STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — When Brooklyn resident Nadia K. Hernandez started working as the director of the Relatives Legislation and Domestic Violence Device at the Staten Island branch of Legal Solutions NYC in 2017, she recognized that there were “limited resources” for low-earnings people to look for legal assistance in comparison to the bigger quantity of means she knew have been accessible while functioning in the other NYC boroughs and Rockland County.
Legal Products and services NYC is a non-revenue business that assists very low-profits New York inhabitants with civil lawful challenges these as eviction avoidance, immigration, education, health care and domestic violence.
“There are other companies that are out there to supply solutions for Staten Island citizens, but they may not always be on Staten Island,” Hernandez explained. “Prior to our doors opening in Staten Island, there weren’t as easily available authorized services [for low-income Staten Island residents].”
With a the latest marketing to venture director of Staten Island Lawful Products and services, Hernandez stated she hopes to go on to build on the perform finished by her predecessors to “engage with the group, be available to the group, perform in partnership with local community-based corporations – elected officials that we have been partnering for yrs but keep on to fortify that. I think that it is definitely essential for me … “
Raun Rasmussen, government director of Legal Products and services NYC, which involves Staten Island Lawful Expert services, recommended Nadia for her “stellar leadership” for the duration of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“Her collaborative problem-solving solution has been essential in assisting communities across the borough get the expert services and means they want. We are beyond thrilled to have her permanently in this leadership purpose, and look forward to working with her as Staten Island Lawful Products and services carries on to support Staten Islanders get again on their feet,” Rasmussen explained.
Hernandez is also the to start with Latinx job director for Lawful Providers NYC.
She was born in Honduras and immigrated to New Jersey with her mother and siblings at 10 a long time previous. “The United States offered us a new commencing,” she recalled. The transfer came immediately after her parents’ divorce, which she explained, “greatly impacted our housing and fiscal security.”
Hernandez attended Saint Peter’s College in Jersey Town for her undergraduate degree, the place she worked soon in retail, then in hospitality as a waitress. “I managed my educational study course load by undertaking an more semester, sacrificing weekends and, every time vital, doing all-nighters to fulfill deadlines,” she said.
She claimed she struggled to navigate how to stability function and her teachers, but credits her “professors, mentors and scholarship sponsors” for supporting her for the duration of her scientific studies.
Hernandez then attended and graduated from New York Regulation Faculty with a J.D. in 2011.
She stated she needs there to be a lot more consciousness that authorized expert services are obtainable to reduced-profits Staten Island inhabitants, especially owing to the current moratorium expiration and other struggles brought on or exacerbated by the pandemic.
“Staten Island communities were challenging strike by COVID-19, but Staten Island Legal Expert services has and will proceed to be there each individual phase of the way to enable them get better and thrive. I glimpse forward to strengthening our neighborhood partnerships, pursuing systemic change and advocating for the rights of Staten Island’s most susceptible people, and supporting a varied and really-expert employees as they struggle for justice for this geographically isolated and underserved borough,” Hernandez mentioned.
If interested in mastering far more about Staten Island Legal Providers, make contact with 718-233-6480. There are minimal stroll-in hrs Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 36 Richmond Terrace Suite 205, Staten Island, NY 10301.