Your title(s) and tenure with ILAO:
LiveHelp Program Coordinator (2011-2012) and Translation Coordinator (2013-2014, both through AmeriCorps VISTA; Communications Officer, Young Professionals Board mbember (2018-2021)
What are you doing now?
Currently I am the Director of Immigrant Justice Partnerships at The Resurrection Project. In my role, I oversee the Chicago Legal Protection Fund and Illinois Access to Justice programs that provide funding to community-based organizations for legal services and community navigator programs. I work with 60+ organizations across the state to ensure individuals impacted by mass incarceration and deportation have access to free legal services and information.
What did you gain from your time at ILAO?
I gained SO MUCH - it was my first job out of college and what led me to move from Florida to Chicago. When I first started working at ILAO, I had this lightbulb moment because I got to see what could be done in the legal field that was not solely the traditional work of attorneys representing clients. I learned that many of the common problems people have, especially those from low-income communities, end up being legal issues while at the same time there exists this huge gap in accessing free or affordable legal services and oftentimes people don’t even know where to start. This understanding was really formative for me because I didn’t necessarily want to be an attorney, but was interested in laws and making legal information and services more accessible for everyone.
ILAO’s use of technology also opened my mind to think of how whole systems can be changed or improved through innovation. It made me realize it’s not only ok, but also important to challenge the status quo and to continually innovate to be able to make real change - and that has been something I’ve carried with me throughout my career.
Finally, the mentoring I received from my supervisors and colleagues at ILAO truly opened doors for me to move into the immigration space in Chicago and advance in my career. I made so many incredible connections with folks working in legal aid and community-based organizations because of the investment ILAO made in my development. I continue to be so grateful for all that I learned and was exposed to during my time at ILAO.
What's a special memory you have of your time at ILAO?
I remember the day in January 2012 when we received our first LiveHelp chat in Spanish! I had been working on translating materials and setting up standards for receiving chats in Spanish and it was such an exciting moment to have had someone click that chat button! I’m sure I ran around to everyone’s office after I responded to the chat to share the news and celebrate!
Favorite technology of the moment:
When thinking about this question the technology that kept popping into my head was TikTok. While it may have started as a Vine spinoff, I cannot tell you how much I have learned from TikTok creators. From recipes and life hacks to excel shortcuts and how to be a better ally, it is endless entertainment and learning. Some of our partners have even used it to post quick, digestible Know Your Rights presentations and engage folks they may not have been able to otherwise. It has been a much needed distraction during COVID (and I may or may not have gone viral for posting a few Shark Tank videos).
Alternative career:
I grew up in Georgia riding and showing horses competitively, so if I weren’t working in immigration, I would definitely be a horse trainer!
What law would you abolish if you could? OR What law would you create?
Whether it took eliminating current laws such as the inadmissibility and deportability grounds of the Immigration and Nationality Act or passing a new law, if I could I would end the criminalization of immigrants by abolishing immigration detention and ending all deportations while also including a pathway to citizenship for all who wish to live in the US.
