On the dusty roads of Apopka, Florida—amid fields and campfires—there stands a woman who has embodied consolation, leadership, and advocacy for generations of migrants, particularly Mexicans, since the early 1970s: Sister Ann Kendrick, of the Congregation of Notre Dame de Namur. What began modestly in 1971 has blossomed into a flourishing legacy of social justice and transformed lives.
Invited by the Diocese of Orlando, Sister Ann and three fellow nuns arrived in Apopka without grand plans. Instead, they embarked on their mission with a simple mantra: “to be with the people, to listen, and to learn.”
From that grounding emerged the Hope CommUnity Center, a place where community members are both teachers and learners, and where justice, education, and spiritual growth take root.
Early conversations with farmworkers gave rise to tangible, grassroots initiatives. The Community Health Centers—originally the West Orange Farmworkers Health Association—now provide integrated medical, dental, and mental health services to thousands.
Through Homes in Partnership, over 4,000 families have constructed their own homes. The Community Trust Federal Credit Union expanded access to financial services for day laborers. The Farmworker Association of Florida, now with 6,000 members, organizes workers for advocacy. The Notre Dame Mission Volunteers / AmeriCorps Program supports at-risk students in Orange County public schools.
Sister Ann’s impact stretches well beyond program development. She has continuously raised her voice to defend migrants, denouncing restrictive laws like Florida’s SB 1718 and organizing protests in Tallahassee and Washington D.C. in defense of immigrant rights.
During the last and the current Trump administration, she condemned immigration raids and attacks on DACA, poignantly declaring that these migrant workers are “good, faithful, God-loving-and-fearing people… who, despite terrible obstacles… continue to believe in goodness and kindness”.
Her unwavering work earned recognition in 2021, when the Orlando Magic honored her with the Social Justice Game Changer Award. Despite this public acknowledgment, Sister Ann remains humble, crediting the community itself “We couldn’t have done this without them,” she explained.
Academically, she brings robust credentials to her advocacy—holding a bachelor’s degree from Trinity Washington University, a master’s in Latin American Literature from the University of Maryland, and honorary doctorates from Trinity and Rollins College.
Yet what defines Sister Ann is her continued presence—walking among houses she helped build, sharing coffee with workers during breaks, and listening to their stories—half a century after arriving in Apopka.
Her legacy exemplifies how lived faith among the most vulnerable becomes a collective movement of dignity and resistance.
Sister Ann Kendrick, who some say carries a “Mexican soul,” remains living proof that even from a small agricultural community in Florida, solidarity can ignite hope for an entire people.
Related: Carla Herrera and her work empowering people with visual impairments
Mexican Press Agency is part of ALMA, which is dedicated to news and information about Mexico and Mexicans in the United States and is a fiscally sponsored project of Social Focus, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Redwood City, California.
