The past ten days have been busy at Klinke Immigration! In addition to representing our clients, we strongly believe in being a member of our community. We were out and about at a variety of different events. And while each one was very different, I loved being part of each one.
Last Monday, I was part of a panel regarding the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) at the Georgia Commission on Family Violence annual conference. While I was there to share my insights on how VAWA helps the immigrant community, I also learned a lot. I spoke with housing coordinators, people who work with animals in domestic violence settings, school counselors, and professors. The conference opened my eyes to the variety of types of domestic violence and the resources available for everyone – not just the immigrant community.
GAIN hosted an amazing event on Thursday night. Anna Rodriguez came to Atlanta to talk about her experiences in the fight against human trafficking. She was instrumental in getting the T visa created – a special type of visa for immigrant victims of severe human trafficking. I was inspired by how much of a difference one person can make. Her story and passion make me see how much more I could do.
This past Sunday was Fiestas Patrias. The community came together to celebrate Mexican Independence Day. Klinke Immigration had a booth there and met over 100 people with immigration concerns. While we were there to advertise and let people know about our services, it was nice for me to be out in the Mexican community. From the time I was 7 until I was 17, I had a step-dad from Mexico. I have to admit, I appreciate the Mexican culture much more now than I did when I was younger! As an attorney, I typically deal with people and their legal problems. Being part of a celebration was so nice – from the dancing to the music to the food. Seeing so many smiles were great!
I truly enjoyed all of these events. Thank you to everyone for the invitations – keep them coming!
– Tracie