HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND IMMIGRATION POLICIES
PRESENTERS
Cynthia Bastidas—Semillita Productions, actor and filmmaker
Arlene Chico-Lugo—Liberation Arts Collective, actor/educator/producer
Pa Latona—Zonta International, District 3 Governor
Michelle Brané—Women’s Refugee Commission, Migrant Rights and Justice Program Senior Director
Jeremy McLean—Justice in Motion, Policy and Advocacy Manager
To learn more about Semillita Productions, click here.
ABOUT CYNTHIA:
Cynthia Bastidas, a NY-based actor, founded Semillita Productions in response to the lack of diversity in roles for Latinx actors and the stories being told about the pan-Latino experience in the United States. Her first project was a 10-minute play turned short film, Going Down, which she wrote and starred in. Her most recent short film project, Missguidance, was originally produced as a 10-minute play by Playful Substance for a Lifeway Network fundraiser. Prior to her career in the arts, Cynthia worked in the non-profit sector providing technical assistance to people from disadvantaged communities. She hopes that Semillita Productions will provide an avenue for her to marry her commitment to community service and passion for storytelling.
To learn more about Liberation Arts Collective, click here.
ABOUT ARLENE:
Arlene is an actor, educator, and producer. She believes in the power of stories to transform people and the world and has dedicated her life to the pursuit of stories being told.
As an actor with 20+ years of experience, Arlene has made appearances in film, television, the stage, and been nominated for 2 independent theater awards.
As Co-Founder of Liberation Arts Collective, Arlene has given workshops on Creative Process, Financial Wellness, and Restorative Artistic Practice. She also produced the 2018 award winning play Where You From? What You Be About? And is the co-producer for the short film Missguidance.
As an educator, Arlene teaches theater & devised work, improvisation, storytelling, and facilitates improved interpersonal communication skills for medical students. She works with community centers to bring the experience of seeing live performance to underserved communities. And facilitates workshops with a focus on healing and connection.
To learn more about Zonta International, click here. To learn more about Empowerment Square, click here.
ABOUT PAT:
Pat Latona is parishioner at St Francis de Sales and has been a member of the Social Justice Ministry for 5 years. Pat is also an active member of Zonta International whose mission is to empower women and girls through service and advocacy. She is currently the president of a board which oversees 26 clubs in 6 states in the Eastern Seaboard.
Since 2014 Pat has represented Zonta at the United Nations. In 2015 she became actively involved in the NGO Committee to Stop Trafficking in Persons working with over 50 world-wide organizations; all committed to the prevention and eradication of human trafficking in all its forms through advocacy and education. Pat has presented widely on the issue, worked and volunteered at Lifeway Network, which provides survivors of trafficking a safe community to live in and are offered the resources they need to rebuild their lives. Pat is also the president of Empowerment Square, a recently formed non-profit which is built on a 5 step program all geared to renewing and restoring the lives of survivors of human trafficking on for storytelling.
To learn more about the Women’s Refugee Commission, click here.
ABOUT MICHELLE:
Michelle Brané is the senior director of the Migrant Rights and Justice program at the Women’s Refugee Commission. One of the nation’s foremost experts on US asylum protections, migrant children, and detention policies for migrants, with more than three decades of experience in the field, Michelle conducts research and monitors policy, develops recommendations, and advocates for the critical protection needs of migrant women, children, and other vulnerable migrant populations in the United States while holding governments and policymakers accountable.
Michelle has authored and overseen many of WRC’s landmark reports on migration and asylum issues. She leads the program’s national advocacy on critical issues such as family separation, border policies, alternatives to detention, and unaccompanied children’s rights. Michelle has testified before Congress and other governmental and international bodies, appears frequently in print and broadcast outlets, and presents regularly as an expert at conferences, briefings, and professional trainings.
Prior to her work at WRC, Michelle worked at the Department of Justice Board of Immigration Appeals and as a labor negotiator at the National Treasury Employees Union. She also held positions at Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, with human rights organizations in India, and as a human rights officer with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe in Bosnia, where she also served as the head of the Sarajevo Field Office.
Michelle is a recipient of the Daniel Levy Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievement in Immigration Law, was named as one of Women’s eNews’ “21 Leaders for the 21st Century,” and received Steptoe & Johnson LLP’s Strength in Diversity: Perspectives on Immigration award.
Michelle holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a doctor of law degree (JD) from Georgetown University. She is admitted to the New York Bar.
To learn more about Justice in Motion, click here.
ABOUT JEREMY:
Jeremy McLean is the Policy and Advocacy Manager at Justice in Motion where he leads the organization’s efforts to prevent the trafficking and exploitation of migrant workers. He has been actively involved in promoting low-wage worker rights since 2011 as a staff attorney and outreach worker at the Worker Justice Center of New York, and as a worker organizer with Rural Migrant Ministries. Jeremy has advocated for many clients, focusing on agricultural and other low wage workers, through legal representation, rights education, and efforts to train other advocates. He has assisted clients in obtaining immigration remedies available to trafficking and other crime victims and in pursuing civil redress for those who have been trafficked or otherwise exploited.
