Chance to Fulfill Pro Bono Requirements – MinKwon Center Naturalization and DACA Renewal Clinics

The MinKwon Center will be hosting several Naturalization and DACA Renewal Clinics this fall and they have recently added some new clinic dates. The new clinic dates are indicated with asterisks below. These clinics are great opportunities to assist low-income community members with immigration law forms. Each clinic will be held at the MinKwon Center’s office in Flushing, Queens (a few blocks from the 7 train stop). 

No prior experience is necessary, and training will be provided on the day of each clinic. The Center keeps a log of all volunteer hours and they’re glad to certify your pro bono hours for the NY bar admission requirement. If you’re interested in volunteering, please read the following clinic descriptions and sign up using the links below:

Naturalization Clinics –

The Center will be helping eligible LPRs complete their applications to become naturalized U.S. citizens. They are searching for assistance from attorneys, students and interpreters. Korean and/or Chinese language ability is especially helpful. Please sign up here to join for a Naturalization Clinic on any of the following dates:

  • Friday, September 26
  • Friday, October 10*
  • Saturday, October 18*
  • Saturday, November 8*
  • Friday, November 21*
  • Friday, December 5*

DACA Renewal Clinics –

The Center will be helping undocumented youth complete their applications to renew their DACA status. Successful applicants will receive an additional two years of protection against deportation and renewed work permits. They are searching for assistance from attorneys, students and interpreters. No foreign language ability is required. Please sign up here to join for a DACA Renewal Clinic on any of the following dates:

  • Friday, September 12
  • Saturday, September 13
  • Friday, September 19
  • Friday, October 3*
  • Friday, October 17*
  • Friday, October 31*
  • Friday, November 7*
  • Friday, November 14*
  • Friday, December 12*
  • Friday, December 19*

Please see below the contact information of the MinKwon Center:

MinKwon Center for Community Action (formerly YKASEC)
136-19 41st Ave. 3rd Fl. Flushing, NY 11355
Tel.718.460.5600 ext. 204 | Fax.718.445.0032 

Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts

Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (“VLA”) is looking for attorneys to provide pro bono services to artists and non-profit organizations. VLA serves low income and indigent artists and nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in every imaginable discipline. For example, theater, dance, fashion, the visual arts, performance, music, journalism, crafts, textiles, architecture, film, design, literature, and poetry are only a few of the artistic disciplines we service. Whether artists are looking to start a nonprofit dance company, copyright their manuscript or produce an independent film, VLA is available to assist them. If you are interested, please contact Josephina Tapia at jtapia@vlany.org.

Convergence: NAPABA Convention 2014

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Don’t miss out on the 2014 Annual NAPABA Convention! There are many ways to get involved starting now. You can:

For more information on the Convention, including how to make your room reservation at the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa, click here.

AALDEF Volunteer Trainings to Defend Asian American Voting Rights

Volunteer Trainings to Defend Asian American Voting Rights
Sign up by Oct. 23.

Trainings for AALDEF election monitoring are now on-line. The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund is seeking volunteer attorneys, law and undergraduate students, and community volunteers to assist in monitoring poll sites during the elections in NYC, NJ, and Virginia on November 5 to ensure compliance with the federal Voting Rights Act.  Attorneys and law students can receive pro bono hours or free CLE (including ethics) credits.

Volunteers will inspect poll sites for required language assistance, interview voters, and document instances of anti-Asian American voter discrimination.  Bilingual ability in an Asian language is helpful but not required.

