
At the start of this week, I needed to remind myself how important this job is. (Been there?) So I took some time to reflect on some of the ways we really help change people’s lives for the better. It helped.
Here are a few of the examples that renewed me with a sense of purpose:
- Because of us, undocumented mothers — survivors of extreme poverty and domestic abuse — get to live and work in peace in the same country where her children were born. They get to drive their kids to soccer practice without the fear of being stopped by police, taken to jail, and deported.
- Because of us, jealous, angry, unruly parents who want to hire a lawyer and take custody of their children out of spite, or pettiness, or a desire to get out of paying child support (and think they can do it because the other parent is poor), are met with a dose of reality. Those children then get to remain with the only good parent they have, and that parent gets to keep raising the children who are at the center of their universe.
- Because of us, the Department of Employment and Workforce is made to understand that our client wasn’t actually at fault for being terminated from their job. As a result, that client gets to make their mortgage payment, and car payment, and utility bill with the benefits that would have otherwise been denied to them.
This is a job with serious implications for people who have no other option but us. Sometimes, the weight of that can make you feel overwhelmed, like treading water alone in the middle of a dark ocean. This week, it makes me feel connected to humanity.
This is truly what it means to work as a Staff Attorney with SCLS. Do you want to make a difference in the lives of people who so desperately need someone to be their voice? If you would like to have the same ability to connect to humanity and be a part of our mission, please visit our website at https://sclegal.org/employment to become a part of our team.