finally, Christina Jiménez co-founded the organization called United We Dream in 2008. Now she holds the position of managing director of the organization. She and her team work tirelessly in the protection of the rights of undocumented youth and more. She’s participated in countless radio shows and interviews discussing current event issues that undocumented in American face daily. Their ultimate goal is to, as the United We Dream message states, “We fight for justice and dignity for all immigrants.”

Works Cited

Crain’s New York. (2019). 2019 40 Under 40: Cristina Jimenez [Digital image]. Retrieved March 18, 2021, from https://www.crainsnewyork.com/awards/40-under-40-2019-cristina-jimenez-moreta

"Cristina Jiménez." Gale Biography Online Collection, Gale, 2013. Gale In Context: Biography, link.gale.com/apps/doc/K1650008708/BIC?u=lausdnet&sid=BIC&xid=b5343113. Accessed 15 Mar. 2021.
"Cristina Jimenez." Gale Biography Online Collection, Gale, 2018. Gale In Context: Biography, link.gale.com/apps/doc/LDXRHP803669935/BIC?u=lausdnet&sid=BIC&xid=0076d1b7. Accessed 16 Mar. 2021

DACA Advocate on Next Steps After Supreme Court Ruling. NPR, Washington, D.C., 2020. eLibrary, https://explore.proquest.com/elibrary/document/2414873280?accountid=617.

Gomez, Selena. “Cristina Jiménez.” Time.Com, Apr. 2018, p. 1. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=129179733&site=eds-live.

“Immigration Activist Cristina Jiménez on How She Achieved Her Family's DREAM: Women of the Century.” 31 Aug. 2020, youtu.be/nt7Ixb2jvHI. Accessed 20 Mar. 2021.

John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. (2017, October 11). Cristina Jiménez Moreta [Digital image/Downlaod Photo 6]. Retrieved March 18, 2021, from https://www.macfound.org/fellows/class-of-2017/cristina-jimnez-moreta#photos

John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. (2017, October 11). Cristina Jiménez Moreta [Digital image/Downlaod Photo 2]. Retrieved March 20, 2021, from https://www.macfound.org/fellows/class-of-2017/cristina-jimnez-moreta#photos

“The Largest Immigrant Youth-Led Network in the Country.” United We Dream, 26 Feb. 2021, unitedwedream.org/.