The Philadelphia Office of Immigrant Affairs (OIA) is thrilled to welcome attorney Caroline Cruz to the OIA team. Caroline will serve as Director of Language Access and Immigrant Inclusion with dual reporting to the Office of Children and Families (OCF) and Office of Immigrant Affairs (OIA).
Caroline’s legal career demonstrates a lifelong dedication to creating justice systems that are accountable to people at the city, state, and federal levels. She adds, “I am a proud immigrant, part of the long tradition that has propelled this country forward from its inception. For any city, meaningful immigrant inclusion as a guiding principle is a gateway to growth in all its facets. In Philadelphia, where 1 in 4 children live in a multilingual immigrant household, language justice and inclusion is the work of everyone who seeks to serve a diverse city.”
As Director of Language Access and Immigrant Inclusion, Caroline will continue to use her legal degree to create responsive government systems. Her duties include:
- Working with the Office of Children and Families to systematize immigrant inclusion and language access practices in internal operations and external contracting protocols
- Collaborating with the School District and community partners to implement Welcoming Sanctuary Schools policies.
- Coordinating with the Office of Immigrant Affairs and all city departments to document and expand immigrant-inclusive policies and practices and achieve Certified Welcoming designation through Welcoming America.
Why are you passionate about language access and immigrant inclusion?
As a first-generation immigrant, I know language is a powerful force that shapes society. Language can exclude communities in small and large irreparable ways every day. When public policy is exclusionary it creates isolation, insecurity, fear, and engineers poverty. Inclusive investments, staffing and practices have the power to celebrate the lives of people structurally excluded and move us toward a more cohesive Philadelphia.
Access to education transformed my life and was only possible through the sacrifices of my mom. She was the first in our family to emigrate to the United States from El Salvador. Like so many immigrants, my mom is a visionary who creates a path where there is none.
I am the proud daughter of Ann Marie Colon, a fierce optimist that taught me that education is the key to forging doors and keeping them open behind you. Expanding access to exceptional education, city services and just government is the driving compass of my legal career.
Tell us a little bit about your career prior to joining OIA?
In my previous role as Assistant General Counsel for the School District, I litigated matters and helped navigate the COVID-19 response. I developed language access legal frameworks that furthered a multilingual online presence creating continuity of learning for students. More recently at OCF, I worked on the strategic development of initiatives that expand language access, operational alignment, and food security across departments and divisions, that include Parks and Recreation, The Free Public Library, Department of Human Services, PHLpreK, and Community Schools. I also led the effort to secure grant funding from the William Penn Foundation to equitably scale up Playful Learning spaces and practices across city services and the built environment.
Prior to that, I worked on rule of law efforts supporting justice institutions for the US Department of Justice stationed abroad and also investigated and litigated discrimination cases for the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.
Where did you live prior to moving to Philadelphia?
I attended public schools in Queens, Brooklyn, Jersey City, and Newark, as new arrivals we moved a lot and learned from every place we lived. I received my B.A. from Wellesley College in Massachusetts and my Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School in Philadelphia. I currently reside in South Philly and adore its world-renowned global food scene.
Lastly, what do you enjoy in your free time?
A fun fact about me is that I enjoy traveling. One of the many treasures my mom gave me is her love of travel as a way to meet and learn from people everywhere. I have lived and studied in Israel, Spain, Mexico, El Salvador, France, Greece, Turkey, South Korea, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Egypt, among other places, and can’t wait for the next trip.
After being away, I always return home happy and energized by the creativity, hopes and beauty that unite us across cultures, time and oceans.
I also enjoy language! I am fluent in English and Spanish and intermediate in French and Portuguese.
