New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice Promotes Johanna Calle to Director

Calle coordinated the Alliance’s efforts for the past four years and served on Murphy Administration’s Transition team as co-chair of the Law and Justice, Immigration Subcommittee

Contact​:​ Hera Mir, hmir@njimmigrantjustice.org, 732-640-8396

NEWARK, NJ– ​As Trenton jumpstarts the year with the Murphy administration’s promising outlook prioritizing a stronger and fairer state, The New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice (NJAIJ) announced today that Johanna Calle has been promoted to the position of Director.

Calle came to New Jersey as an undocumented child from Ecuador and was able to adjust her status during her college years at The College of New Jersey where she majored in Sociology and Political Science and went on to get her Masters degree in Criminal Justice from Rutgers University. Calle grew up in Hackensack, NJ and continues to be a resident and community leader there. Before joining the Alliance, Calle served as the Leadership Gifts Coordinator at the American Civil Liberties Union – National office in New York.

As Director of the Alliance, Calle says she will continue to build the coalition to represent and include New Jersey’s diverse immigrant communities. In 2018, the Alliance is focusing on building support for two major campaigns. The first priority is to build statewide support for the New Jersey Safe and Responsible Driver Act which will expand access to driver’s licenses to more New Jersey residents with a state-purpose-only driver’s license. The second priority for this year will be the establishment of Fair and Welcoming policies in New Jersey.

“Our Alliance’s leaders have kept their ears to the ground, listening to advocates, residents, and law enforcement about the needs of immigrant communities in the New Jersey. The escalating attacks on immigrant communities from the Federal Administration has highlighted the need for our state’s leadership to take action and protect New Jersey’s immigrants which includes thousands of Dreamers, TPS holders, and their families. In 2018, we will be working across the Garden State to make sure that New Jersey’s immigrants are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve as important contributors to the progress and well-being of our state,” said Calle.

Calle assumes the role of director after serving as the Alliance’s Program Coordinator for nearly four years, during which time she helped grow the Alliance into a nearly 40 member strong alliance of organizations and with three staff members. Calle also served as co-chair of the Law and Justice, Immigration subcommittee for the Murphy administration’s transition team. The Alliance, which fights for policies that make New Jersey more fair and welcoming to all immigrants, includes faith, labor, grassroots, and legal groups in its membership.

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NJAIJ Member Organizations:  1199SEIU | 32BJ SEIU | American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey | American Friends Service Committee | Anti-Poverty Network of New Jersey | Beacon Unitarian Universalist Church of Summit | Casa Freehold | Catholic Charities Diocese of Metuchen | Catholic Charities Diocese of Trenton | Centro Comunitario CEUS | Central Jersey Coalition Against Endless War | Central Unitarian Church of Paramus – Social Action Committee | Community of Friends in Action | Drug Policy Alliance | El Centro Hispanoamericano | Faith in New Jersey | First Friends NJ & NY | Haiti Solidarity Network of the North East | Hispanic Family Center of Southern New Jersey | Hudson Civic Action | Ironbound Community Corp. | Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) | Make the Road New Jersey | Latino Action Network | Latin American Legal Defense & Education Fund (LALDEF) | National Association of Social Workers – NJ Chapter | New Jersey Communities United | New Jersey Policy Perspective | New Labor | New Jersey Institute of Social Justice | New Jersey Working Families | OASIS | Statewide Parent Advocacy Network, Inc. | UU Faith Action NJ | The Social Responsibilities Council of The Unitarian Society of Ridgewood | Wind of the Spirit, Immigrant Center