Team Encounter: Welcome Astrid to BFC’s Legal Team

What has it been like starting with Bread for the City’s legal clinic in the middle of the COVID-19 crisis and shut down?

 

Meeting new people and joining a new team can bring mixed emotions – excitement, nervousness, and anticipation – to name a few. But, I have been so fortunate that I was put at ease. The legal team has been so welcoming. Even before I officially started, I was able to meet the team and learn about what makes them so passionate about their work at Bread. It was inspiring. It also solidified for me that BFC is the right for me in my continued fight for social justice. Starting a new job during a pandemic is like nothing else. I have met my colleagues through video conferencing and face masks. It doesn’t get more strange. However, like everyone, the team is adapting, adjusting, and accommodating. I am so glad I joined Bread and look forward to continuing the important work we do remotely.

 

What makes you passionate about social and legal justice? What will you be focusing your work on?

 

My passion for justice is personal. My immigrant mother is a survivor of domestic violence at the hands of my father, resulting in his incarceration. This early recognition of society’s reality ignited a desire to advocate for those who feel their voices are silenced. I feel so privileged to pursue a career that allows me to give back to my community. I primarily work in domestic violence and family law. I hope to focus on how my work can support dismantling systemic racism through advocacy and policy work. The discussions around defunding the police, or in other words reallocating funds into our communities, has made me think about my own experiences with the police and the legal system, especially as the daughter of a domestic violence survivor and an formerly incarcerated parent. I would be remiss not to acknowledge that domestic violence and law enforcement are intertwined. I believe it is important to continue re-imagining new ways of defining justice.

 

What are you up to when you’re not at work?

 

I enjoy Latin dancing, cooking, traveling, watching documentaries, singing karaoke, and reading historical fiction and autobiographies. I am also the proud dog mom of Zora Harriet, a 3 year old rescue.
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