The Law Offices of Spar & Bernstein put 15 questions to one of its awesome immigration attorneys, Melissa Desvarieux:

Where did you get your indergraduate degree? And which law school did you graduate from?

University of Pennsylvania for my undergrad, Tulane for law.

Where were you born and raised?

Born in New York City (but I didn’t stay there), raised in Port Au Prince, Haiti.

What’s the difference between Haiti and the United States?

Everything. There are so many more opportunities here.

What are the professions of your parents?

My father is a doctor, my mother a nurse. I come from a family of doctors.

When did you know that you wanted to be a lawyer?

Very early on. It seems like since infancy. My mom said I argued a lot.

What other interests did you have as a kid?

Politics and international affairs.

Anything for fun?

I was an Equestrian and competed for six years. I won events, jumping 0.80 centimeters and eventually graduating to one meter. But I had some pretty bad falls, cracked some ribs, hurt my back. I even owned an English Thoroughbread named Sweetest Smile. I miss all that.

Did you have a childhood hero?

Yes, Mireille Durocher Bertin, an international lawyer in Haiti who in 1995 was assassinated when she was 38 years old. She spoke out against the government – in a country where people tend to be afraid to speak – and was killed for it. I was enamored with her courage, with someone standing up to affect change, make history.

When did you return to the U.S. and why?

In 1998, when I was 18, I came here to go to college.

What do you love about the law?

That at the end of the day, it makes sense, it’s something you can hang your hat on. In Haiti, I grew up where you didn’t voice your opinion. Things didn’t make sense.

What don’t you love about the law?

The bureaucracy. I wish things were more streamlined.

What’s your favorite musical group or singer?

Counting Crows and a Haitian singer named Sweet Micky.

Favorite recent TV shows?

Gossip Girl, Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy.

Books?

I have so little time to read that it can’t be anything smart. I need something simple and quick. Which means only Romance novels.

Do you have a personal creed?

Do you what you have to do, regardless of the consequences or what may come.

The Law Offices of Spar & Bernstein, 225 Broadway, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10007. Phone: 1-212-227-3636, 1-800-law-link, 1-800-529-5465 Email: info@lawsb.com

Today, The Law Offices of Spar & Bernstein put immigration paralegal Giscel Bobadilla on the hot seat with the famously odd but utterly revealing Bernard Pivot/Inside the Actors Studio questionnaire:

What is your favorite word?

Yes.

What is your least favorite word?

Love.

What turns you on?

Money.

What turns you off?

Bad breath.

What sound or noise do you love?

Casino slot machines.

What sound or noise do you hate?

Train noise.

What is your favorite curse word?

Sh-t.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Nursing.

What profession would you not like to do?

Any sport (lol).

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

Welcome, my daughter!

Grilled today with the famously odd but ultra-revealing Bernard Pivot/Inside the Actors Studio questionnaire is Spar & Bernstein New York immigration/family law clerk Donna Amir:

What is your favorite word?

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

What is your least favorite word?

The “N” word.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

Music.

What turns you off?

Rude people.

What is your favorite curse word?

Sh*t.

What sound or noise do you love?

Wind chimes.

What sound or noise do you hate?

Screeching tires.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Doctor.

What profession would you not like to do?

Personal injury lawyer

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

Finally! You made it.

Today, Spar & Bernstein put billing clerk Risé Roche on the hot seat with the famously odd but utterly revealing Bernard Pivot/Inside the Actors Studio questionnaire:

What is your favorite word?

Food.

What is your least favorite word?

F–k. I hear it too many times.

What turns you on?

Men who can cook.

What turns you off?

People who refuse to be accountable for their actions.

What sound or noise do you love?

The beach.

What sound or noise do you hate?

Traffic.

What is your favorite curse word?

It’s actually two words, one of which is “mother.”

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Nursing or Anesthesiology.

What profession would you not like to do?

