Gleaner columnist wins prestigious US award

Gleaner columnist Dahlia Walker-Huntington recently copped a national Diversity and Inclusion award from The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). Walker-Huntington, an immigration and family lawyer and diversity and inclusion consultant of Hollywood, Florida, is a 23-year member of AILA’s South Florida Chapter, the regional chapter of the national association of immigration attorneys and law professors. The association’s mission is to promote justice and advocate for fair and reasonable immigration law and policy.

The Diversity and Inclusion Award is an acknowledgement bestowed upon an individual, law firm, law school, non-profit, or organisation in the immigration field that has promoted diversity and inclusion excellence in the immigration legal profession. Each year, the Diversity & Inclusion Committee grants this award by seeking its members’ input on candidates to consider for this honour.

“As a peer-reviewed/contributed recognition, I’m even more humbled. When your own colleagues hold you in such high esteem it really is very sobering,” remarked Walker-Huntington as she discussed the honour.

With more than 20 years of undaunted commitment to legal and fair immigration, Walker-Huntington continues to be a zealous advocate on immigration, inclusion and diversity matters and has spoken and written extensively on issues of immigrants’ rights, Jamaican diaspora affairs, and race and gender equality. She has, on many occasions, travelled at her own expense to lobby the US Congress and successive US governments for equitable immigration laws. As the 2021 AILA Diversity & Inclusion Award recipient, Walker-Huntington consistently demonstrated an excellence in diversity and inclusiveness efforts beyond the call of duty as represented by the way she:

• Enhances inclusion through positive communication between persons of different backgrounds.

• Develops innovative methods for increasing and valuing diversity through wide-ranging activities.

• Demonstrates outstanding efforts to promote an environment free from bias and discrimination.

• Organises, creates and facilitates opportunities promoting diversity, respect, and inclusiveness.

“This accolade being bestowed on our member, Dahlia, is well deserved and we are all so proud to have her as a leader, educator, collaborator and influencer in our organisation,” said Maggie Arias, immediate past president, AILA South Florida Chapter.

As a Jamaican with a deep-seated love for her country of birth, along with her recognition that strengthening families is part of her core value, Walker-Huntington has created opportunities to best support Jamaicans wishing to pursue legal immigration to America. For over 16 years she co-hosts a weekly immigration programme on Power 106-FM radio in Jamaica and is a weekly columnist with The Gleaner. Walker-Huntington recently launched the podcast – ‘You Only Know Half’ – to celebrate Jamaican immigrants’ contributions to America. www.YouOnlyKnowHalf.com