Cape Cod immigration advocate to receive human rights award

Last week, Katia DaCunha, founder and executive director of Latinx in Action, a 1001 New Worshiping Community in the Presbytery of Southern New England, received the Barnstable County Human Rights Advisory Commission's Unsung Hero Award given by the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

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The award recognizes DaCunha's work with immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities on Cape Cod through her ministry and advocacy organization. According to the Rev. Dr. Shannan R. Vance-Ocampo, general presbyter of the Presbytery of Southern New England, the Rev. Anne Weirich, a member of the Commission on Ministry, attended the Dec. 10 ceremony at the Emerald Conference Center in Hyannis to show the mid council's support of DaCunha’s ministry and its importance in their shared ministry as a church body.

DaCunha emigrated from Brazil to Cape Cod decades ago. She and others founded Latinx in Action to serve immigrant families and LGBTQ+ people facing trauma, isolation and systemic barriers. The organization has grown from informal prayer gatherings in 2017 into a 1001 New  Worshiping Community and provides spiritual care, practical support and advocacy for immigrant and LGBTQ+ families.

As an elder currently enrolled at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, DaCunha and her board have developed programs including Cape-wide English as a second language classes, a culturally sensitive food pantry, and many advocacy services that address urgent needs in the immigrant community.

The Emergency Safe Planning Program helps immigrant families prepare for potential encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. During a recent training with the Lake Institute and 1001 New Worshiping Communities, DaCunha was assured of how essential her program was to the safety, stability and dignity of the families she serves. "I left with concrete ideas on how to communicate its impact and invite partners to support it,” Dacunha said. This community award underscores that importance and the impact on the larger community.

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The ministry also offers sewing classes for immigrant women, many of whom are survivors of domestic violence. "The classes are to support women who feel trapped or have faced trauma," DaCunha told Cape Cod Times. "We sew together. We eat together. It's more than learning a craft or trade. It's building a community."

Latinx in Action received a $20,000 grant from Cape Cod Foundation's Women and Girls Fund in 2025 to continue its work supporting immigrant women through partnerships with organizations like Independence House and SCORE, according to the Yahoo News report.

DaCunha has been a vocal advocate for immigrant rights on Cape Cod, speaking out against policies that create fear in immigrant communities. She has advocated for humane immigration policies and works to create safe spaces where immigrants can access resources regardless of their legal status. In a recent run for the school board, Katia didn’t win the election but considers the new voter registrations she encouraged a victory.

According to the Barnstable County announcement, DaCunha is one of 15 individuals and organizations recognized as Unsung Heroes. Other award categories include the Rosenthal Community Champion Award, the Cornerstone Award and the Tim McCarthy Award.

In addition to supporting DaCunha’s ministry, the Presbytery of Southern New England has a long history of supporting immigrant communities and passed a sanctuary policy in 2017. The presbytery includes a Portuguese-language fellowship on Cape Cod, two Korean-language congregations and a church with roots in the Syrian-Lebanese Presbyterian faith traditions. Many other immigrants are welcomed in other congregations and ministries of the presbytery and its advocacy through the Massachusetts and Rhode Island Councils of Churches.