Sulma Arias

Center for Community Change

Sulma Arias is the Immigration Field Director of the FIRM Campaign at the Center for Community Change. For four years previously, she was the Executive Director of Sunflower Community Action in Kansas, a multi-racial grassroots organization dealing with issues of racial and economic inequality. Under her leadership, a coalition of local and national organizations launched an anti-hate campaign against the agenda of Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, which America’s Voice described as the best anti-hate work in the country. Prior to Sunflower, Sulma was the Campaign Director for National People’s Action’s Immigrant and Worker Justice program, where she coordinated training and capacity building for 12 grassroots organizations in 10 states.

Sulma migrated from El Salvador to Kansas at the age of twelve. In 2000, she organized leaders to launch a statewide campaign to change the state’s driver’s license law. In 2003, she directed grassroots participation in the introduction and successful passage of Kansas’ in-state tuition bill