Asian Outreach Unit at Greater Boston Legal Services
The Dow Fund’s $79,300 grant supported the AOC’s Vietnamese and Chinese Outreach Advocate Project and provided stipends for the AOC’s Dow Community Law Interns, all of which are critical in advancing AOC’s mission:
1) To provide culturally and linguistically appropriate legal assistance to low-income, Asian and Pacific Islander immigrant and American communities (APIA) within Greater Boston on general poverty law matters;
2) To provide legal assistance and back-up legal support to APIA community groups on community development and community empowerment issues; and
3) To serve as a training ground for aspiring APIA community lawyers and advocates.
Using a community lawyering model, AOC serves low-income Asian immigrants in need of civil and legal services residing in Boston and 31 surrounding cities and towns, and provides technical assistance and legal support to communities across the Commonwealth. AOC partners with community groups, locally and nationally, and conducts intake directly in Chinatown, Dorchester, Malden, and Quincy. The Vietnamese and Chinese legal advocates and Dow Community Interns greatly exceeded their anticipated goals, providing 3,547 hours of legal support in areas such as employment, housing, and immigration. The legal advocates served approximately 200 clients, and also ran clinics, conducted outreach, provided community education, and engaged in systemic advocacy and support to community groups. In aggregate, the Dow Fund interns supported AOC advocates in serving 116 clients with 121 cases.
Harry H. Dow Asian Outreach and Advocacy Project at Community Legal Aid
The Dow Fund’s $20,000 grant helped Community Legal Aid (CLA) continue to provide critical legal advocacy and education for Worcester County’s underserved Southeast Asian population through the Harry H. Dow Asian Outreach & Advocacy Project. The Project is housed in the Central West Justice Center (CWJC), CLA’s wholly owned subsidiary, now led by Attorney Yu-Ying Huang and Attorney Lin Mao. Both are highly qualified advocates with relevant cultural and work history and they reach out to faith organizations, senior programs, and attend community events such as the Vietnamese Cultural Association Moon Festival. CWJC and CLA provided 291 hours towards this grant, including direct client services and community education and training. Of the 20 cases handled during the grant year, the majority involved legal issues regarding immigration, with other cases addressing benefits and income issues, divorce, guardianships, housing, and name changes. The cases came primarily from the Project’s regular outreach events and referrals from community partners. Their advocacy on the 20 cases impacted more than 40 individuals.
Breaking the Cycle of Violence in South Asian Families in Massachusetts, Saheli
The Dow Fund’s $7,500 grant helped Saheli to provide culturally competent legal assistance for low-income immigrant South Asian (SA) and Arab domestic violence survivors, and ensured that immigration and economic status, language, and culture were not barriers to justice. The program’s growth has enabled Saheli to better address these needs, ensuring that legal services are not only accessible but also culturally relevant and sensitive. In the past year, 172 unduplicated individuals received legal advocacy services, including interpretation and translation; culturally appropriate legal advocacy services; and legal clinics and direct representation for family and immigration matters.
