Painting by Santiago
Santiago* is a creative, talented teenager. In his spare time, he loves to paint, draw, and dance and enjoys theater and acting. These creative mediums provide him with positive outlets to express himself.
Santiago had lived through some challenging experiences and came to LCYC in need of legal support to access safety and stability as an immigrant youth. He was encouraged to reach out to LCYC by his immigration attorney for support to obtain a Vulnerable Youth Guardianship, which is the first step Santiago needed in order to apply for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS). SIJS is a unique type of immigration relief granted to undocumented youth who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected by their parent(s) so that they can legally remain in the United States.
Santiago connected with LCYC’s Pro Bono Manager, Lu Jiang, who created a trusting, supportive space where he could problem solve without fear. “Lu was the first person I shared information with that I hadn’t shared with anyone else.”, said Santiago.
Together, they were able to successfully petition for the Vulnerable Youth Guardianship, one step closer to becoming a lawful permanent resident. In Santiago’s words: “I feel a lot safer now. I feel a sense of security. I don’t feel like I have to constantly watch my back for fear of detainment. I feel like I can laugh again.”
“ “I feel a lot safer now. I feel a sense of security. I don’t feel like I have to constantly watch my back for fear of detainment. I feel like I can laugh again.” ”
Santiago’s journey is ongoing, but he is making tremendous progress toward his goals: “I don’t feel like I can come out of my shell fully yet – there’s still things I need to accomplish. I know once I get back to school, I can regain my confidence again… I would love to go back to school to complete my studies and get a career.”
Santiago has a bright future ahead of him with plans to make art, travel, and become financially stable with a job that he can be happy with and make a difference: “I want to help others like Lu helped me and give back to people.”
*The client’s name has been changed to protect their privacy. LCYC was given permission to share their story.