Lorella Praeli

Lorella Praeli is a strategist, organizer, and advocate with a career focused on economic, racial, and social justice in the United States. She serves as co-president of Community Change and Community Change Action, becoming the first woman to co-lead the organization in its history. At Community Change and Community Change Action, Praeli co-leads efforts to build the power of low-income people, particularly low-income people of color, through advocacy and grassroots organizing.

Praeli's work in immigrant justice is informed by her own experience as an undocumented immigrant from Peru. She began her advocacy in Connecticut, where she co-founded and directed CT Students for a Dream and led campaigns for tuition equity for undocumented students. Praeli holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science and sociology from Quinnipiac University.

Praeli has played a significant role in national immigration policy. She served as director of advocacy and policy at United We Dream, where she led campaigns for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and contributed to efforts to expand protections for undocumented Americans. She also served as national Latino vote director for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and directed the national immigration program at the American Civil Liberties Union, where she worked to defend the rights of immigrants and refugees and expand pro-immigrant measures at state and local levels.

Praeli is the first recipient of the John D. Podesta Progressive Champion Award. She advocates for a range of issues, including the child tax credit, care economy, guaranteed income, and protections for undocumented immigrants. Praeli serves on the ACLU National Board, Edward W. Hazen Foundation Board of Trustees, FWD.us Board of Directors, Roosevelt Forward Board of Directors, and the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy Board of Directors. She is also a member of the U.S. Treasury Advisory Committee on Racial Equity.

As a commentator, Praeli has appeared on MSNBC, Univision, NBC News, CNN en Español, and NPR. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and the Washington Post. Praeli is recognized for her expertise in immigration policy, social justice advocacy, and community organizing.