Breaking Down Barriers/Extending Welcome to All

Frequently, the IRC is served by volunteers embedded in the same community as our target service demographic. Our hope is that our work is mutually transformative, as we break down barriers that separate immigrant and non-immigrant from joining in authentic relationships. One such volunteer, Fatima, has been serving as a volunteer translator for several years, assisting with countless consultations and helping guide clients towards citizenship. Her own children have been clients of the IRC, and we assisted them with DACA as they continued to attend and eventually graduate college, moving away to pursue their careers. Years after first serving them, one of the children got married and became ready to move past DACA and apply for legal permanent residency. They were concerned that, since they were nonbinary, they would have difficulty proving the authenticity of their marriage and with encountering government officials that would not be accepting of their gender identity or relationships. We were able to help them feel safe and supported as we navigated the application process together, and just recently, we received news that they finally received their green card. They shared with us, “Thank you for always being there and, believe me, that your compassionate approach, your care for our family's well-being and your prompt responses to our questions eased our anxieties throughout this painful process.” We celebrate this milestone that has been years in the making, and continue the work to help all of Fatima’s family eventually become citizens, holding hope for the transformative opportunities that are still yet to come!