Lunch/lite dinner will be provided.  All volunteers must be non-partisan during the time that they help.  Sign up by WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, at  http://www.aaldef.net/volunteer_monitor_form.aspx

TRAINING DATES AND LOCATIONS

NEW YORK
Tues, Oct. 22 at 12N – Shearman & Sterling, 599 Lexington Avenue, at 53rd Street, NYC

Tues, Oct. 22 at 6PM – NYU Law School, Furman Hall Room 324, 245 Sullivan Street, NYC
Wed, Oct. 23 at 1PM – Brooklyn Law School, 205 Joralemon St., Room 505, Brooklyn, NYC
Mon, Oct. 28 at 12N – Columbia Law, 435 West 116th Street, Room 107, Manhattan, NYC
Tues, Oct. 29 at 12N –  Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, 51 West 52nd Street at 6th Avenue, NYC
Tues, Oct. 29 at 12:45pm –  New York Law School, Room TBD, 185 West Broadway, NYC
Wed, Oct. 30 at 6PM – Weil Gotshal & Manges,767 5th Ave at 59th Street, NYC

NEW JERSEY
Thurs, Oct. 24 at 12N – McCarter & English, 100 Mulberry St., 4 Gateway Center, Newark, NJ
Thurs, Oct. 24 time TBD – Rutgers Law School, Room TBD, Newark, NJ

WASHINGTON DC
Thurs, Oct. 24 at 6PM – Dickstein Shapiro, 1825 Eye Street, NW, Washington, DC
Fri., Oct. 25 at 12N  – Dickstein Shapiro, 1825 Eye Street, NW, Washington, DC

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: 
Glenn D. Magpantay or Jerry Vattamala at gmagpantay@aaldef.org,jvattamala@aaldef.org or call 212-966-5932.

NATIONAL CO-SPONSORS: 
Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA)
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)
National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC)
OCA Asian Pacific American Advocates
South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT)

STATE/LOCAL CO-SPONSORS:
Alliance of South Asian American Labor (ASAAL)

Asian American Society of Central Virginia (AASOCVA)
Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center (APALRC)
Chhaya CDC
Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans of Virginia (CAPAVA)
MinKwon Center
National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF)–DC and NY Chapters

LEGAL CO-SPONSORS: 
Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY)
Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Greater DC (APABA-DC)
Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association of New Jersey (APALA/NJ)
Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York (KALAGNY)
Muslim Bar Association of New York (MuBANY)
South Asian Bar Association of New York (SABANY)
South Asian Bar Association of Greater DC

 

Apex for Youth: Volunteer to be a Role Model for Youth this Fall!

Volunteer to be a Role Model for Youth this Fall!

Make a difference in the lives of underserved children in our community. 

Volunteer now or tell your friends about these opportunities to help.

Educational Programs

Reading to Children (10 Needed Now!) – Read to 1st & 2nd graders to grow their love of reading and improve their English skills.  Meets on Saturdays in Lower Manhattan from 10:30am – 12:30pm

Tutors for Math & English (20 Needed Now!) – Help 4th graders get into middle school by tutoring them for their statewide English and Math exams.  Meets on Saturdays in Lower Manhattan from 10am – 12pm.  

SAT Prep Teachers (10 Needed) – Help students get into college with a higher SAT score!  Meets 1.5 hours on Saturdays in Lower Manhattan from 10am – 11:30am or 11:30am – 1pm

Arts, Theater & Basketball

Art Mentors (10 Needed) Mentor children who have been affected by domestic violence through digital art therapy.  Meets on Saturdays from 10am-3pm from Oct. – Jun.   Mandarin language volunteers needed.

Theater Instructors (20 Needed Now!) – Direct 3rd – 5th graders who speak English as a second language to perform in a theater production and improve their English skills.  Meets on Saturdays in Elmhurst Queens from 12-3pm or in Lower Manhattan from 10-12pm.  

Basketball Coaches (10 Needed) – Coach elementary school students and teach them the game of basketball.  Meets on Saturdays in Lower Manhattan from 10:30am – 1:30pm or 12pm – 2pm.

Mentoring

One-on-One Mentors (20 Needed) – Mentor a 13-18 year old student to provide guidance and introduce him or her to new experiences.  Meet with mentees twice a month.

To volunteer, contact us at info@apex-ny.org or 212-748-1225 ex.105

No prior experience necessary.  Volunteers can sign up as a sub if they cannot attend all the sessions.