Messenger.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

Child, I forgive you for all the dumb stuff you have done in your lifetime.

In the five months we at The Law Offices of Spar & Bernstein have been doing this blog, while we put everything we have into everything we post, we’re especially proud of these. If you haven’t read all of them yet, we urge you to do so. Please. We guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

Enjoy!

Spar & Bernstein’s 20-Point Plan to Fix Broken Immigration System: Our Changes to the Law
http://bit.ly/dkdNHy

Spar & Bernstein’s Exclusive Interview with Dream Walker Felipe Matos
http://is.gd/81cHV

Spar & Bernstein’s 10 Commandments to Being a Successful Immigration Attorney
http://bit.ly/7aeYNz

Spar & Bernstein’s Exclusive Interview with Immigration Activist Will Coley
http://is.gd/90shU

A Look Inside The Law Offices of Spar & Bernstein
http://bit.ly/c27J2i

Spar & Bernstein’s Exclusive Interview with Author/Ph. D. William Perez
http://bit.ly/abgMw6

Spar & Bernstein’s Split Take on Comprehensive Immigration Reform in 2010
http://bit.ly/89Z7b8

Martin Luther King’s Dream & The Miami Dream Walkers
http://tinyurl.com/y8treqt

What’$ Your Personal Injury Case Worth?
http://bit.ly/cMObE6

Top 10 Ways to Screw Up Your Personal Injury Case
http://bit.ly/bk9Ea8

Busted Dreams
http://bit.ly/78RXKt

20 Ways to Know You’re Addicted to Your Blog
http://bit.ly/7gQGax

10 Things I Learned as Assistant District Attorney
http://bit.ly/6vCZMM

Spar & Bernstein’s Take on Immigration Detention: The View from Hell
http://is.gd/64Lcy

Spar & Bernstein’s 50 Favorite Immigration Tweeters List – Complete
http://is.gd/7hZxF

Top 10 Tax Relief Questions
http://bit.ly/cSc3ql

Spar & Bernstein’s 10 Rock-Solid Immigration Tips
http://bit.ly/3ew86H

Top 10 Qualities to Look for in a Lawyer
http://bit.ly/4nYEKK

Immigration Court Etiquette
http://bit.ly/6aSfE1

An Immigration Attorney’s Immigrant Story
http://is.gd/7CEG6

Spar & Bernstein’s Top 10 Tips for Giving Testimony in Immigration Court
http://bit.ly/4BdLqr

Spar & Bernstein’s Exclusive Interview with Phoenix Journalist Terry Greene Sterling
http://bit.ly/5IGpN0

Spar & Bernstein’s Exclusive Interview with Filmmaker Ruth Leitman
http://bit.ly/32KYL9

Spar & Bernstein’s Exclusive Interview with Novelist Leslie Kohler
http://bit.ly/4Rhkha

Please, if there are any other posts you feel should’ve made this list, tell us and we’ll add it ASAP!

Have a great day!

Today, on the hot seat with the famous Inside the Actors Studio-Bernard Pivot questionnaire is Spar & Bernstein receptionist Taisy Murray:

What is your favorite word?

Really?

What is your least favorite word?

The “F” word.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

Naure. I’m awed by the wonders of the universe and I get emotional when I remember that my existence matters and that I’m a part of the big picture.

What turns you off?

Greed. Racism. Pollution.

What is your favorite curse word?

Damn.

What sound or noise do you love?

Children’s laughter.

What sound or noise do you hate?

Useless chatter, sirens.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Teaching.

What profession would you not like to do?

Doctor.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

That I fulfilled my devine purpose.

The following is an in-depth, revealing interview with Spar & Bernstein immigration attorney Bindhu Vijayan:

When did you come to Spar & Bernstein?

I began in Sept. 2006.

Where did you go to college, what did you major in, and when did you graduate?

Loyola University Chicago, Psychology, 2003.

What law school did you attend?

New York Law School.

