Erika Andiola facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Erika Andiola
Andiola in 2016
Born	1986–1987 (age 38–39) Mexico
Occupation	Activist

Erika Andiola is a brave activist from Mexico. She works hard to protect the rights of immigrants, especially in the Metropolitan Phoenix area. Currently, she is the Chief Advocacy Officer for an organization called RAICES.

Erika has held many important roles before. She was a political director for Our Revolution. She also worked for Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign. There, she helped reach out to Latino voters. She even worked for a member of Congress, Kyrsten Sinema. Erika's own journey as an immigrant has inspired much of her work.

Erika Andiola's Journey

Coming to the United States

Erika Andiola came to the United States from Durango, Mexico, in 1998. She was 11 years old at the time. Her mother brought Erika and her siblings to the U.S. to escape a difficult situation.

Erika later studied psychology at Arizona State University (ASU). She graduated from ASU in 2009.

Standing Up for Immigrant Rights

While the U.S. Senate was discussing the Dream Act, Erika spoke up. She shared her own story publicly as a "Dreamer." A Dreamer is a young person who came to the U.S. as a child without official papers. In 2012, Erika was given a special permission. This permission meant she would not be sent back to Mexico.

Erika helped start the Arizona Dream Act Coalition. This group is led by young immigrants. They work to fight for higher education and immigrant rights. Erika became well-known in Arizona. She would challenge politicians who supported rules against immigrants. She also served on national committees for the United We Dream Network.

Family and Public Action

In 2013, something very difficult happened. Erika's mother and brother were held by immigration officers. They were almost sent back to Mexico after a raid at Erika's home. Erika shared a video about her family's situation on YouTube. The video quickly became very popular. Erika worked closely with the immigration officers. Because of her efforts, her family was able to stay in the country.

Also in 2013, Erika appeared in a music video. It was called "El Hielo" and was directed by Alex Rivera. She played one of the two mothers in the video.

Erika also worked for Representative Kyrsten Sinema in 2013. She started in Arizona and later moved to Washington, D.C. In 2015, she began working with the Guatemalan consulate. She helped people who needed assistance. In 2016, she joined the Bernie Sanders campaign for president. She worked as a strategist to connect with Latino voters in the Southwest U.S.

Continuing Her Activism

In 2018, Erika took part in a protest. This protest was at the Texas State Capitol. It was against ending DACA in Texas. DACA is a program that protects young immigrants.

In 2020, Erika and Lucia Allain from RAICES spoke up during a debate. They interrupted Joe Biden's speech at a Democratic primary debate in Nevada. This showed their dedication to immigrant rights.

Erika Andiola continues to be a strong voice for immigrants. She works tirelessly to make sure their stories are heard.