Dear Friends of Just Neighbors,

We hope everyone is enjoying the spring!  Just Neighbors has had a very good April—here are the highlights.

Client Story

Rosa met an American in her native Colombia and fell in love with him. He proposed to her there, and she came to the United States on a fiancé visa to be with him.  But the day after they were married, her husband pushed her down the stairs. “He became a totally different person here,” she said, and the abuse continued.  She felt uprooted and abandoned and did not know what to do. 

After struggling in her marriage for over a year, she came to Just Neighbors seeking advice.  We told her that she could stay in this country legally without depending on her abusive husband. .

We helped Rosa apply for immigration status under a federal law called the Violence Against Women Act.  VAWA enables immigrant women to apply for legal status for themselves and their children without relying on an abusive U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident husband.  

Staff attorneys spent hours and hours with Rosa compiling evidence of the abuse to send to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.  USCIS just approved her application for lawful permanent resident status, and the staff of Just Neighbors rejoiced with her at the good news! 

Back in Colombia Rosa had spent her time working and studying. She said her life had been easier there because she spoke the common language. It’s hard for her here “because I don’t speak the language as well,” she said.

Rosa said that life is difficult in Colombia for most people.  For decades the country has been plagued by a violent conflict between leftist guerillas, right-wing paramilitary groups, and the government.  There have been many violations of human rights on all sides.  Though much of the conflict was ideological initially, now most of the violence stems from drug-related crime.  Colombia is considered one of the most dangerous countries in the world, and drug-related crime is the most common cause of death after cancer, according to the BBC.

In addition, she says that many people are fleeing the countryside for the cities – both because of the violence and because the cities have more opportunities.  This creates further problems of overcrowding and unemployment.   But Rosa said she wasn’t scared for her safety because she was living in a major city, and the worst violence is in the countryside. 

Rosa has volunteered at Just Neighbors, making copies and filing to practice her language and office skills.  She was recently working at a hotline for Latinos but she lost the job when the management changed.  Now she’s looking for a new job. Although she would like to work in an office to improve her English, she’ll work anywhere as she develops her skills.  She is optimistic about her future here in the United States and says that there are more opportunities.  “I know this country now. This is a good country.”

Get Involved

We will be holding an immigration overview entitled “Immigration Law:  What is a Green Card and Who Gets One?” at Floris UMC in Herndon on Tuesday, May 15th, at 6:30pm.  In this 1 1/2 hour presentation, the attorneys of Just Neighbors will focus on green cards, the immigration status that can lead to citizenship in the United States.  Come learn what the U.S. requires of an immigrant before granting this privilege (such as financial stability), as well as the bars that prevent an individual from getting a green card (such as drug trafficking).  We will also explain how someone with a green card may lose that status, as well as cover the benefits of having a green card.  The talk will be appropriate for those who came to our last presentation and for first-timers who want to gain a better understanding of this important immigration status. Please let me know if you think you’ll be able to attend.  We hope to see you there! 

We will conduct a similar presentation in Arlington on June 20th and will provide more details next month.

Around the Office

We would like to thank the Weissberg Foundation for funding our community clinic in Arlington on April 17th.  With the help of twelve volunteers, including seven attorneys and five Spanish-speakers, Just Neighbors met with nine clients and their families who had a variety of needs.  They came from Argentina, El Salvador, Sudan, Bolivia, and Sierra Leone.  We will continue to meet with these clients to assist with their cases.  

Volunteer of the Month

Just Neighbors would like to honor Glenda Morales as our Volunteer of the Month for April.  Glenda originally came to Just Neighbors because she needed to fulfill twenty-four hours of pro bono work for her paralegal program at Marymount University.  However, once we saw her demeanor with clients and her skill as a translator, we recruited her to help us more regularly.  Over the past three months she has been translating for several of our clients who have experienced domestic violence and who need to tell the stories of their abuse to our attorneys in the comfort of their own language.  And if you ever call our office when we’re closed, that’s her voice you hear on the voice mail.  Thank you Glenda!
 
Development

We are thrilled to have received several grants this month.  The Verizon Foundation has generously funded Just Neighbors for a second straight year in support of our work with low-income immigrants who experience domestic violence.  Our domestic violence work is also now supported by a grant from the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region, Starbucks Memorial Fund. 

Finally, our work with El Salvadorans who will need to renew Temporary Protected Status is being supported this year by a grant from the Washington Area Partnership for Immigrants, a funding collaborative of The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region.  The funds for this project are provided through collaboration between the Emergency Services Fund and the Washington Area Partnership for Immigrants.

Sincerely,

Rob Rutland-Brown
Executive Director