7th Annual Defensor de Justicia Award Ceremony presented by CRBA

Amagda Perez is the daughter of farmworkers, a highly respected attorney, social justice activist, advocate, educator, and community leader with a deep and enduring commitment to immigrants, farmworkers, and underserved communities. Amagda Perez earned her law degree from UC Davis School of Law in 1991 and joined the UC Davis law faculty in 1994. She serves as the Executive Director of the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation and the Co-Director of the UC Davis Immigration Law Clinic. In both capacities, she provides legal representation to low-wage rural immigrants, trains law students and pro bono attorneys on public interest law, removal defense, family-based immigration, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, U Visas, naturalization, and other forms of humanitarian relief. Through her training of law students and fellows, she has brought greatly needed information and immigration legal services to underserved rural communities in the Sacramento and Central Valleys. Like her mentor, Justice Cruz Reynoso, Amagda Perez is the receipient of the Ohtli Award, a presigious honor from the Mexican government for those who have dedicated their lives to opening doors and improving the political, social, and economic wellbeing of Mexicans in the United States, received the UC Davis School of Law Distinguished Teaching Award, and has been inducted into the International Educators' Hall of Fame. Amagda had the privilege of working with Justice Reynoso at CRLA, CRLAF, and the UC Davis School of Law, where they served as co-faculty advisors to the La Raza Law Students Association and participated in the Schwarts/Levi Inn of Court together, along with Judge Emily Vasquez. Amagda's work extends Justice Reynoso's legacy of service and defending the right of everyone, regardless of race and immigration status, to access justice.

Host or Publisher The Cruz Reynoso Bar Association (CRBA)