Before becoming a Frontline Partner with Open Door Legal I worked at a private law firm, and nonprofits before that. I was drawn to Open Door Legal because I could combine legal and nonprofit work, and it’s right in my neighborhood.  It’s important Open Door Legal is right here. I’ve been living in Western Addition for the past three years, which has been my entire time in San Francisco. When I can give back to the same people who live in the neighborhood where I eat and sleep, it feels like a real service to my community. 

“Frontline” is the perfect way of describing what I do. It’s being the first point of contact. Often people come here having experienced something traumatic, so I’m the first person to see them and provide some kind of reassurance. I always take the time to explain something exactly. If you have a question, I’ll answer, as long as I can.

There have been people that come here—and maybe they are distraught over whatever situation they’re going through—and after I help in the way that I can, it turns into a conversation of: “I see you all the time at Safeway!” “Yeah, I shop there all the time!”

The way that I see it, like I said, this is my community. Here in Western Addition specifically, legal issues are often housing-related, my neighbors facing eviction. I’ve seen that there is a direct connection between people’s ability to maintain their homes and poverty. Knowing your housing is secure ties into being able to maintain a job and have a mailing address. 

I’ve seen the success and research behind Open Door Legal, and I feel more strongly now that universal legal aid leads to the prevention of poverty. There is a definite correlation between having stable housing and not falling into poverty–ie. housing being necessary to maintaining jobs.

I’m looking forward to Open Door Legal expanding. I want to see our service area expand to North Beach, where I can help assist clients that are monolingual Italian speakers. I am really looking forward to helping more people.