Ana Chavarin Is Winner of 2019 CCHD Cardinal Bernardin New Leadership Award

WASHINGTON— The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) is the anti-poverty program of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Each year, CCHD honors an individual between the age of 18 and 40 who demonstrates leadership in fighting poverty and injustice in the United States through community-based solutions with the Cardinal Bernardin New Leadership Award.

Ana Chavarin has been named as the recipient of the 2019 Cardinal Bernardin New Leadership Award; she will be honored at a reception Monday, November 11, during the bishops’ annual General Assembly in Baltimore. Ana is a young immigrant mother who experienced a deepening of faith and discovery of her leadership abilities to help transform her community through work with CCHD-funded group Pima County Interfaith. Now interim lead organizer with that same group, she has spent the last several years mobilizing migrant families and faith communities to impact the issues that affect them. Ana played a lead role in a campaign to increase community safety and address drug abuse. Recently, Ana led numerous sessions with immigration attorneys on the issue of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), rights of the undocumented, and how to become a citizen. She has helped hundreds of undocumented immigrants obtain power of attorney letters to protect their children and property in case they are detained or deported.

“Ana's Catholic faith motivates and inspires her role as a parent, faith community member, and leader in the wide range of social outreach initiatives in which she participates,” said Sister Leonette Kochan, OSF, the former director of the Office of Human Life and Dignity in the Diocese of Tucson. “Her courageous determination and the support of others found expression in her life of service to others, especially in programs that empower the lives of others. As a person who faces economic struggles as a single parent of four children, Ana also leads by example in balancing family life with work, while pursuing a college degree.”

The award, bestowed annually, is named for the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, who served as archbishop of Chicago from 1982 till his death in 1996. Cardinal Bernardin served as the first general secretary of the U.S. bishops’ conference from 1968-1972, and as the conference’s third president from 1974-1977. More information about the award is available online: www.usccb.org/about/catholic-campaign-for-human-development/cardinal-bernardin-new-leadership-award.cfm.

Ana’s remarks will be available at www.togoforth.org on November 11, following the award reception.

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Keywords: USCCB, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Bernardin New Leadership Award, 2019 General Assembly, Baltimore, Catholic Campaign for Human Development, CCHD

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