Monthly Archives: November 2017

We Have So Much To Be Thankful For

November 28, 2017

We hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving last week, surrounded by those you love and hopefully still not drowsy from all that turkey! In this time of giving thanks, it’s hard to overstate how many things we at OneJustice have to be grateful for. Our work is supported by so many different people and organizations – from our Board members, who help give OneJustice a sense of direction; to our generous donors, whose financial contributions ensure services for those in need; to our community partner organizations, who invite us into their fight for equality and justice.

We are so thankful – and we wanted to extend our deepest gratitude to you!

As a result, today OneJustice is celebrating #ThanksGivingTuesday (rather than #GivingTuesday). Because our work involves so many others, we thought it would be a good idea to ask some of our staff members here at OneJustice what part of the OneJustice network they are most thankful for. Their responses are below – we hope you’ll enjoy them for #ThanksGivingTuesday!

Dania Herrera

Dania is one of the Program Associates with the Pro Bono Justice team, and she works with our Staff Attorneys to help organize and plan clinics. As a result, Dania has had the opportunity to interact with many of the clients directly served in our clinics. She writes: “The legal system can be a large maze for anyone. Without the help of a legal expert or a couple, like in the case of a client we saw in September, it can be quite a daunting process to fill out paperwork that falls within two areas of law. We hold free legal clinics in Stockton regularly and we saw a client who told us that his past drug abuse problem affected access to a better quality of life. He hoped to file a naturalization application at that clinic in September but was advised to attend our record change clinic in October to pursue record change remedies to have a more successful naturalization application. When sharing his life story with the volunteer attorneys and me, he told us what it took to turn his life around, the consequences of his actions, and in that moment I realized how stories like these need to be told in order to fix our broken legal and healthcare system.”

Gillian Sonnad

As a Staff Attorney with the Healthy Nonprofits Program, Gillian works directly with our Executive Fellows. The Fellows Program, which helps to train legal services nonprofit leaders, has generated a strong legacy of alumni. Gillian describes:“I’m grateful for the network of Executive Fellows alumni that OneJustice has created. Knowing that many of our nonprofit leaders have thought critically about the stability and longevity of their organizations gives me hope for the future of our sector and our ability to continue bringing high quality legal services to low income Californians.“


Fabiola Danielle Quiroz

Fabiola also works as a Program Associate with the Pro Bono Justice team. Having worked directly with clients, she is grateful for their willingness to share their stories with her and members of the OneJustice team. Fabiola shares her experience from a recent clinic: “I listened as the client recounted their story – from juvenile hall to prison to the lack of opportunities for reintegration. And, in that powerful moment of openness, I shared my brother’s story too –  a story of incarceration from age seventeen. Street Sheet’s November edition on mass incarceration states that over the past 30 years there has been a 500 percent increase in incarceration, amounting to 2.4 million humans with no freedom in the U.S. Now, as we enter the season of giving thanks, I am thankful for narratives having the power to build bridges between different walks of life, and in my ability to serve as a bridge. In finding common ground, my struggle and their struggle becomes one struggle – our struggle, unified towards equality and justice.”

Mai Nguyen

Mai, one of our awesome Staff Attorneys on the Pro Bono Justice team, organizes Justice Bus trips in Southern California. It takes a lot to make these clinics happen, and Mai notes that, among other, she is grateful for the Justice Bus volunteers. She describes, “I am grateful for our Justice Bus volunteers who take time out of their busy schedules to come together to bring much needed legal assistance to low-income Californians. They are able to combine their skills, resources and enthusiasm to make a positive impact on many clinic participant’s lives. Their dedication is apparent in the quality and depth of services we are able to provide through the Justice Bus and from the gracious feedback we get from clinic participants. I am thankful for the opportunity to work with such a diverse range of volunteers, from pro bono attorneys, law students, and legal services attorneys to librarians, teachers, social service providers, and caring community members — all of whom make it possible for OneJustice to carry out our mission to increase access to justice to low-income Californians as far north as Eureka and far south as El Centro.”

Thank you, everyone, for helping bring legal help to those in need.

One year later . . . OneJustice is ready.

November 7, 2017
Post by Julia R. Wilson, CEO

One year ago, I was pathetically naïve.

Photo of Julia Wilson in a brown suit with a white scarf tied over her shoulder.

My selfie on Election Day 2016, trying to echo the colors worn by suffragists in their fight for women’s right to vote.

I picked out a brown, pinstriped pantsuit that felt classic and maybe even (if I squinted at myself in the mirror) a bit timeless. I looked at photographs of my dearest grandmother, Daryl Henson, a fiercely independent woman who was born just two years after women secured the right to vote in this country. I found a white scarf in my drawer and thought about my older daughter, who would turn 18 on November 8th and would get to vote in her first election on her birthday. I felt electric with the possibilities.

