Archuleta earns statewide honor

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VALLEY — San Luis Valley Immigrant Resource Center Executive Director Flora Archuleta received the 2018 Purple Ribbon Award for Outstanding Leadership in Victim Advocacy from the Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence during the annual Colorado Advocacy in Action conference in Vail on June 5.

Archuleta has been working in the domestic violence field for 16 years supporting, advocating and making sure survivors of domestic violence are safe. In 2001, she started working at the San Luis Valley Immigrant Resource Center (SLVIRC) as the Immigrant Advocate; primarily working with survivors of domestic violence for the Por Ti Misma program. This program was established right after the Violence Against Women Act was enacted in 2000 with the purpose of assisting undocumented domestic violence victims to apply for immigration relief on their own without the need to rely on their abusers.

Archuleta has contributed to the advancement of domestic violence awareness in the immigrant community as well as the general public by collaborating with other service providers and law enforcement. Once she was hired as the immigrant advocate, the executive director position was available and she became the director within a year of working at the SLVIRC. She continued working with domestic violence clients for four years even after changing roles and until this day continues to supervise both the Immigrant Advocate and Crime Victim Housing Coordinator.

Archuleta is very passionate about providing assistance to the immigrant community and all survivors. Her work has enhanced the safety and dignity of domestic violence victims and their children by providing the needed services in the San Luis Valley. In May of 2017 after securing funding, she started the Crime Victim Housing program to prevent homelessness among crime victims, especially immigrant victims who are in most cases underserved. For the past 16 years, she has been able to see former clients become U.S. citizens, own their homes, and provide for their children once they were able to get the help provided by the SLVIRC.

Archuleta is also an outstanding leader and a great mentor and has made a tremendous impact on the lives of immigrant victims and survivors of domestic violence and other crimes in the community.

Captions: Amy Miller, right, the executive director for the Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence, presents the 2018 Purple Ribbon Award for Outstanding Leadership in Victim Advocacy to San Luis Valley Immigrant Resource Center Executive Director Flora Archuleta, left, on June 5./Courtesy photos

Congratulating Flora Archuleta, second from left, on her award are from left Immigrant Advocate Carmen Murillo Stevens, Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence Executive Director Amy Miller and Crime Victim Housing Coordinator Angelica Raya-Trejo.