How an Immigrant Rights Leader Spends His Sundays
The executive director of the New Sanctuary Coalition, an interfaith network in New York City, is one of the most visible immigrant rights activists in the city. He started working as a full-time organizer for the coalition in 2010, and has since become one of the city’s most prominent advocates for immigrants. He fires off a few texts regarding an ICE raid in Queens.
Murad Awawdeh
Murad Awawdeh is a manager director at the New York Immigration Coalition, which represents 200 immigrant and refugee rights teams across the state. He lives on Staten Island with his wife Dina Morra, who owns a bridal shop, and their 7-year-old son, Mousa. The couple have lived in New York City for 10 years.
Murad Awawdeh is an Arab-American Muslim and the son of immigrants. He is the vice president of advocacy for the New York Immigration Coalition and oversees member and community engagement. He also serves as the president of Yalla Brooklyn, a group dedicated to engaging Arabs in the political process. He is also the chair of the Immigration Committee for Justice 2020 Initiative, a group that aims to improve the lives of immigrants in New York City. He also sits on the board of the Family Health Centers at New York University.
New Sanctuary Coalition
In his role as the InterFaith Coordinator for New Sanctuary Coalition, Reverend Micah Bucey is a prominent voice for the immigrant community. He leads weekly “Jericho Walks” that symbolize the need for walls to fall. He also provides accompaniment to undocumented migrants at immigration check-ins and court hearings. Recently, Mayor Bill de Blasio pledged to fight against the Trump Administration’s immigration crackdown.
In 2007, the New Sanctuary Coalition was formed with nine founding members and two Sanctuary Families. The founding members included clergy from several different religious denominations. The first president was the Rev. Michael Ellick, who is also a member of the NYC Coalition’s Advisory Council. Other founding members included Rev. Schaper, who also serves on the coalition’s advisory council.
ACLU
How an immigration rights leader spends Sundays isn’t a typical day. For the past two months, Murad Awawdeh has been spending his Sundays at the Port Authority Bus Terminal, greeting migrants from Texas and California. He is the chief director of the New York Immigration Coalition, which represents over 200 refugee and immigrant rights groups in the state. He lives on Staten Island with his wife, Dina, and two children. Mura Awawdeh’s wife, Dina, owns a bridal boutique. His wife, Dina, is a mother and father.
ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project
Lee Gelernt is an attorney at the ACLU’s national office in New York. He has argued dozens of important civil rights cases and testified before Congress as a legal expert. His work has been featured in the documentary “The Fight.” He is an adjunct professor at Columbia Law School and a former visiting professor at Yale Law School.