Where did you grow up?

I was born and raised in Chicago and grew up in an area that was very racially mixed, though we were actually the only Indian family there.

From where are your family roots?

South India.

How many times have you visited there?

Four.

What Indian language do you speak?

Malayalam. A piece of trivia: It’s the only language that’s a palindrome, which means it’s spelled the same way backwards and forwards.

Were there any lawyers in your family?

I actually come from a family of healthcare professionals, including my mom, who’s a registered nurse. And my goal was to join the family force. But my passions didn’t lay there. So, as a little girl, trying to figure out what I wanted to do, I went from profession to profession. I ended up becoming the first lawyer in the family.

Are you more like your mother or your father?

I’m a daddy’s girl.

What does/did he do?

He was a machinist in a factory.

What’s the best advice he ever gave you?

He said that you can’t help people until you’re in a secure place yourself, that whatever passion you have to help others, it will be hindered by your own financial, emotional struggle.

What are your interests outside of law?

I’m a classical Indian dancer – a form called Bharatha Natyam – and I’ve even taught that as well.

I also read South Asian fiction to get the escape I want, such as Rohinton Mistry’s A Fine Balance. Great book. The lead character really spoke to me.

TV?

I love Lost and Japanese animation.

Any heroes growing up?

Gandhi. He went to law school, gained a legal career, but then went out and got a country, so diverse, to congregate for one national cause. I find that so amazing.

What do you think are your strengths as a lawyer?

Compassion. Empathy.

What do you loathe about the law?

Bureaucracy.

If you didn’t become a lawyer, what do you think you would’ve done?

My passion has always been teaching. So if I didn’t have a care in the world, I would’ve opened up my own dance studio.

Today, Spar & Bernstein tax attorney Sean Chi take his turn on the hot seat with the famous Inside the Actors Studio-Bernard Pivot questionnaire:

What is your favorite word?

Yes.

What is your least favorite word?

No.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

The right music at the right time. Or bags of money.

What turns you off?

Butterflies. I’m not the only one.

What is your favorite curse word?

Golly-gosh-darn-it.

What sound or noise do you love?

A dog barking.

What sound or noise do you hate?

Metal on metal.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Sport columnist or novelist.

What profession would you not like to do?

Fox News reporter.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

All dogs do go to heaven.

Grilled today with the famously odd but ultra-revealing Bernard Pivot/Inside the Actors Studio questionnaire is Spar & Bernstein New York immigration attorney Stella Templo:

What is your favorite word?

Serendipity.

What is your least favorite word?

Isthmus.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

Good people.

What turns you off?

Laziness and lack of accountability.

What is your favorite curse word?

Don’t have one.

What sound or noise do you love?

A home run hit off of a wooden bat.

What sound or noise do you hate?

Metal scraping metal.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Professor at a small but well-endowed liberal arts college.

What profession would you not like to do?

Advertising.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

I like what you did with your life.

Dr. William Perez, born San Salvador, El Salvador, and who came to the United States when he was 10, is a Professor at Claremont Graduate University as well as a writer who focuses on immigrant student achievement, linguistic and cultural diversity, and educational policy. His new book, “We ARE Americans: Undocumented Students Pursuing The American Dream,” blends the inspirational stories of optimism and perseverance of undocumented students with the critical policy implications of the continuing neglect of comprehensive immigration reform.

For more info about Dr. Perez , please check out his website:

http://www.williamperezphd.com

The following is our exclusive interview with Dr. Perez:

Spar & Bernstein: How did you come to write the book? What inspired it?

Dr. Perez: In 2006, I began a research study to examine the educational experiences of college-going undocumented students. My primary motivation for starting this research project was the complete lack of research on the topic. I felt it was important for educational researchers to conduct research that would inform policy discussions regarding the Dream Act. The case studies profiled in “We ARE Americans,” came from 102 interviews we conducted.

S&B: How long did the book take you? And was it easy to write or hard?

