Lauren BlodgettFounder & Executive Director.
Job. Immigration Attorney and Executive Director at The Brave House Home. Brooklyn, NY What “Brave” means to you. Having hope, finding joy, and spreading love, despite the fear, pain and obstacles that you encounter. |
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Biography.
Lauren is an immigration attorney and founder of The Brave House. Lauren was previously an attorney & Equal Justice Works fellow the Safe Passage Project, where she provided legal representation to refugee children fleeing gender-based violence. Lauren co-founded Las Mariposas (“the butterflies”), a girls empowerment group at Safe Passage, where she organized monthly activities aimed at wellness and community, such as self-defense, photography, and dancing. Lauren was recently honored on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Law and Policy and was in the New York Times regarding the challenges that immigration attorneys face during the Trump Administration. Lauren graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School, where she served on the board of the Harvard Immigration Project and worked in non-profits in Morocco, Thailand, Jordan, Tanzania and Cambodia on various human rights issues. Before law school, Lauren spent a year as a Fulbright scholar in Innsbruck, Austria, and worked at a refugee center in Cape Town, South Africa. Originally from Boston, Lauren graduated summa cum laude from Boston College in 2011 with a double major in Political Science and German. When not in the courtroom, Lauren can be found going for a run in Prospect Park or on the dance floor at Daybreaker, an early-morning sober dance party hosted at locations throughout New York City.
Lauren is an immigration attorney and founder of The Brave House. Lauren was previously an attorney & Equal Justice Works fellow the Safe Passage Project, where she provided legal representation to refugee children fleeing gender-based violence. Lauren co-founded Las Mariposas (“the butterflies”), a girls empowerment group at Safe Passage, where she organized monthly activities aimed at wellness and community, such as self-defense, photography, and dancing. Lauren was recently honored on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Law and Policy and was in the New York Times regarding the challenges that immigration attorneys face during the Trump Administration. Lauren graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School, where she served on the board of the Harvard Immigration Project and worked in non-profits in Morocco, Thailand, Jordan, Tanzania and Cambodia on various human rights issues. Before law school, Lauren spent a year as a Fulbright scholar in Innsbruck, Austria, and worked at a refugee center in Cape Town, South Africa. Originally from Boston, Lauren graduated summa cum laude from Boston College in 2011 with a double major in Political Science and German. When not in the courtroom, Lauren can be found going for a run in Prospect Park or on the dance floor at Daybreaker, an early-morning sober dance party hosted at locations throughout New York City.
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What song is energizing you today?
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Where did your family immigrate from?
Portugal and Ireland |
Yemelissa Rosario
Co-Director of Community Engagement.
Home. Queens, NY What “Brave” means to you. Helping someone accomplish their goals despite the struggles they may face. |
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Biography.
Yemelissa was born and raised in the Dominican Republic. She migrated to the U.S at the age of seventeen with the goal of getting a college degree. From a very young age Yemelissa wanted to pursue her education in social justice. In 2016, she graduated with an associates degree in Criminal Justice. She recently graduated from John Jay College with a Bachelors degree in Latin American Latino/Latina studies and a minor in Counseling. She has worked for numerous non-profit organizations such as the Safe Passage Project, where she worked with children who are underrepresented in the immigration system. She also worked in the department of Counseling at John Jay where she counseled incoming students. When Yemelissa is not at work or in school, she is learning new things.
Yemelissa was born and raised in the Dominican Republic. She migrated to the U.S at the age of seventeen with the goal of getting a college degree. From a very young age Yemelissa wanted to pursue her education in social justice. In 2016, she graduated with an associates degree in Criminal Justice. She recently graduated from John Jay College with a Bachelors degree in Latin American Latino/Latina studies and a minor in Counseling. She has worked for numerous non-profit organizations such as the Safe Passage Project, where she worked with children who are underrepresented in the immigration system. She also worked in the department of Counseling at John Jay where she counseled incoming students. When Yemelissa is not at work or in school, she is learning new things.
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What song is energizing you today?
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Where did you / your family immigrate from?
Dominican Republic |
Dayanara GarciaCo-Director of Community Engagement.
Home. Queens, NY What "Brave" means to you. "Brave" means doing the right thing even when it may not be easy. |
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Biography. Dayanara is a mother, wife and social justice advocate. Growing up in a mixed status household enforced her support and work towards the immigrant community. Dayanara has recently, graduated from John Jay College of Criminal Justice with a dual degree and Honors in both Latin America and Latina/o Studies and Humanities and Justice. She also has a certificate in Dispute Resolution. Dayanara aspires to be a lawyer in family law. She has interned at the Appellate Supreme Court 1st division and the Kings County Supreme Court 2nd division, where she was published in The New York Law Journal. Dayanara was also a research assistant with the Puerto Rican Bridgade, where she learned and researched gender based violence in Puerto Rico. She has also worked at Safe Passage Project and assisted unaccompanied minor with status adjustment. When Dayanara is not working or school she is at home spending time with her family.
