Background

• Vanessa Cardenas was born in Brooklyn, NY, grew up in Bolivia and currently lives in Arlington, VA.

• She holds a B.A. in Government and Politics and a Master’s in Public Administration both from George Mason University and is a graduate of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia.

• Prior to American Progress, she worked as a Policy/Communications Associate and Outreach Coordinator at the National Immigration Forum where she helped bridge the policy, communications and grassroots advocacy world to disseminate the Forum’s message and work. (Source: CAP)

Professional Positions

• During her time as Outreach Coordinator at the National Immigration she participated in numerous local and national organizing and legislative campaigns such as the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride, the campaign to defeat Proposition 200 in Arizona and the establishment of the We are America coalition.

• Vanessa has managed and administered public education and outreach programs serving diverse communities on a range of issues such as education, civic participation and immigration. Vanessa was profiled as one of the “100 People to Watch in the Next Century” by Washingtonian Magazine. (Source: CAP)

Accomplishments

Articles by Vanessa Cardenas

• Conmemorando las Marchas de los Inmigrantes del 1 de Mayo, May 1, 2008.

• Commemorating Today’s May 1 Immigrant Marches, May 1, 2008.

• The Inexplicably Uncourted Latino Vote, October 13, 2007, October 13, 2007.

Criticism

Additional Information

Biography Links

• Vanessa Cardenas