Winter break invokes images of time with family and friends, travel, and sleeping in. However, it is also an ideal time for Miami Law students to dive into pro bono opportunities without balancing the demands of a heavy class load. This winter break, Miami Law students were excited to have the opportunity to volunteer both in person and remotely, tackling important issues such as immigration advocacy at the Texas/Mexico border, voting rights, and child advocacy. Through the efforts of the HOPE Public Interest Resource Center, these pro bono alternative breaks offer students a chance to gain diverse experiences, hone practical skills, build professional networks, and make meaningful contributions to communities in need.
Through her participation in the International Refugee Assistance Project and thanks to generous support from Miami Law’s LAFAC, 3L Karina Estrada traveled to the Texas/Mexico border and spent a week on the frontlines of immigration advocacy as part of a group of law students from all over the country. IRAP partnered with Las Americas, a legal aid organization that assists migrants in Ciudad Juárez and immigrant communities throughout the El Paso, Texas region.
The El Paso port-of-entry sees the second highest number of people crossing the U.S. by land, second to San Diego. Spending time working in both El Paso, Texas, and Juarez, Mexico, gave Estrada a unique perspective on what was happening at the border. “Seeing the conditions in shelters and hearing stories from those newly arrived in Ciudad Juárez gave me a deeper understanding of climate and migration issues,” said Estrada. “I feel empowered to use what I’ve learned to make a meaningful impact in my legal career.”
Working remotely with an agency in another part of the country, 1L Sadie Goyins, along with four other Miami Law students, Mila Zernich, Madison Borkovich, Andrea Barcenas-Luhan, and Roberto Barbery Cronembold, volunteered with the Colorado Office of the Child Representative. This independent state agency ensures adequate representation for vulnerable children and youth in Colorado.
“I had a great experience, and I learned a lot about child advocacy through speaking with children, caregivers, and parents who have worked with child representative attorneys,” said Goyins. “Hearing the meaningful impact that the attorneys have made on families was so incredible and very encouraging. I am so grateful that I got the opportunity to learn more about the office and the important work that attorneys can do to represent children to ensure their health and safety and make sure their best interests are met.”
Miami Law students also volunteered remotely with the Prisoner’s Legal Advocacy Network, a non-profit organization working to defend and expand the legal rights of presently and formerly incarcerated individuals.
“This winter break, I had the incredible opportunity to work with PLAN on their election protection jail and post-release voting working group,” said 2L Miami Scholar Natalie Gonzalez. “My task was to update voting guides for U.S. states, a project involving much research and contacting state election departments. It was a unique opportunity to learn about different forms of legal advocacy, participate in meaningful work, and connect with supervising attorneys without the added stress of worrying about class or assigned readings.”
The HOPE Public Interest Resource Center plans and coordinates opportunities for Miami Law students to volunteer during fall, winter, and spring breaks and throughout the academic year. If interested in learning more about upcoming opportunities (or helping to plan them), please email umhope@law.miami.edu.
Read more about the social justice and public interest area of study at Miami Law.
