VIA wins two Anthem Awards
We were honored at the 5th Annual Anthem Awards with a Gold Award for Humanitarian Action & Services and the Community Voice Award, recognizing our community-led impact.
About the Anthem Awards
Selected by leaders who understand real change
The Anthem Awards recognize purpose-driven work and social impact initiatives that create real and measurable change. Launched in 2021 by the Webby Awards, the Anthem Awards honor organizations and leaders working across areas such as humanitarian action, human rights, health, education, equity, responsible technology, and sustainability.
The awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, the institution internationally known for the Webby Awards.
For the fifth edition, entries were evaluated by a global jury of leaders from organizations including the American Heart Association, Gates Foundation, IKEA, NAACP, Planned Parenthood, REI Co-op, TikTok for Good, Tom’s of Maine, and others.
The Story We Shared with the World
This video was submitted as part of VIA’s nomination to the Anthem Awards. It reflects VIA’s mission, community-based approach, and the lived experiences that shape the organization’s work with migrants and asylum seekers in New York.
The video represents the values that guide VIA’s work: humanity, action, and solidarity.
Gold Awards Recognition
Gold Winner
Humanitarian Action & Services: Emerging Company or Organization
VIA received the Gold Award in the category Humanitarian Action & Services: Emerging Company or Organization, recognizing its impact as an independent, community-based, migrant-led nonprofit organization.
This award acknowledges VIA’s consistent work providing humanitarian assistance, legal orientation, emergency resources, and community empowerment programs to asylum seekers, forcibly displaced migrants, and vulnerable immigrant families in New York.
Gold Winner
Anthem Community Voice Award
Selected by Popular Vote
In addition to the Gold Award, VIA received the Anthem Community Voice Gold Award, a distinction determined entirely by public voting.
This recognition reflects the trust, support, and engagement of the broader community and highlights the importance of community-led organizations whose impact is rooted in collective action.
Why This Matters to VIA
A Historic Milestone for a Migrant-Led Organization
The 5th Annual Anthem Awards received more than 2,000 submissions from 42 countries, making VIA’s recognition a historic milestone for an independent, migrant-led, and volunteer-run organization.
This achievement represents a turning point for VIA. It affirms that organizations built by migrants, for migrants, can lead with dignity and transparency while achieving global recognition for their impact.
Patricia McLoughlin, General Manager of the Anthem Awards, shared:
“This year’s winners are a source of hope, and I am excited to celebrate their work with the world.”
A Message from Our
Co-Founders
“We are deeply honored and profoundly proud to receive these awards, which mark a historic moment for the migrant community, a diverse, resilient community representing many Spanish-speaking countries across the Americas, and for nonprofit organizations led by those who have lived displacement firsthand.
At VIA, we lead by example, always placing humanity, action, and solidarity at the center of our work. This recognition belongs to every volunteer, ally, and community member who believes in our mission, and above all, to our beloved Venezuela, which we continue to dream will soon be free again.”
Niurka Meléndez & Héctor Arguinzones, Co-Founders & Directors
VIA Trayectory
Additional Awards & Recognitions
In addition to the Anthem Awards, VIA has been recognized by other organizations for its impact, leadership, and commitment to migrant communities. These acknowledgments highlight the breadth of our work and the trust placed in our mission.
Support the Work Behind the Impact
This recognition highlights the work VIA carries out every day in support of migrants and asylum seekers. Your support helps sustain humanitarian assistance, legal orientation, emergency resources, and community empowerment programs.