Immigration activist Jeanette Vizguerra named among recipients of Human Rights Award
Colorado immigration activist
By Jennifer McRae
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DENVER, Colorado (KCNC) — Colorado immigration activist Jeanette Vizguerra has been named among this year’s recipients of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Awards. The other recipients include Maine Governor Janet Mills and former DOJ Pardon Attorney Elizabeth Oyer.
According to the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights website, “Working as government representatives and grassroots activists, Mills, Oyer, and Vizguerra were selected for their moral courage and willingness to act on their convictions – even at great personal risk.”
Vizguerra is well known for her activism fighting for immigrant rights. She fled violence in Mexico City and has lived in the United States since 1997. She had sought refuge in a Denver church during President Donald Trump’s first term. She was detained on March 17 and remains in an immigration detention facility in Aurora.
“Recently, while detained in a detention center, I received the news that I had received this human rights award. I thank RFK Human Rights for this honor,” said Vizguerra in a statement. “I work independently, using my own resources. With these resources, although limited, I believe I have made a difference in the movement for social justice. The government wants to silence my voice, but I will continue to sow rebellion until I reap freedom. This award is not only for me but for every person who has been involved in my life—especially my children and my immigrant community. I hope our voices are never silenced.”
They will be recognized during a public ceremony on June 5.
According to the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights website, “The RFK Human Rights Award honors champions of social justice who stand up to oppression in the nonviolent pursuit of human rights. Honorees receive a cash prize and ongoing support for their work through RFK Human Rights campaigns and mobilization, strategic litigation, training and capacity-building, and more.”
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