As the daughter of a Guatemalan immigrant and a Cuban refugee, Conchita Cruz first got involved in immigrants’ rights work to support her own family. Today, she is the co-executive director of the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP), the largest organization of asylum seekers in U.S. history, with over 500,000 members. Supporting people who have fled their home countries in search of safety and protection, ASAP provides resources to help their members navigate the legal system and advocates for a more inclusive country through litigation, policy, and storytelling. “Only an organized collective of asylum seekers has the power to fundamentally re-envision the asylum system and create a more welcoming United States,” Conchita says. “Their voices and stories must be centered in order to bring about transformative systemic change.”

In this episode, Conchita tells Dwayne about her family’s immigrant story and her own journey through law school; what inspired her to start ASAP; and about the change that’s possible when asylum seekers have the chance to tell their own stories. Plus, Dwayne reads a poem he wrote for Conchita.

For more on the work of our guest, Conchita Cruz: https://www.emersoncollective.com/persons/conchita-cruz 

To learn more about Almost There and to read the transcript of this episode: https://www.emersoncollective.com/almost-there-podcast 

For more on Emerson Collective: https://www.emersoncollective.com/

Learn more about our host, Dwayne Betts: https://www.dwaynebetts.com/

Almost There is produced by Eric Nuzum and Jesse Baker of Magnificent Noise for Emerson Collective. Our production staff includes Eleanor Kagan, Julia Natt, Patrick D’Arcy, Amy Low, Alex Simon, and our sound designers Paul Schneider and Kristin Mueller. 

Email us at almostthere@emersoncollective.com. 

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