Another Successful LACY Honors Thanks to You

We had a wonderful time earlier this month at our 24th Annual LACY Honors Awards and Luncheon, an event in support of the Law Foundation's Legal Advocates for Children & Youth program. Thank you to everyone that was able to share the afternoon with us and for supporting the important work of LACY and the Law Foundation.
 

Click through to see photos from the event, and see if you can spot any of your friends or colleagues!

It was an inspirational afternoon and we are grateful to Brianna who bravely shared her story and why she believes our work is so important for other non-traditional parents like her. Read Brianna's story here. 

We also met Kingston whose mother courageously spoke about the hardships she faced while fighting for his education without a lawyer, highlighting the importance of Medical-Legal Partnerships. If you missed the event, watch Kingston's video here and learn more about how our attorneys and social workers are using the law as a tool for change to advance justice.

Congratulations again to our honorees: Santa Clara County Board Supervisor, Cindy Chavez, whose achievements have been fundamental to the advances of children, youth, and families in Santa Clara County; and Fresh Lifelines for Youth (FLY), an organization focused on transforming the lives of at-risk and disadvantaged youth through mentorship.

On the Table: A Community Conversation

As a resident of our community, your voice and insight is fundamental to shaping the solutions to our region's housing crisis. That's why we were so excited to join On the Table this past Wednesday and host two events throughout the day as part of  a region-wide day of community building through conversations led by the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. On the Table brought together thousands of local people to eat and talk about our region's housing challenges --- and what we can do to solve them.

Wednesday morning, we held a private event at Sidley Austin LLP that was attended by our pro bono housing clinic volunteers. We discussed housing policies and watched a brief video clip highlighting the human side of the housing crisis. It was an uplifting morning and we came away with more thoughts on how we can help tackle our housing crisis through pro bono contributions. The team suggested ideas like keeping local government accountable when a major development may displace members of our community and calling on more affordable housing opportunities.

Our evening public event, co-hosted by the Buena Vista Mobile Home Park Residents' Association, was a big success! We had a large group made up of members of the Residents' Association, Law Foundation staff, and other locals who shared what it was like to fight to save their homes and how the Buena Vista story is an inspiration to others who are also trying to stay in our community. Thank you to Katherine Harasz, from the Santa Clara County Housing Authority, for being part of this event and for her important work in our region. We appreciate everyone who attended and shared their stories.

Thanks to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation for sponsoring this important event across the Bay Area.

Advocating for a Different Kind of Family

Brianna is a former foster youth who knows what it’s like to not have a stable parental figure while growing up. When she ended her relationship with her long-time boyfriend, she knew she didn’t want to end her relationship with his child, Olivia, whom she had cared for and looked after for many years. During her tumultuous relationship, Brianna remained by Olivia’s side. She was essentially the only mother figure Olivia had ever known—taking her to school, scheduling her medical appointments, going to her extracurricular activities, providing for her financially, and doing anything else a parent would do.

Upset over the end of the relationship, Brianna’s ex-boyfriend cut her off from all contact to Olivia. Determined to keep Olivia in her life, Brianna came to us seeking third parent rights; an innovative approach in California that takes into consideration the needs of a child in a modern family. Our attorneys successfully advocated for Brianna in court, which granted her shared custody with Olivia’s biological father. Brianna can now give Olivia the security and stability that she didn’t have, along with all of the love and support any child would be lucky to receive.