Laura Zhang
Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project
Los Angeles, USA
I finished my summer projects with Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project just about two weeks ago now, and look back on the experience with great sincerity. Though working virtually and physically distant from the office had its difficulties, I continue to be motivated as a thinker and student by the sheer force of the Esperanza team to work collaboratively. As a result of the immersive work environment, I was able to complete many projects including a database map of more than ten categories of resources in LA County for unaccompanied minors, multiple bilingual resource guides to be distributed at legal orientations regarding social services, secure donations for the Opportunities for Youth program, teach workshops, and do individual legal orientations with clients.
Working with Esperanza has opened up many new questions for me and my concentration such as: How can language invade legalized statist frameworks as a tool for livelihood and liberation? Immigration law continues to be complex because the state itself is to be held accountable for the displacement of so many people. How does violence and suffering become corroborated/ a tool of the state to perpetuate the limitations of the possibilities of life? What does it mean to document and what are the stakes? As a way to think through these questions, I am interested in finding ways to distort the grip of Western and contemporary conceptions of life to realize self preservation in human rights.
I really saw the possibilities of this idea through my work with the Opportunities for Youth (OFY) program at Esperanza. In July, OFY served the largest number of youth ever since the start of their program in educational workshops, classes for the youth, and individual services. The capacity in such a program continues to be strained- only two interns including myself and one staff member were a part of it. As I transitioned out of my role for the summer, however, OFY hired a youth mentor whose role will be to push forward the programming capacity and offerings for youth at Esperanza beyond their legal proceedings. To be a part of so many programs at Esperanza has been an example of how the bridge between legal and social services offered for unaccompanied minors will continue to be strengthened. I am really excited to see the ongoing possibilities of community empowerment in immigration work, to not only reimagine what it means to be human, but how to preserve that kind of selfhood.