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What song is energizing you today?
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Where did you / your family immigrate from?
Mexico |
Alondra Aca GarciaCommunity Advocate.
Home. Brooklyn, NY. What "Brave" means to you. Brave means overcoming the obstacles that may seem impossible to achieve. It is keeping persistent and positive when things don’t turn out the way expected. |
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Biography. Alondra was born in Brooklyn, New York and is a daughter of Mexican parents. Issues involving human rights, policy reform, and social inequality made Alondra want to become active and outspoken of the issues that affect communities that are marginalized. Alondra is currently a senior at John Jay College of Criminal Justice double majoring in Latin American and Latinx Studies and Criminal Justice with a minor in Art! Alondra has worked at a grass root organization, Hope Border Institute in El Paso, Texas. At Hope she attended court observations, protests and did research to help spread awareness of the current immigration policies and issues. Alondra hopes to attain a Ph.D in social sciences and mentor youth and young adults who are pursuing a higher education.
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What song is energizing you today?
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Where did you / your family immigrate from?
Mexico |
Loretta Lopez CarstensenBoard member.
Job. Case Manager, Sanctuary for Families Home. Queens, NY What “Brave” means to you. Listening to the voices of the unheard and recognizing that they have stories to tell. |
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Biography.
Loretta was born and raised in Guadalajara, Mexico. She immigrated to NY at 18 to study Creative Writing at Bard College. Since then she has lived in Texas, Vietnam, and Queens, NY, her current home. She is a writer, aspiring illustrator, and a non-profit professional focused on bettering the lives of refugees and survivors of gender based violence. She's currently a graduate student on the clinical track at Columbia's School of Social Work.
Loretta was born and raised in Guadalajara, Mexico. She immigrated to NY at 18 to study Creative Writing at Bard College. Since then she has lived in Texas, Vietnam, and Queens, NY, her current home. She is a writer, aspiring illustrator, and a non-profit professional focused on bettering the lives of refugees and survivors of gender based violence. She's currently a graduate student on the clinical track at Columbia's School of Social Work.
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What song is energizing you today?
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Where did your family immigrate from?
Mexico |
Sabrineh Ardalan
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Board member.
Job. Assistant Director and Clinical Professor of Law at Harvard Law School Home. Cambridge, MA |
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Biography.
Sabi is the Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinical Program’s assistant director, as well as assistant clinical professor of law at HLS. Sabi supervises and trains law students working on applications for asylum and other humanitarian protections, as well as appellate litigation and policy advocacy. She teaches courses on immigration and refugee law and advocacy and on trauma, refugees, and the law. Sabi previously clerked for the Honorable Michael A. Chagares of Third Circuit Court of Appeals and the Honorable Raymond J. Dearie, Chief District Judge for the Eastern District of New York. She also worked as the Equal Justice America Fellow at The Opportunity Agenda and as a litigation associate at Dewey Ballantine LLP.
Sabi is the Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinical Program’s assistant director, as well as assistant clinical professor of law at HLS. Sabi supervises and trains law students working on applications for asylum and other humanitarian protections, as well as appellate litigation and policy advocacy. She teaches courses on immigration and refugee law and advocacy and on trauma, refugees, and the law. Sabi previously clerked for the Honorable Michael A. Chagares of Third Circuit Court of Appeals and the Honorable Raymond J. Dearie, Chief District Judge for the Eastern District of New York. She also worked as the Equal Justice America Fellow at The Opportunity Agenda and as a litigation associate at Dewey Ballantine LLP.
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What song is energizing you today?
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Where did your family immigrate from?
Iran |
Mikelina BelainehBoard member.
Job. Program Associate at the Vera Institute of Justice Home. Roxbury, MA What “Brave” means to you. To be your most authentic self when the world tells you to be something or someone else. |
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Biography.
As a program associate in Vera’s Center on Sentencing and Corrections, Mikelina's work focuses on reducing jail incarceration and racial and ethnic disparities in the criminal justice system through research, writing, and providing technical assistance to local jurisdictions. Prior to joining Vera, Mikelina served as the Chief Program Officer for the nonprofit social enterprise InnerCity Weightlifting, a street violence reduction program serving street and gang-involved young adults by connecting them with new resources, networks, and opportunities. She now supports the organization's work in an advisory role.
Mikelina became interested in social justice issues in college, where she spent her four years organizing around LGBTQ issues in rural parts of Texas. In law school, she narrowed her focus to issues around criminal justice, recognizing it as a system that has implications for all areas of social justice, and therefore an opportunity to facilitate great impact. Mikelina holds a JD from Harvard Law School, where they served as co-president on the board of Lambda and co-founded the Queer and Trans People of Color student organization. Mikelina also has a BA with honors from the Texas A&M University. Mikelina was born and raised in Arlington, TX, where her family and community settled after immigrating from Ethiopia.