Now one year later, I can hardly stand to look at the photo I posted that morning on my personal social media accounts before heading out the door. I think I actually somehow feel ashamed of that photo. It communicates something a bit too personal, or too raw, about what I thought was possible.

So on Election Day 2016, I put on my pantsuit and tied my white scarf over my shoulder. I felt buoyant as I went through my commute, smiling at first shyly – and then conspiratorially – with the other women in pantsuits in the parking lot and on the BART train. By the time I reached the streets of downtown San Francisco, I was brazenly high- fiving other pantsuited women as we walked by each other on the sidewalk – strangers and yet sisters.

Twelve hours later, I was perched on a stool, watching the TV shows on my computer alone in my darkened house, with my younger daughter asleep in bed.  The pantsuit was crumpled in my hamper. I haven’t worn it since. I don’t know if I will wear it again.

Photo of OneJustice staff around a laptop at a desk at SFO airport.

OneJustice staff at the SFO “pop-up” airport clinic in response to the first round of the Muslim Travel Ban, January & February 2017.

I didn’t sleep that night. Around 5am, I sent an email to the entire OneJustice staff. I contemplated closing the offices for the day, but that didn’t feel right. I thought that our  team needed to be together. So I invited everyone to take some time and then gather in our conference rooms in the late morning so that we could start to process what had happened and parse through what it might mean for OneJustice’s work.

We went through boxes of tissues that day. We cried and raged. We talked about power, privilege, and systemic racism and sexism in our country. We talked about the potential impact of the election on the communities that invite OneJustice into their fierce struggle for equality and justice. Staff members shared their fears, and we pledged to keep each other safe, no matter what the future might hold.

A photo of two attorneys working on laptops at a folding table at the LAX airport clinic, with signs that say "travel ban questions?" and "volunteer immigration attorney here to help"

The LAX airport legal clinic in response to the travel ban (February 2017).

That day is seared in my memory forever.  The election’s impact on our work could not have been more stark.  In one set of candidates, we had a possible President who had served on the Board of Directors of the federal Legal Services Corporation, and a Vice Presidential candidate who was a civil rights lawyer married to a former legal aid lawyer. On the other side, we had a Presidential candidate who had called for the end of the DACA program and ruthlessly vilified our communities, and a Vice Presidential candidate who had called for the complete elimination of Legal Services Corporation on three separate occasions during his time in the House.  We feared what our community was likely to face under the new administration.

On November 8, 2016, we actually thought we had a good sense of what was likely to come.  It turns out that we accurately predicted some of the components, but we were off in terms of the timing.  We did start planning that day and in the following weeks, including how to use the two California Pro Bono Regional Meetings that took place on either side on the inauguration date.  We tried to forecast different scenarios – the end of DACA, risk of mass deportations, a Muslim registry, the elimination of federal funding for legal aid – and sketch out high-level responses.

Looking back over the past year, I realize now that we could never have truly been ready for what came next.  How could we have imagined the waves of aggressive, discriminatory, and unconstitutional policies from the new administration? A proposed budget from the White House with no funding at all for legal services?  The attacks on the core democratic values we hold so dear: the rule of law, equality and justice for all?

Two attorneys shown on a large computer screen with the supervision immigration attorney at a table in the OneJustice conference room.

The OneJustice virtual DACA renewal clinic to bring legal assistance to young adults in Humboldt County in Sept. 2017.

I am so proud of what the OneJustice network has accomplished – and withstood – over the last year.  The LAX and SFO airport clinics in response to the multiple version of the Muslim travel ban.  The expansion of our Immigration Pro Bono Network to stand with immigrant communities as they face rapidly shifting immigration policies, craven deportation reprioritization, and increased ICE raids in Los Angeles.  The renewal of our grassroots network – Californians for Legal Aid – to raise awareness about the importance of legal services for Californians in need.  The statewide DACA response sprint to assist young adults in the terrible 4 weeks before the end of the DACA program.  The communities with whom we work – and our staff and volunteers – have undertaken amazing work in heart-breaking circumstances.

The past year has honed the OneJustice team to the sharpest edge. We have been buffeted and thrown about, but we also grew deeper roots that are now intimately intertwined with the roots of our partner organizations. Frontline collaborations forged in crisis have become lifetime relationships filled with trust and mutuality.  We have highly organized rapid response checklists and planning systems that we continue to hone with each new disaster – whether natural like the recent Northern California fires or a man-made disaster, manufactured by the federal administration.