Dr. Perez: With the assistance of three graduate students, it took us about eight months to interview 102 undocumented and formerly undocumented students and survey 182 undocumented students across the country. In some ways the book was easy to write due to the rich narratives from the students. It was somewhat difficult to write the book in a style that was accessible to most readers while still maintaining the necessary academic content to inform policy discussions. It took me about a year to write the book.

S&B: What was the most inspiring experience you discovered writing the book? And on the flip side, what disturbed you greatly?

Dr. Perez: I was most inspired by the commitment to service demonstrated by undocumented students. Despite all the challenges they faced, they still prioritized giving back to the community and remaining involved in immigration reform activism. In many ways it was difficult to hear students describe the challenges they face on a daily basis, and the often discouraging remarks from teachers and counselors.

S&B: What are you hoping that people pick up from reading your book?

Dr. Perez: My primary goal is to inform the American public and policy makers about the various contributions that undocumented students make to American society. These students are not only bright and motivated, they genuinely care about improving themselves and their communities. These contributions are often not recognized during policy discussions and I felt it was important to highlight them.

S&B: What are the lasting emotional effects of experiencing constant fear of deportation? In other words, what does it do to the psyche?

Dr. Perez: Over time these negative experiences can certainly have lasting effects. However, something that came up in my conversation with students was the importance of the support they received from family, teachers, friends, and other adult figures. These support systems help them manage the challenges they face. Unfortunately, undocumented students who drop out of high school or who do not continue on to college may not have these important support networks and may suffer lasting negative effects.

S&B: What is your own personal connection to the subject of immigration reform?

Dr. Perez: I’m connected to the issue in several ways. Not only am I an immigrant but I was undocumented when I first came to U.S. from El Salvador. My family came to escape the civil war and to look for a better way of life. It was not until IRCA that I was able to legalize my status which allowed me to attend Pomona College with full financial aid, and eventually earn my Ph.D. from Stanford University. As a university professor I am an academic expert on immigrant youth. I feel an obligation as a scholar and as person who has experienced directly the benefits of legalization to inform the public discourse regarding the merits of providing a path to legalization to undocumented students and their families. The research literature is very clear: Undocumented immigrants make an undeniable social, civic, and economic contribution to American society and the law must be changed to recognized this fact.

S&B: What do you feel in your heart of hearts will happen with immigration reform in 2010? And beyond 2010?

Dr. Perez: I still think there is a strong possibility for both CIR and the DREAM Act in 2010. Worse case scenario, we pass the DREAM Act in 2010 and CIR in 2011 or shortly thereafter. Immigration reform during the Obama administration is not a matter of IF, it’s a a matter of WHEN.

S&B: If you could change the immigration laws yourself, what would it be?

Dr. Perez: Provide a path to legalization to the 12 million individuals living in the US without legal status without any of the draconian punishments that are currently being circulated in the Senate version of CIR for example. There is no point in punishing people that have already suffered various forms of exploitation on the part of American employers. Improve the immigration quota system in a way that is more responsive to labor demands so we don’t create an incentive for employers to circumvent immigration and labor laws. Allocate sufficient resources for the processing of immigration paperwork so people don’t have to wait years for their applications to be processed. Border militarization is not the most effective use of resources. I absolutely agree that the US has every right to regulate the flow of people in and out of its borders, but it must do so in a smart and humane way.

S&B: What would surprise the average American about the undocumented?

Dr. Perez: I think what most people will find surprising is how much undocumented students care for the well being of their communities and ALL Americans. In terms of their civic participation, they are in fact, more Americans than most. Their high level of optimism is also quite admirable.

S&B: What is your next book?

Dr. Perez: My next book is being published by Harvard University Press in 2011. The working title is, “Exceptional Students, Marginal Lives: Academic & Civic Engagement Among Undocumented Latino Youths.” The book is an examination of the schooling experiences of undocumented Latino students and the potential loss of talent to American society if we don’t provide them with a path to legalization.

