Join us in celebrating NYC's Latinx community with this speaker series, spotlighting the inspiring journey of Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz

About this Event

As the political climate of the nation (and globe) finds itself engulfed in a wave of xenophobia, telling Latinx stories becomes even more important. Join Newsela and Catalina Cruz (Assemblywoman, NY State’s 39th District) for an evening of storytelling and discussion.

In addition to discussing how to navigate politics, polarized national debates, and personal historias, we’ll explore Catalina's journey from undocumented immigrant to elected State Assemblywoman.

This edition of Newsela’s A Mile In Our Shoes Speaker Series continues to build on using the power of personal stories to positively change our world, promote empathy & inclusivity, and spark new ideas in the tech and media industry.

About Our Speaker

Catalina Cruz - Assemblywoman, New York State Assembly’s 39th District

Born in Colombia, Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz moved to Queens at the age of 9. She grew up as a Dreamer and lived in the United States for more than 10 years as an undocumented American. She now represents one of the most diverse districts in the nation, which encompasses the neighborhoods of Corona, Elmhurst and Jackson Heights in Queens. Catalina has committed her career to fighting for immigrant communities and to ensure workers, neighbors, and families not only survive, but thrive.

Catalina's first legislative session was one of the most progressive in recent history. She led the charge on many historic pieces of legislation, including the Child Victims Act, the Dream Act, rent law reforms, and the Green Light Bill, which provides Driver's Licenses for Undocumented New Yorkers.

The Schedule

5:30pm-6:00pm Check-In

6:00pm-7:00pm Discussion with Assemb. Catalina Cruz

7:00pm-8:00pm Happy Hour & Networking

About Newsela

Newsela is on a mission to unlock the written word for everyone. We're dedicated to transforming the way learners access the world through words. By publishing high-interest articles daily at five levels of complexity for grades 3-12, Newsela not only builds students' reading levels, it gets them thinking critically and engages them in current events. Backed by Kleiner Perkins, Zuckerberg Education Ventures and TCV, among other leading venture capital firms, we’re building a future where vibrant digital reading experiences will supercharge reading engagement and learning in every subject.

Whether developing rich content, magical user experiences, or powerful data analytics, our cross-functional teams work in a collaborative environment to solve complex problems and make a real world impact. It's a thrilling time to be here, and we're hiring.