I would never choose to live through the past year again – not for anything in the world.  I wish very much that our country and communities had never been forced through these experiences.  But as we work to make sense of the past 12 months and to look forward at what we might face over the next year, there is one thing that I know in my bones.

We are no longer naïve. We have learned our lessons.
This year, we are ready.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

And we need YOU more than ever before!  Please take a stand with us and fight for justice for all!

A high-fiver, a pancake maker, a saxophone player, a baker, and a swimmer all walk into an office…

November 2, 2017

…and now they all help expand access to legal assistance for all Californians!

OneJustice has been growing a lot in these past few months, and our newest team members bring a huge swath of new skills to the organization – in addition to their wonderful and unique personalities, of course. We sat down with them and asked them to share a little something about themselves, including:

  • What drew you to OneJustice’s vision, mission, and strategies?
  • Tell us a bit about your position at OneJustice and what you hope to achieve?
  • What was your path in coming to OneJustice?
  • And please tell us something about yourself that not everyone might know.

We think you’ll enjoy hearing their responses below.  And we know that  you’ll enjoy working with them as they get up and running in their work!  Join us in welcoming Xiomara Castro, Semhal Gessesse, Alex Ramsey, Gillian Sonnad, and Jess Temple!

 

Xiomara Castro – Program Associate, Pro Bono Justice

I was drawn to OneJustice because of the organization’s commitment to bringing legal services to underserved communities and expanding the legal aid landscape through a multi-faceted approach. The Justice Bus is an incredible and unique project in its mission to close the legal services gap in rural communities, where poverty is increasing and access to legal services are few. I was also drawn to OneJustice because it’s an organization that prioritizes diversity and equity among its staff and brings that dynamic to the public in the form of clinics, consulting and policy work.

I hit the ground running in support of the Justice Bus Project in Southern California. My first day at OneJustice was an overnight trip to San Diego for a DACA and Naturalization clinic in Escondido. I look forward to growing my skills to serve clients with a range of issues including naturalization and general immigration, record expungement, and veteran’s issues. As someone with social services experience, I know that many underserved communities face basic legal barriers that prevent them from accessing life-changing services. I am proud of the Justice Bus and its work to remove those barriers and create equity for marginalized people.

I am coming into the legal field with a background in social services, education and community organizing. I have experience organizing with LGBTQ youth of color around various issues, including disability and access, housing, educational equity, and state and interpersonal violence. I also have experience providing direct services and counseling to low-income and undocumented youth and families in the Los Angeles area. I am excited to use my skills to continue serving these and adjacent communities with the Justice Bus Project.

I really love high fives, karaoke and foodie hunts for the best of LA. So far I have found some of the best pizza, takoyaki, fish tacos, and sushi in LA. Next up, ramen.

Semhal Gessesse – Program Associate, Pro Bono Consulting

I was drawn to OneJustice by its mission to bring legal services to those most in need and its multifaceted clinic and consulting work to achieve it. I was drawn to my role, specifically, for its emphasis on both building the capacity of California’s pro bono work and improving the way it is delivered.

My core responsibilities here at OneJustice include working closely with the Pro Bono Justice Consulting Team to help both implement new pro bono networks around the Bay Area and strengthen existing mechanisms that have the potential to create long-lasting pro bono relationships. Through my work, I hope to increase access to justice by fostering better community relations between those with legal needs and those who have the resources and expertise to help.

Prior to joining the OneJustice team, I most recently worked on a range of city initiatives at the New York City-based policy and advocacy organization FPWA. The bulk of my work related to equitable workforce development for immigrant populations and it is here that I developed an interest in advocacy and public policy, a background I am excited to bring to OneJustice.

My passion for public interest law and social justice developed intensely during my time at New York University and while working at the Legal Aid Society and the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office. Working in both spaces within the span of two years allowed me to get a better, more nuanced understanding of justice and sentencing disparities in a large, urban legal system such as New York. Additionally, working directly with clients highlighted to me how external factors such as poverty, education attainment, and national origin can impact the outcome of a case.

I really love pancakes and enjoy eating them as a weekend breakfast or late night snack. I like to think I have the best recipe and technique out so I always welcome some friendly competition!!

Alex Ramsey – Communications Associate

This is my first job out of college, and I was really hoping I could get involved in an organization that’s making a difference. I’m interested in helping to create a more just and equitable justice system, and OneJustice serves a vital role in helping fulfill that dream. After I spoke with Julia, our CEO, I was confident that this would be a place where my work would have an impact.