Below is a video of Dr. Perez offering a description of his book:

Olive Stenette-Davidson, S&B’s senior paralegal, is so beloved around our offices that she’s referred to always, respectfully, as Miss Olive.

The following are 10 questions we put to her recently:

Where were you born and raised?

I was born in Jamaica and stayed until I was 12, but I was raised in Buckinghamshire, England, which, in my mind, is really my home.

When did you come to work at Spar & Bernstein?

In Sept. of 1986. But back then, it was just called The Law Offices of Harry Spar. I simply came for some legal advice and was ultimately offered a position. I started off as a legal secretary, but soon became Mr. Spar’s executive secretary/office manager. Which means that I essentially did everything. (She laughs). Eventually, I became a paralegal.

What was the late Mr. Spar like?

He was a very good mentor – organized, detailed, very kind, immaculately dressed.

What did you do before working here?

I worked for the National Health Service.

What’s the most rewarding thing about your job?

The success stories. It’s great to know that your hard work is not in vain. I especially like it when I receive “thank you” cards; I even pin them up on the wall.

I just enjoy the work that I do, that’s the main thing.

How would you describe the work of a paralegal?

It’s fast-paced, with many challenges.

What does it take to be a great paralegal?

You must have solid organizational and managerial skills. You must know how to prioritize. You must pay attention to details. Because it’s a person’s life at stake. One simple mistake could mess someone up. And you must have a good temperament. Your clients want to feel at ease with you. If you’re tense, they’ll be tense. You must portray to them that you know what you’re doing. They need to see, to sense, that confidence. I’m confident that I have all those skills.

What are your hobbies?

Reading, music, charitable work (church, hospital & nursing homes), hiking, and cooking.

Who are your heroes?

Marcus Garvey, Nelson Mandella, and Martin Luther King.

If you didn’t become a paralegal, what profession do you think you would’ve pursued?

A nurse. It’s another way to do what I really love – helping people.

Today, we put Spar & Bernstein immigration attorney Katie Sae Jung Lee on the hot seat with the famously odd but utterly revealing Bernard Pivot/Inside the Actors Studio questionnaire:

What is your favorite word?

Faith.

What is your least favorite word?

Can’t.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

The desire to do well and be a decent human being in everything I do.

What turns you off?

Mean-spirited people – and centipedes!

What is your favorite curse word?

Mofo, hehehe.

What sound or noise do you love?

Rain.

What sound or noise do you hate?

Honking horns.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

M.D. or Veterinarian or Fisherman (I love fishing).

What profession would you not like to do?

Garbage/Sanitation person (although they make a decent living).

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

You’ve done well, my child.

The following is an in-depth interview with Spar & Bernstein immigration attorney Shannon LaGuerre:

Q: Where did you go to college and what did you major in?

A: Syracuse University, Political Science

Q: Where did you go to law school and what year did you graduate?

A: Hofstra University School of Law, 2003

Q: And where were you born and raised?

A: Born and raised in Brooklyn, then moved to Jamaica, Queens when I was 12, then to Rockland County at 15.

Q: Did you ever live anywhere outside of New York?

A: I moved to South Florida two days after I graduated from law school and lived there for five years. It was an interesting time for me. I worked for a non-profit organization called the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center. The boats would come in with Haitians and Cubans, and our organization would represent these people for free. I was often the first one going over to the boats and detention centers, helping immigrants understand their rights & immigration laws, and aiding them with their cases. The fact that I spoke Creole was very helpful.

Q: Who were your heroes growing up?

A: My parents and my maternal grandmother.

Q: What posters did you have on your bedroom wall as a kid?

A: Johnny Depp, the New Edition. I also had such a crush on Michael Jackson that I slept with a picture of him under my pillow.

Q: What could you tell us about your childhood that would surprise us?

