FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov 15, 2021
CONTACTS:
Danny Alicea, Community Legal Resource Network (CUNY Law)
Marie Cerat, CUNY Haitian Studies Institute
Shaina Coronel, Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs
William Gerlich, Office of the Public Advocate
Chrissy Holman, CUNY Law
Dr. Christina Pardo, Life of Hope
Community Organizations & City Partners Unite to Provide Temporary Protected Status Application Assistance to Haitian New Yorkers
NEW YORK (Nov 04, 2021): Life of Hope (LOH), in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), the Office of the Public Advocate, CUNY Law’s Community Legal Resource Network (CLRN), and CUNY Haitian Studies Institute (CUNY-HSI) have collaborated to launch a clinical program to assist Haitian New Yorkers in Brooklyn with the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) application process. TPS protects individuals from deportation and affords them access to work authorization. Language and cost often serve as barriers to TPS application submission. The program will serve both newly-arrived Haitian migrants and long-standing residents of New York seeking to apply anew under the new Haitian TPS designation extending through February 3, 2023.
The program launched on November 4th with an Informational Town Hall to answer questions about the application process and the assistance available, which you can view here. On a regular weekly basis through January 31, Haitians in need of TPS application assistance and information can consult with CUNY Law alumni attorneys, navigators, and interpreters at LOH’s location in Brooklyn. To secure an appointment, call LOH at 718-362-3161.
CUNY Haitian Studies Institute’s Associate Director Marie Cerat is “happy to support and partner with MOIA, Life of Hope, the Office of the Public Advocate, and CUNY Law Community Legal Resource Network in serving the Haitian immigrant community.”
Life of Hope’s Executive Director Porez Luxama is delighted to take part in helping to uphold dignity and equity with this community in a time of crisis, noting that this initiative will open doors to a “safe and productive future.”
“Haitian migrants continue to face an uncertain future, and as the ultimate city of immigrants, it is our priority to deliver resources that will uplift the most vulnerable communities,” said Raquel Batista, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. “We are proud to join with our partners to host this town hall and bring the critical TPS expertise necessary to support our Haitian community.”
Project managing attorney Danny Alicea underlines this collective need to “unite as a resource, so the community is not preyed upon and defrauded by unscrupulous individuals.”
The coalition acknowledges that there are many larger issues at stake for Haitians, but at this moment, in the spirit of MLK’s “fierce urgency of now,” people need to access work to survive – so as an issue of human rights, access to the TPS program is vital.
“The federal administration has in many ways failed to recognize and adequately respond to compounding crises in Haiti in recent months, but the extension and expansion of TPS is one crucial action which resonates throughout our city, and Brooklyn, in particular. I want to thank Life of Hope, CUNY, and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs for partnering with us in this work to ensure Haitian New Yorkers know their rights,” said NYC Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams.
CUNY Law Interim Dean and alum Eduardo R.C. Capulong is proud to partner with such esteemed organizations and alumni in response to emergent needs of our city, lifting this work as an “expression of the school’s mission – ‘law in the service of human needs’.”
For more information, please view the Town Hall and reach out with any questions or concerns.
About Life of Hope
Founded in 2006, Life of Hope is a multifaceted organization that positively impacts the lives of youth and immigrant families in a manner that reflects both their identity and needs through innovative programs and services, while fostering greater opportunities. They are collocated at Cristo Rey Brooklyn High School. Tel 718-362-3161. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
About the CUNY Law’s Community Legal Resource Network, CLRN
CUNY Law, the nation’s premier public interest law school, is driven by a mission to enhance the diversity of the legal profession and graduate outstanding public interest advocates. Founded in 1983, the public school offers full- and part-time programs. For more than a decade, CLRN has forged projects with our experienced alumni, committed to public interest work in order to serve New Yorkers in need of legal assistance. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
About the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs
The NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) promotes the well-being of NYC’s immigrant communities by advocating for policies that increase justice, equity, and empowerment. MOIA leads, supports, and manages programs that help to successfully include immigrant New Yorkers into the civic, economic, and cultural life of the City. For more information on all MOIA services and the City’s many resources for immigrant New Yorkers, go to nyc.gov/immigrants; call the MOIA hotline at 212-788-7654 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday or send an email to AskMOIA@cityhall.nyc.gov; and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
About the Office of the New York City Public Advocate
The Office of the Public Advocate assists with complaints and inquiries involving government-related services and regulations. From resolving housing complaints to combating abuse by agencies, the Office helps thousands of New Yorkers annually by improving the transparency and accountability of City government. Follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
About The CUNY Haitian Studies Institute
The CUNY-HSI is an academic unit aimed to encourage and support studies on Haiti and Haitians living abroad. The institute’s main commitment is to engage in analysis and research to better understand policies and projects girded toward Haiti and the Haitian community, and policies that link scholarship programs on Haiti to social actions impacting the lives of Haitian populations and other racial and ethnic communities. Follow them on Twitter and Facebook.