As the Communications Associate, I’m in charge of managing OneJustice’s social media accounts, helping edit the website, creating graphics for physical mailings and digital campaigns, drafting blog posts and newsletters, and a bunch of other tasks. I’m hoping that I can help to improve our digital presence and expand our following – I want to spread the word about the awesome stuff that’s going on here.

In June I graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. in African and African American Studies, with Honors. In the summer of 2016, I was an intern with the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office in the Communications and Policy Department, where I did some work similar to what I do at OneJustice: I helped with social media campaigns, conducted legal research, and worked on the office’s annual report. While at Stanford, I had a number of pretty different jobs and positions. I was a research assistant with the Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute, where I helped put together scripts for a digital course; the Center for Spatial and Textual Analysis, where I created a website to map all 9/11 memorials outside of the United States; and a student leader in the Stanford Marching Band, where I helped write field shows for football performances and create social media content.

I play the tenor saxophone, and I can recite multiple episodes of Spongebob Squarepants from memory. I know, it’s weird.

Gillian Sonnad – Staff Attorney, Healthy Nonprofits

I’ve worked primarily in local legal services programs, and I know how fundamental their work is to providing access to justice for underserved and underrepresented communities. So OneJustice’s work to strengthen and support the legal services organizations through training, technical support, and advocating for additional funding really drew me in.

I will be running the Executive Fellows program and starting up a new area of consulting for the Healthy Nonprofits (HNP) team. I’m looking forward to providing support and training for the legal services organizations and hope to enable them to do their very important work more efficiently, effectively, and in an inclusive manner.

Prior to my work with OneJustice, I was a Senior Consultant with the Race Equity Project and the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law. I was an inaugural fellow for the Shriver Center Racial Justice Training Institute and after completing my fellowship I have served as faculty and coach for the Institute. I also co-authored the Clearinghouse Review article, “Putting Race Back on the Table: Racial Impact Statements.” In addition to my race equity work, I was a supervising attorney with Central California Legal Services and a staff attorney with Legal Services of Northern California where I advised, assisted, and represented hundreds of clients with issues related to public benefits, housing, healthcare, education, consumer rights, estates, and immigration. I earned my J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 2008 with a concentration in Public Interest Law. During my time at Hastings I clerked for Bay Area Legal Aid and the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, represented clients in both the Individual Rights and the Refugee and Human Rights clinics, and was a Senior Articles Editor for the Hastings Race and Poverty Law Journal. I earned my B.A. from the University of California, San Diego with a double major in Political Science and Law and Society.

My husband and I are on a mission to bake everything from our favorite season of The Great British Bake Off!

Jess Temple – Staff Attorney, Pro Bono Clinics

I was drawn to the work of OneJustice because I emphatically agree with a core tenet of OneJustice’s work – that access to justice must not be limited to those that can readily access it. OneJustice is a thoughtful and evolving organization, which skillfully combines intentionality and creativity.

As the Staff Attorney for Pro Bono Clinics, I am predominantly responsible for leading OneJustice’s Northern California Justice Bus. The Justice Bus provides mobile legal services to rural and isolated areas in Northern California by providing one- or two-day legal clinics. I hope to partner with community organizations and legal service providers to identify legal needs in these communities, and to use the Justice Bus as a mechanism by which pieces of these legal needs can be addressed.  In preparation for these trips, I am responsible for facilitating all necessary training. To a lesser extent, I am also responsible for contributing to the Rural Justice Collaborative at OneJustice.

In implementing strategic responses to pressing legal needs, I aim to build positive and productive partnerships with pro bono attorneys, law students, legal services nonprofits, and community organizations.

Prior to joining OneJustice, I completed a fellowship with the International Justice Resource Center (IJRC), where my work centered on increasing victims’, and their advocates’, effective use of international human rights law to strengthen individuals’ access to justice. Previously, I worked as a law clerk with a civil rights and human rights law firm in Venice, California and contributed to cases before the Ninth Circuit addressing police misconduct, selective and discriminatory enforcement of the law, human trafficking, child slave labor, and corporate accountability. I also worked in the Justice, Protection, and Social Rights Unit of the Special Procedures branch of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights located in Geneva, Switzerland. Before attending law school, I participated in comprehensive eviction defense work at San Francisco Bar Association’s Homeless Advocacy Project, which sought to connect Bay Area community members to pro bono legal services, social services, and rehabilitative services necessary to address intersecting experiences of poverty, discrimination, mental illness, disability, and substance abuse.

I have always been very drawn to the water, and I’ve been swimming on recreational swim teams since I was 4 years old. There were high hopes that I would be one of the great swimmers of my generation, but sadly, my performance peaked by the time I was 6 years old. Though never the best swimmer, I have enjoyed recreational and outdoor swimming ever since!