The Paul and Sheila Wellstone Award recognizes individuals who have made a unique contribution to the anti-trafficking field in the United States or demonstrated outstanding leadership and dedication in working to combat human trafficking in the United States. This award is named in honor of US Senator Paul Wellstone and his wife, Sheila, who are both champions of human rights and justice.
2024 RECIPIENT
Maria Jose Fletcher
Words from her colleagues
She works by herself or with a team equally well. She is unfailingly gracious and patient, while working on horrendously difficult cases of emotional and physical abuse. She is multi-talented, extraordinarily intelligent, and a multi-tasker, yet possesses none of the arrogance that can come with those qualities. She is funny, compassionate, and astute. Her workload and accomplishments while working both with individual survivors as well as on systemic change are tremendous; yet, with extraordinary grace, she makes it all seem effortless.
It is not often that one finds a colleague that is as dedicated and hard working as Maria Jose is. She cares deeply about justice and fairness for her clients. She embodies the service provider who is able to help restore trust and dignity to immigrant clients who have been so brutalized. She sees hope in the bleakest of situations, but is not naive in her optimism. She fights against vicious, violent, twisted human rights violators, and yet maintains hope as she works persistently and collaboratively to assist immigrant victims and seek justice.
Maria Jose’s non-stop commitment to her work and her utter lack of interest in self-promotion means her meritorious accomplishments have gone largely unheralded, a situation that should be rectified.
Past Recipients
- 2023
Amy Fleischauer
Consultant - 2022
Kate Mogulescu
Associate Professor, Brooklyn Law School - 2020
Lynette Parker & Ruth Silver Taube
Katharine and George Alexander Community Law Center, Santa Clara University School of Law - 2019
Ima Matul
Survivor Leadership Program Manager, Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking - 2018
Cindy C. Liou, Esq.
Deputy Director for Legal Services, Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) - 2017
Joye Frost
Former Director, Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice - 2016
Miguel Keberlein
Director, Immigrants and Workers’ Rights Practice Group, LAF - 2015
Damayan Migrant Workers Association
New York City, NY - 2014
Sheila Neville
Senior Attorney, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) - 2013
The Honorable Patrick Leahy,
United States Senator (D-VT) - 2012
Martina Vandenberg
Open Society Institute Fellow and Human Rights Advocate - 2011
Susie Baldwin
Chief of Health Assessment, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health - 2010
Pamela Chen
Assistant U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of New York - 2009
Patricia Medige and Jennifer Lee
Attorneys, Colorado Legal Services - 2008
Susan French
Prosecutor, US Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division - 2007
Florrie Burke
Former Director of Anti-Trafficking Program, Safe Horizon - 2006
Coalition of Immokalee Workers
Immokalee, FL - 2005
Luis cDeBaca
Prosecutor, US Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division - 2004
Thai Community Development Center
Los Angeles, CA