#lrcl

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《Si Me Pides Que Me Aleje Lo Hare, De Lo Contrario Hare Todo Por Ti》 #LRCL 💕

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Mario Insunsa Paredes

Mario Insunsa Paredes came to La Raza Centro Legal (LRCL) seeking to apply for a U-Visa.  The client was a victim of a heinous chest stabbing in the Mission District that almost took his life.  Amidst his physical and emotional recuperation, Mr. Insunsa Paredes was able to identify the perpetrator and assist the police and the District Attorney in capturing and prosecuting him. La Raza’s immigration program not only advocated for the police certification in his case but also represented him in his U-Visa filing with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Mr. Insunsa Paredes was granted U-visa status as of March 2010. Currently, La Raza is helping him with his application for adjustment of status due in the spring of 2014.  Mr. Insunsa Paredes is very excited to start this process.  As soon as he becomes a legal permanent resident, he dreams of traveling back home to Mexico to see his elderly, ill mother that he has not seen in over ten years. “Eso seria mi gran sueño!”  (That would be my biggest dream!)  Mr. Insunsa Paredes also says he is looking forward to applying for his citizenship after five years of resident status. “Y se que La Raza me va ayudar hacer eso tambien!”  (And I know La Raza will help me do that as well!)

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Anthony Eke

Adoubou Traore (left) with Anthony Eke (right).

Anthony Eke came to San Francisco in 1997 from Nigeria and two years later, received political asylum.

In 2001, he filed an application for family reunification with his three children and wife. While he endured six years of consular processing delays, Anthony contracted Acute Myelogenous Leukemia, a life-threatening form of cancer. Fortunately, he survived after undergoing medical treatment at UCSF, but the brain injury that Anthony sustained at the time of his diagnosis impacted his speech and motor function. Though he has made progress in his recovery, today he continues to be disabled due to his illness. He now walks with the help of a rolling walker and speaking requires significant effort.

With the assistance of the African Advocacy Network (AAN) and La Raza Centro Legal (LRCL), Anthony has been able to communicate with the consular chief in Nigeria to resume the processing of his family’s reunification applications. While he is still waiting to see his son, Ugochukwu Anthony Eke, he reunited with his wife four years ago, and they live together in the Western Addition. The presence of family members will benefit Anthony during his long term recovery, as they will be able to provide emotional support, care-giving, and financial help.

Until the day when his family can be joined in San Francisco, Anthony dedicates time to the African Advocacy Network and the San Francisco Bay Coalition for Immigration Reform to address visa backlogs and to speak out for family reunification. On the day that I met him to learn more about his immigration experience and connection to the San Francisco Immigrant Legal and Education Network (SFILEN), he showed me his new certificate of United States citizenship – for Anthony, triumphantly, has just naturalized – and pictures of his children on Facebook.