Blanca Bañuelos

Community Immigrant Rights Organizer

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Jennifer Garcia

National Immigrant Youth Rights Organizer

Jennifer “Jenni” Garcia is an organizer with United We Dream, a national immigrant youth rights organization. She leads their UndocuHealth department, which focuses on providing undocumented youth with mental health and self-care and resources. Jenni migrated with her family at the age of 7 to New Mexico from Chihuahua, Mexico. Early on, she experienced a harsh reality many undocumented immigrants face: inaccessible healthcare. Her brother was forced to self-deport after he was diagnosed with a mental health condition and was unable to find support in the U.S. These experiences fuel Jenni’s work to build a national bank of mental-health professionals that undocumented immigrants can access.

“I think it's important that our stories are told and that our testimonies can be kept for generations to come as part of building generational knowledge and education.”

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John Dinh Hoang

LGBTQ+ Community Leader & Volunteer

John Dinh Hoang is the son of Vietnamese immigrants. He attributes his perseverance and resilience to his parents and their immigration journey.  His experience as a queer child of immigrants motivated him to intern with NMILC’s Citizenship/DACA program in 2021. John believes that it's important for immigrants to believe in their power and capabilities to persevere. 

“Sharing my story and lived experience is a starting point for people to connect with my humanity.”

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Rosalba Ramirez-Molina

Lider Comunitaria

Nuestras comunidades inmigrantes fueron y siguen siendo impactadas desproporcionadamente bajo la pandemia global del COVID-19. Una de las carreras directamente impactadas por la pandemia fue la de la asistencia de salud en el hogar. Durante este tiempo la clienta de Rosalba falleció, dejándola sin empleo. Al mismo tiempo, su hijo fue víctima de un crimen el cual lo dejó herido y en necesidad de cuidado médico serio. Afortunadamente con la ayuda del equipo de servicios sociales de NMILC, Rosalba pudo obtener tres meses de asistencia financiera del estado para pagar el alquiler y servicios públicos. Rosalba dice que esto le permitió tiempo para encontrar otro trabajo y poder empezar ahorrar dinero nuevamente.  Ahora Rosalba comparte su historia para motivar a familias de su comunidad que necesitan esta misma ayuda financiera a utilizar estos servicios disponibles especialmente para este tipo de situación. 

“A veces pensamos que pedir ayuda afectará nuestra dignidad y nos hará sentirnos señalados. Yo pienso que es importante que podamos acceder a estos recursos y evitar el desalojo sin ninguna vergüenza ya que solo es una mano de ayuda mientras nos podemos estabilizar”.

Alondra Reyes

Paralegal

Alondra Reyes is a Paralegal at NMILC. She exemplifies NMILC’s leadership pipeline, having first joined as a pre-law fellow with our Survivor Advancement Team. Alondra assists clients with T Visa, U Visa and VAWA consultations, deciphering what form of humanitarian relief is best suited to the situation. Alondra is interested in the intersection of policy, law, and research related to aiding the immigrant community, and hopes to help through direct legal assistance and policy advocacy. Her experiences as a child of immigrants fuels her work and passion for helping New Mexico’s immigrant community. 

“It’s important to acknowledge the good that comes from the resilience of our immigrant communities. The cultural wealth that comes from overcoming systemic barriers shows us that community power is essential in the advancement of our immigrant people.”

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Sophia Corwell

Immigrant Translation Volunteer

Sophia Corwell is a manager at Sandia National Laboratories. She was raised by her grandparents in El Salvador and migrated to the U.S. in the 80s. Sophia is also a translation volunteer with NMILC. Sophia says she volunteers to help give a voice to immigrants in search of legal assistance.

“I chose to tell my story because I want to inspire others. I want to let others know that nothing is out of reach. I want them to know that they are not alone because they can always count on their community for help.”

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Ilse Grijalva

Community Media Specialist

Ilse Grijalva is the Communications Media Specialist for NMILC’s community partner, Encuentro. Originally from Chihuahua, Mexico, Ilse was 14 years old when she migrated with her family to New Mexico.  She attributes her strong work ethic and passion for learning and growing to her parents. Ilse leads Tu Voz Digital, Encuentro’s community journalism initiative. 

“Community journalism is a great opportunity to get important stories out through the same people that are directly affected.”

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Martha Laura Garcia

Immigration Attorney

Martha Laura Garcia-Izaguirre is an immigration attorney who began her legal career at NMILC during the Trump Administration. Originally from San Luis Potosi, Mexico, she immigrated to the U.S. when she was 2 years old with her family. Martha Laura decided to become an immigration attorney after her own experience with the U.S. immigration system awoke her to the desperate need for legal professionals working immigration cases. Martha Laura says her fondest moment, so far, as an immigration attorney was witnessing a client embrace her daughter at the Albuquerque airport after 12 years of separation. Martha Laura helped the client and her daughter successfully navigate the T Visa process.

“We can’t forget the resilience of the immigrant community. Regardless of any obstacle they may face in their immigration journey, they always push forward.”

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