Claudia Lucero
Oral History Transcription
Oral History Audio
Name of interviewer: Enrique Alvear
Date of Interview: August 12, 2016
Location: Chicago, IL
Interview Language: Spanish
Claudia Lucero is the Board President of Alianza Americas, a national immigrant rights organization with headquarters in Chicago. Since September of 2016, she has served as Executive Director of the Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America. A native from Durango, Claudia Lucero has lived in Mexico City, Querétaro, and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. Claudia’s family migrated to Chicago, Illinois, when she was 17 years-old and settled in Pilsen, the main Mexican neighborhood in the city. After finishing high school, she went to a community college and later decided to study a Bachelor’s Degree in Latin American and Latino Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Challenged by her undocumented immigration status, she became a founding member of “Durango Unido.” Her participation in this club solidified her political commitment and served as a vehicle to create relationships with other Mexican and Latin American immigrant activists. As the fourth female President of “Durango Unido," Claudia Lucero had to deal with sexist reactions against her young feminist leadership. However, she recognizes this experience as an important step to promote emerging feminist leaders in the “Federación Duranguense” in the United States. Rather than a paternalist program, Claudia Lucero describes Durango Unido’s work as an advocacy organization demanding accountability to the local government in Durango. Moreover, “Durango Unido” has also supported several policy proposals in Chicago aimed at extending immigrant rights. Going beyond its own native community in Mexico, Durango Unido has also been engaged with many other immigrant rights advocacy and political organizations in Chicago.
