PICC’s Annual Heroes of Our Community Awards Dinner on June 15 honored three heroes for their tireless commitment to immigrants’ rights: Richard Trumpka, President of the AFL-CIO; Maria Teresa Kumar, Founding Executive Director of Voto Latino and Mia-Lia Kiernan, Community Organizer with the One Love Movement.

The dinner was attended by many members of the community who came out to support PICC as it continues to grow in its advocacy work for immigrants’ rights. Terry Stapelton, who accepted the award on Richard Trumka’s behalf, delivered a powerful speech written by Trumka. An outspoken supporter for comprehensive immigration reform, Trumka remains unyielding in his insistence that the labor movement and the immigrant rights movement must go hand in hand. Maria Teresa Kumar, in addition to founding Voto Latino, a national organization that encourages the civic engagement of American Latino youth, has been lauded as one of the most influential American Latinos under 40. Mia-Lia Kiernan helped mobilize the recently formed One Love Movement in response to a sudden rise in the detention and deportation of Cambodian community members in Philadelphia.

The event was attended by labor leaders, attorneys, activists, politicians, family members, and friends, all whom stand as advocates for protecting the rights of immigrants in Pennsylvania and across the country.

Click here to read an article written by the Philly Broadcaster about the event. Click here to see photos taken by Susan Scovill. Click here to read an article written on the AFL-CIO blog. Click here to read an article written by Al Dia in Spanish. Click here to see more photos from the event.