As a program associate in Vera’s Center on Sentencing and Corrections, Mikelina's work focuses on reducing jail incarceration and racial and ethnic disparities in the criminal justice system through research, writing, and providing technical assistance to local jurisdictions. Prior to joining Vera, Mikelina served as the Chief Program Officer for the nonprofit social enterprise InnerCity Weightlifting, a street violence reduction program serving street and gang-involved young adults by connecting them with new resources, networks, and opportunities. She now supports the organization's work in an advisory role.
Mikelina became interested in social justice issues in college, where she spent her four years organizing around LGBTQ issues in rural parts of Texas. In law school, she narrowed her focus to issues around criminal justice, recognizing it as a system that has implications for all areas of social justice, and therefore an opportunity to facilitate great impact. Mikelina holds a JD from Harvard Law School, where they served as co-president on the board of Lambda and co-founded the Queer and Trans People of Color student organization. Mikelina also has a BA with honors from the Texas A&M University. Mikelina was born and raised in Arlington, TX, where her family and community settled after immigrating from Ethiopia.
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What song is energizing you today?
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Where did your family immigrate from?
Ethiopia and Eritrea |
Emily NashBoard member.
Job. Associate, Foley Hoag LLP Home. Boston, MA What “Brave” means to you. Trusting yourself and your inner strength to carry you forward--in your principles, choices, words, and actions--despite whatever pressure you face to do the opposite. |
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Biography.
Emily is an associate at Foley Hoag LLP in Boston, where she works in litigation and labor and employment, and a pro bono practice including civil rights litigation and immigration. She received her JD from Harvard Law School in 2016, after which she clerked for the Honorable Denise J. Casper, in the U.S. District Court for District of Massachusetts.
Emily grew up in Armonk, NY, and she received her BA in sociology from NYU in 2011. Emily's experience working with nonprofit organizations began in college, when she spent a semester as an intern at Amnesty International USA. After graduating, she spent a year teaching English to children in Metz, France, after which she worked as a project manager at Innovative Philanthropy, providing development consulting and assistance--largely through grant review and major fundraising event planning--to nonprofits and foundations in New York City.
Emily is an associate at Foley Hoag LLP in Boston, where she works in litigation and labor and employment, and a pro bono practice including civil rights litigation and immigration. She received her JD from Harvard Law School in 2016, after which she clerked for the Honorable Denise J. Casper, in the U.S. District Court for District of Massachusetts.
Emily grew up in Armonk, NY, and she received her BA in sociology from NYU in 2011. Emily's experience working with nonprofit organizations began in college, when she spent a semester as an intern at Amnesty International USA. After graduating, she spent a year teaching English to children in Metz, France, after which she worked as a project manager at Innovative Philanthropy, providing development consulting and assistance--largely through grant review and major fundraising event planning--to nonprofits and foundations in New York City.
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Where did your family immigrate from?
Italy and somewhere in Eastern Europe |
Ashley EzewuiroBoard member.
Job. Owner of & designer at EastTaylorInc.com, Financial Accountant at Big Bus Tours Home. New York, NY What “Brave” means to you. Following through when fear is holding you back from taking a leap of faith; realizing that if something scares you, it's all the more reason to face it. |
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Biography.
Ashley is currently an accountant at Big Bus Tours and the owner of East Taylor Inc. In 2014, Ashley graduated from Rutgers Business School (New Jersey) with a degree in accounting and a concentration in Supply Chain Management. After graduating, Ashley immediately began working for Enterprise Rent A Car as a staff accountant. In 2016, Ashley left Enterprise for a new accounting opportunity at Big Bus Tours in Manhattan. Being immersed in a such a stimulating city, she felt the urge to feed her creative side. Prior to working in finance full time, Ashley designed clothes as a hobby. With years of accounting experience, the heart of a designer, and being the daughter of Nigerian immigrants, Ashley decided to create an Afrocentric Home Décor company called East Taylor.
Ashley is currently an accountant at Big Bus Tours and the owner of East Taylor Inc. In 2014, Ashley graduated from Rutgers Business School (New Jersey) with a degree in accounting and a concentration in Supply Chain Management. After graduating, Ashley immediately began working for Enterprise Rent A Car as a staff accountant. In 2016, Ashley left Enterprise for a new accounting opportunity at Big Bus Tours in Manhattan. Being immersed in a such a stimulating city, she felt the urge to feed her creative side. Prior to working in finance full time, Ashley designed clothes as a hobby. With years of accounting experience, the heart of a designer, and being the daughter of Nigerian immigrants, Ashley decided to create an Afrocentric Home Décor company called East Taylor.
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Where did your family immigrate from?
Nigeria |
