Staff -New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice

Aidee Pascual, Development and Operations Coordinator

Aidee Pascual (she/her) is the Administrative Assistant with the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice (NJAIJ) where she serves as first point of contact for members of the public to engage with our work. Daughter of immigrant parents from Mexico, she was born and raised in New Jersey. Pascual graduated from New Jersey City University with a B.A in Media Arts. She is thoroughly impassioned with the work led by coalition members at NJAIJ and supports the critical infrastructure the coalition needs for our work ahead.

What grounds you in immigrant justice work?

Growing up with an immigrant family is the driving force of everything I do today. I have seen the struggles they have faced as well as how hard they have worked to give me everything they possibly could. It’s motivating to know that above all, NJAIJ fights for families like mine.
What is your favorite NJAIJ memory?

My favorite memory at NJAIJ has to be the entirety of Advocacy Academy. We had been planning for it so much that actually being in it was a bit surreal. It was really fun to connect with everyone, but also very necessary to have the discussions and panels we did. I’m still so proud of all of us and I can’t wait for the next one.
What is your favorite movie?

One of my favorite movies of all time is Bong Joon-ho's Parasite (2019). It’s a drama, horror/thriller, and comedy (yes all of those) about social inequality and wealth disparity, what's not to love?!

Amy Torres, Executive Director

Amy Torres (they/them or she/her) serves as the Executive Director of NJAIJ. In this position, they lead member organizations and staff to direct policy and organizational priorities. Prior to NJAIJ, Torres served for over seven years in immigrants’ rights and policy advocacy in New York City, with a focus on Asian American and Pacific Islander empowerment. Torres brings depths of experience in coalition-building, civic engagement, and from their personal life, grassroots organizing in Hudson County. Firmly rooted in Torres's identity is their experience as a second generation Filipinx American and the core belief that human rights and liberties should not be subject to change because of something as arbitrary as birthplace, border, or paperwork.

What does immigrant justice mean to you?

Like many other children of immigrants, I've spent my whole life being an advocate. From an early age, immigrants' kids are often the primary translator, the cultural broker, and the first generation to experience and navigate American systems. Fighting for visibility, fair representation, and justice is something we've grown up doing and I am proud to continue that work today in my role at NJAIJ.
What is your favorite NJAIJ memory?

One of our members used to be very nervous speaking in front of legislators. Over the years, I watched as she attended NJAIJ trainings, workshops, and use the toolkits on our Resource Hub in her work. Nearly two years later, we were on a trip to Washington DC to fight for citizenship for all. We were chatting outside an office building when she suddenly bolted down the street and grabbed Senator Durbin by the arm as he was walking by. She started grilling him citizenship for all. It was such a beautiful moment, witnessing her journey from once feeling "too nervous" to then running after a senior US Senator so that she could fight for her community.
What is your favorite book?

Frantz Fanon's Wretched of the Earth. It's a timeless read. Decolonizing ourselves and empowering our communities go hand in hand.

Erik Cruz Morales, Policy & Advocacy Manager

Erik Cruz Morales (He/Him) is the Policy and Advocacy Manager at the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice. Erik leads NJAIJ's advocacy efforts by crafting, managing, and executing strategy for NJAIJ's core campaigns and supporting campaigns in the larger social and racial justice advocacy landscape. Before joining NJAIJ, he was a Program Associate and Philanthropy Fellow at The Fund for New Jersey, a private foundation in Princeton, NJ, that focuses on supporting nonprofit organizations advocating for a range of critical issues affecting the state of New Jersey, including affordable housing, environmental justice, immigrant rights, racial justice, and more. Prior to The Fund, Erik worked at NJ Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency as an Eagleton Fellow, and previously interned at the ACLU of New Jersey, in Assemblyman Gordon Johnson's office and Congressman Bill Pascrell's office. He has his Master's degree in public administration, with a concentration in leadership for public organizations, from the School of Public Affairs and Administration at Rutgers University Newark. Erik resides in Essex County and is deeply committed to New Jersey. He is passionate about civic engagement and helping others understand the issues affecting their communities.

What does immigrant justice mean to you?

