About Us: The Alliance for Immigrant Survivors (AIS)

Mission

The Alliance for Immigrant Survivors (AIS) is a national network of advocates and allies dedicated to defending and advocating for policies that ensure immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, and other gender-based abuses have access to life-saving protections that all survivors of violence deserve.

AIS coordinates the Immigration Subcommittee of the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence (NTF). The NTF is focused on the development, passage, and implementation of effective public policy to address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The NTF comprises national leadership organizations advocating on behalf of survivors, service providers, and community organizations across the country dedicated to making sure that all survivors of violence receive the protections and services they need and deserve. By coordinating the work of the Immigration Subcommittee, AIS ensures that the needs of immigrant survivors are addressed in policy initiatives and efforts to end sexual and domestic violence.

Vision

A future where everyone, regardless of gender or immigration status, can live in safety and thrive.

Work of the Alliance

• Build a network of advocates and allies who address gender-based violence to take action on policies that impact immigrant survivors.

• Harness the collective skills and energy of a growing number of advocates to center and protect immigrant survivors.

• Analyze the impact of immigration-related policies on survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, and other gender-based abuses.

• Provide tools and resources to stakeholders about the effects of immigration policy on survivors’ abilities to access necessary protections and services.

• Use communications strategies to inform and engage stakeholders while positively influencing the public narrative around immigrant survivors.

Values

• Safety and wellbeing for all

• Public safety

• Upholding human rights

• Respect

• Dignity

• Resilience

AIS Co-Chairs:

• The Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence

• ASISTA Immigration Assistance

• Esperanza United (formerly Casa de Esperanza: National Latin@ Network)

• Tahirih Justice Center

Please see below for more information on the Co-Chairs and contact opportunities.

ASISTA Immigration Assistance is a national non-profit dedicated to advancing the dignity, rights, and liberty of immigrant survivors of violence. ASISTA provides centralized assistance and a clearinghouse of information, best practices, and analysis of immigration matters to help attorneys and advocates navigate complex legal problems to better advocate for immigrant survivors of crime.

Kirsten Rambo is the Executive Director of ASISTA, where she leads a dedicated staff team in their training, mentorship, policy, and litigation efforts, all aimed at supporting immigrant survivors of gender-based violence and the attorneys and advocates who represent them. She has worked to prevent and respond to domestic violence, sexual assault, and similar forms of violence for over twenty years in local, state, national, and international contexts.

Esperanza United (formerly Casa de Esperanza: National Latin@ Network) mobilizes Latinas and Latino communities to end domestic violence and other forms of abuse, engaging in both local and national initiatives. Esperanza United’s National Latin@ Network for Healthy Families and Communities is a national resource center that provides training & technical assistance, research, and policy advocacy. Esperanza United serves on the Steering Committee of the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence (NTF) and has been involved in efforts to reauthorize and implement the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and advance other national policies with a focus on preserving and enhancing protections and access to safety and well-being for marginalized populations.

Patricia Tototzintle, Chief Executive Officer, identifies as a Latina with Mexican roots and has been in executive leadership at Esperanza United, formerly Casa de Esperanza, since 2002, where she oversees all organizational programming, administrative and financial operations, and key collaborations and partnerships. She is passionate about developing the strengths of Latin@s and is recognized as a national expert on leadership development.

The Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence (API-GBV) is a national resource center on domestic violence, sexual violence, trafficking, and other forms of gender-based violence in Asian and Pacific Islander communities. It analyzes critical issues affecting Asian and Pacific Islander survivors; provides training, technical assistance, and policy analysis; and maintains a clearinghouse of information on gender violence, current research, and culturally-specific models of intervention and community engagement.

Grace Huang serves as the policy director at the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence, where she coordinates the legislative, administrative and court-system advocacy to address the needs of Asian and Pacific Islander and immigrant survivors of violence. Grace has advocated for justice and safety for immigrants and for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault for over 25 years through direct services and policy advocacy at the local, state, and federal levels.

The Tahirih Justice Center is a national non-profit organization that aims to end violence against immigrant women and girls through free, holistic direct services, policy advocacy, and training and education. Tahirih serves survivors of abuses such as domestic violence, sexual assault, female genital mutilation/cutting, human trafficking, “honor” violence, and forced marriage. Since Tahirih opened in 1997, its staff has helped over 25,000 women and children access justice. The organization is headquartered in the greater Washington, DC area, and also has offices in Atlanta, Baltimore, Houston, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Archi Pyati is the Chief Executive Officer of the Tahirih Justice Center, leading Tahirih in its service to more than 30,000 women, girls, and other immigrant survivors seeking safety from gender-based violence. Previously, Archi was Chief of Policy where she oversaw the organization’s efforts to build upon U.S. laws and policies so that immigrant survivors of gender-based violence can access safety and justice. She also coordinated Tahirih’s impact litigation, media outreach, and administrative and legislative advocacy. Archi practiced law on behalf of immigrants, asylum seekers, and survivors of violence prior to joining Tahirih.