A Statement from MLPB’s Executive Director
Like many other justice-seeking organizations, we at MLPB have been reflecting and processing the results of the recent election. While so much is still uncertain, a few thoughts are becoming clear.
MLPB’s mission is to create access to legal knowledge for health and social service sectors and empower those communities to use legal problem-solving to improve wellbeing. And at the core of our mission is the idea that knowledge is power.
The law is not just sitting in dusty old books. It is a living, breathing body of work that impacts our daily lives in profound ways. The law influences where we live and work, who we love, whether we are safe, and what supports we need to live a healthy life. In an ideal world, our laws provide the aspirational road map that centers dignity and respect, that holds corporations and government bodies accountable, that provides support for the communities who need help most, and that protects us all from greed, discrimination, violence, and other human-created harms.
If there is one thing that is constant about our legal systems, however, it is that change is always underfoot. And navigating through change is MLPB’s specialty. Even without knowing precisely what is ahead, MLPB is ready to cut through the noise of confusion to ensure that everyone can access the knowledge and resources they need to assert their rights.
In the coming weeks, MLPB will be supporting our partner communities by identifying problem-solving strategies that, despite uncertainty, can be implemented today. And we will be forging alliances in order to advocate for our ideals and to keep striving for health and legal solutions far into the future.
MLPB Attends CTC-RI’s Annual Conference, and more!
MLPB staff have been out and about in the last few weeks! MLPB’s Executive Director Amy Copperman, Law & Policy Director Jeannine Casselman, and LPC Rebecca Kislak were all in attendance at CTC-RI’s Annual Conference on Halloween. There, Rebecca moderated a panel discussing the findings of MLPB’s Learning-and-Action Lab.
Our Partnership & Project Manager Jeff Gilbert and LPC Sarah Yan attended a kick off meeting at Metro Housing | Boston.
Law & Policy Consultants (LPCs) Stephanie Duggan-Lykes and Sarah Yan presented a training on the rights of immigrant newcomers at the Children’s Trust’s A View From All Sides.
DACA Renewal Reminder & Key Updates on Application Status
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is a federal program that permits certain undocumented children to work and protects them from deportation. Due to ongoing litigation, DACA is closed to new applications. DACA recipients with work permits that expire in the next six months are strongly encouraged to renew early. DACA recipients with work permits that expire in 6 months to a year may also be eligible to renew. Note that immigration rules can change quickly.
Current DACA recipients are also eligible to purchase health insurance through the ACA marketplaces such as the MassHealth Connector or HealthSourceRI. Visit MLPB’s Immigration Digital Digest for more information.
MLPB envisions a society where information about legal rights and systems is widely accessible and used to help people to thrive. To realize this vision, MLPB’s mission is to create access to legal knowledge for health and social service sectors and empowers those communities to use legal problem-solving to improve wellbeing. Through legal education, workforce support and social care program design, MLPB impacts systems, care professionals, and the individuals they serve.
MLPB is a fiscally sponsored organization of TSNE.
Information contained in this newsletter is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or establish an attorney-client relationship.