For me, immigrant justice means the humane treatment of all immigrants across all borders, but unfortunately, immigrants and migrants all over the world face oppressive and violent systems. The root causes of migration include imperialism, colonization, violence, persecution, natural disasters, and capitalism and economic globalization that impose poverty and displacement, too often due to policy decisions being made in other countries. To reach true justice, we must recognize and push back against global policies that force people to move. Immigrant justice is about treating communities with dignity and respect, allowing immigrants to thrive and creating safe spaces.
What is your favorite advocacy memory?

My favorite advocacy memory was when I attended a rally outside the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., with my partner and sisters regarding the legality of the DACA program. Seeing so many community members come out in support of DACAmented youth was beautiful. As an immigrant from Oaxaca, Mexico, and a beneficiary of DACA, I felt empowered and supported by other impacted individuals all across the country.
What is your favorite movie?

I have a couple of favorite movies but I’d have to go with Shrek. I enjoy watching all types of movies, so let me know if you have any recommendations!

Kat Phan, Policy & Research Associate

Kat Phan (She/Her) is NJAIJ's Policy and Research Associate, as well as an anti-detention organizer and graduate student at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs. Prior to joining our team, Phan led policy and demographic research on language access and local immigration policies at San Francisco’s Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs. She is the proud daughter of Vietnamese refugees and is committed to the liberation of all migrants from institutional and structural oppression.

What grounds you in immigrant justice work?

As a child of refugees, I have experienced firsthand the necessity for culturally sensitive, trauma-informed policies and protected community spaces. My commitment to immigrant justice is rooted in my desire to co-create a world where immigrants, asylum seekers, and refugees like my parents can be their fullest selves and live or dream as imaginatively and freely as they desire.
What is your favorite NJAIJ memory?

In my first few months with the NJAIJ team, we hosted a multilingual town hall with NJAIJ community members on the Values Act. Being able to witness true language access in practice and hear such intense commitment to liberation from incarceration and detention left me more convinced than ever that our immigrant communities will win.
What is your favorite book?

“Be Not Afraid of Love” by Mimi Zhu has spoken to me more than any other piece of literature I’ve read in recent years. The book is an invitation to be more loving towards ourselves, our people, and communities that have been systematically denied access to healing. The writing is calming, reflective, and a reminder that personal and political change must come from a source of radical love.

Michelle Ancil, Communications Coordinator

Michelle Ancil (she/her) raises the profile of NJAIJ's core issues by crafting and managing all facets of our communications. Ancil graduated from Rutgers-New Brunswick's Bloustein School where her studies focused on policy making and the impact it has on the health outcomes of immigrant populations. She brings past communications experience from Rupande Mehta's State Senate campaign and as a former NJAIJ intern.

What does immigrant justice mean to you?

As the child of immigrants, immigrant justice to me is rooted in the belief that all individuals deserve the right to safety, freedom, and respect, no matter what. It's empowering to know that at the Alliance, I have the privilege to stand in solidarity with communities like mine and fight for protections for ALL New Jerseyans.
What is your favorite NJAIJ memory?

My favorite NJAIJ memories come from conducting our Member Spotlights each month. It gives me the opportunity to meet so many of our amazing members, learn their stories, and what draws them to immigrant justice. I've had the opportunity to speak to so many role models along the way and understand the aspects of social justice from different points of view each time.
What is your favorite book?

My favorite book to date is "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck. It's a classic novel that taught me about the ways that love can show itself in different familial dynamics, and it's one of the most poetic books I've ever read.

Viri Martinez, Member Empowerment Manager

Viri Martinez (she/they) is the Manager of Member Empowerment at the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice (NJAIJ). Martinez supports NJAIJ’s members and the larger immigrant justice movement through capacity-building efforts, and by providing resources that empower communities. Prior to becoming a staff member, Martinez was a Policy Intern with NJAIJ where they were responsible for policy research, monitoring state legislative activity, and uplifting the work of coalition members. Martinez studied Public Policy and Latino & Caribbean Studies at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, and is also a proud graduate of Raritan Valley Community College.

What grounds you in immigrant justice work?

Being in community and in relationship with immigrant folk grounds me in the fight for immigrant justice. I want the very best for the people I love and the people in my community, and that means ensuring that there are policies that protect and empower immigrants.
What is your favorite NJAIJ memory?

My favorite NJAIJ memory was recruiting artists to make posters for our 2022 Immigrant Heritage Month rally. It was a lovely experience getting to work with artists that have beautiful creative visions.
What is your favorite book?

My favorite book is Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson and Dominicana by Angie Cruz