New leader takes over at top progressive immigration advocacy organization

Public affairs strategist Vanessa Cárdenas is set to take over the helm of America’s Voice, a leading immigration advocacy organization, replacing the organization’s founder, Frank Sharry.

Cárdenas, who has served as acting deputy director of the organization since Sharry announced his retirement in September, will take over as executive director of both America’s Voice (AV) and America’s Voice Educational Fund (AVEF).

“Frank Sharry’s contributions to this movement cannot be overstated and Vanessa Cárdenas is the ideal candidate to shape the next chapter of America’s Voice in our growing and diversifying field,” said Henry Fernandez, chair of the AV and the AVEF boards of directors. 

“Under her leadership, AV and AVEF are well positioned to remain formidable advocates for immigrants and to help the broader pro-immigrant movement use communications and advocacy to build the power necessary for change.” 

Founded by Sharry in 2008, AV has become one of the key voices on the left for the immigration movement, often bringing together activists, technical experts and advocates to make the case for immigration liberalization.

Cárdenas will take over the group amid a changing landscape on immigration, with the issue at the center of political discourse and anti-immigrant rhetoric firmly in the political mainstream.

“Call me an optimist, but I do believe that we have a chance to hopefully, finally, after some years do something affirmative on immigration and I really want to be part of that,” Cárdenas told The Hill.

Cárdenas, who was born in Brooklyn to an undocumented Bolivian mother, mostly grew up in Bolivia before returning to the United States as a citizen, albeit one who lived immigrant experiences.

“When I was about to go to college my senior year, when I wanted to go to college, I asked my counselor about it, and she looked at me, she’s like, ‘Vanessa, you cannot go because you don’t have papers.’ I was like, ‘no, no, no, I was actually born here,’” Cárdenas told The Hill.

“That was a key moment for me, because it crystallized what a difference having those papers meant for my life. Because that opened up those opportunities that 80 percent of my peers didn’t have,” she added.

As a U.S. citizen, Cárdenas did go to college and was quickly hired by Sharry upon graduation.

“I had the honor of hiring Vanessa right out of college at the National Immigration Forum, and since then have watched her rise with awe,” said Sharry. 

After the National Immigration Forum, Cárdenas worked for a series of progressive outfits, including the Center for American Progress, the World Wildlife Fund, Emily’s List and President Biden’s presidential campaign.

“When AV and AVEF needed help with a new administration and Congress in 2021, we reached out to her and hired her as a consultant to serve as acting deputy director. She has done a terrific job. I know she will be an excellent executive director, and that AV 2.0 will have a bright future under her leadership,” said Sharry.

The panorama faced by AV 2.0 is very different from what Sharry has faced since 2008, with a majority of Republicans on the offensive openly proposing reduced immigration, and Democrats mostly pivoting away from the issue.

“I think that 100 percent Democrats need to lean in. They need to get this issue off the table with an affirmative agenda that shows that they’re in control and not just reacting,” said Cárdenas.

“We also have to do work about reminding them that America can handle migration. You know, one of the most frustrating things for me is just this narrative that somehow this is a problem that isn’t solvable and that it’s so difficult,” said Cárdenas, pointing to countries like Colombia or Poland, who have absorbed millions of refugees from Venezuela and Ukraine.

“Immigration is a reality of our time. It’s a global phenomenon that is going to continue, unfortunately, because of many other things, including climate change and pandemics and so on, but in the United States we have the smarts, we have the tools, the know-how, the resources to tackle this issue,” said Cárdenas.

Still, immigrant advocates face direct opposition from restrictionist groups who’ve taken hold of the GOP mainstream immigration agenda with ideas that were once considered fringe.

“I think that’s why the role of AV is so important at this moment. Because we really are in a moment where we have to remind Americans who we are as a nation, and remind them that the United States is a nation of immigrants, and that immigrants are essential to our nation’s well-being — particularly when it comes to the economy, but also to our culture, to our way of life — and that immigrants are here to add, not to subtract,” said Cárdenas.

Cárdenas will take over that messaging job from Sharry, a seasoned communicator who also helped craft some of the comprehensive immigration reform deals that nearly made it to the congressional finish line during his tenure as head of AV.

“Frank Sharry, through his vision, hard work and the organizations he founded, strengthened our movement and challenged us to communicate more, more strategically and with more clarity,” said Ben Monterroso, an AV and AVEF board member who runs voter engagement at Poder Latinx.

“AV and AVEF are his legacy, but a new generation of immigrant leaders is stepping up to take the movement even farther and Vanessa is the perfect example. She is the right leader for the right moment at the right organization to help us all succeed in our mission to improve the country and improve the welcome for immigrants,” added Monterroso.

AV and AVEF board member Charles Kamasaki added that Cárdenas will both add to the organization’s traditions and help it shift directions.

Cárdenas told The Hill her reasons for wanting the job are twofold.

“One, I would say that because immigration is a really important issue for me, because it affected me personally, it affected my family, my community, and it is something where I feel I can make a contribution. The second reason is because of the lack of Latino leadership that we see in the progressive movement.”