A: That I was a tomboy & loved playing with my brothers’ toys or climbing trees or playing football & basketball in the backyard.

Q: When did you first want to be a lawyer?

A: At 12, I actually said the words, I am going to be a lawyer. I just wanted to contribute to society, to represent those that are under-represented. I also had a desire to go into either teaching or politics. And for a time, I did teach Health Education at a group home for children in the Bronx. These were children who were emotionally disturbed, sexually abused, or thrown out of regular school for behavior problems. I also worked in the political field for years.

Q: What did your parents do for a living?

A: My mom is a registered nurse at Harlem Hospital. My dad is a retired United States Army officer.

Q: Any lawyers in the family?

A: My stepfather.

Q: What’s the biggest myth about immigration law?

A: That anybody can practice it. That it’s easy to do. Fact is, it’s so complicated that it’s the second most difficult area of law to practice behind tax law.

Q: What are your interests outside of law?

A: I love to travel, shop (I’ll go ANYWHERE where there are nice clothes and sales), read, and go to plays. I do like the arts and culture.

Q: What’s the last great play you saw?

A: Most of the plays that I see are phenomenal. David Mamet’s Race is amazing. I enjoyed Phantom of the Opera and FELA. I saw Thurgood, with Lawrance Fisburne. Excellent, excellent, excellent. It’s a one-man show based on the life of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. It was so phenomenal I saw it twice.

Q: What do you read?

A: I enjoy biographies, real-life stories.

Q: What’s the last great book you read?

A: Somaly Mam, The Road of Lost Innocence. It’s about a Cambodian woman named Somaly Mam, who was sold into sexual slavery by her grandfather when she was 12 and ended up suffering through the brutality and horrors of human trafficking—rape, torture, deprivation—until she managed to escape with the help of a French aid worker. I contribute to her organization.

Q: Do you listen to music much?

A: Yes.

Q: What kind?

A: Haitian kompa and zouk.

Q: What’s the greatest advice you’ve ever been given?

A: To live life to the fullest. Being happy with yourself and the decisions you make.

On the hot seat today for the famously odd but very revealing Bernard Pivot/Inside the Actors Studio questionnaire is Spar & Bernstein paralegal Bethann Gold:

What is your favorite word?

Bollocks.

What is your least favorite word?

Never or Always.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

Novelty. It’s invigorating, as long as it’s GOOD novelty and not an unpleasant surprise.

What turns you off?

Arrogance/Condescension.

What is your favorite curse word?

F–k. Especially the numerous variations and compound words that can be derived from it.

What sound or noise do you love?

Good music or interesting conversation.

What sound or noise do you hate?

Too much chatter all at once, really high-pitched/loud noises (especially in confined spaces), and if I hear that “New York” song ONE MORE TIME…

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

I’ve often wondered what would happen if I kept my day job (matrimonial/family law) and got a second job as a marriage counselor or wedding planner. Set ‘em up, knock ‘em down, set ‘em up, knock ‘em down…

What profession would you not like to do?

Sanitation. No poor attempt at a witty explanation needed.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

Wait… so I’m arriving at the Pearly Gates? I could’ve sworn that there was a special spot reserved for me elsewhere…

Today, we put Spar & Bernstein New York immigration attorney Shelli Arbusman on the hot seat with the famously odd but very revealing Bernard Pivot/Inside the Actors Studio questionnaire:

What is your favorite word?

Serendipity.

What is your least favorite word?

Putrid.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

Good music.

What turns you off?

Arrogance.

What is your favorite curse word?

I really don’t like curse words.

What sound or noise do you love?

Laughter.

What sound or noise do you hate?

Screeching.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Dermatology.

What profession would you not like to do?

Anything that involves being outside in the cold.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

Welcome.

Today we hit up Spar & Bernstein New York immigration attorney Mariana Vazquez Garcia with the famously odd but very revealing Bernard Pivot/Inside the Actors Studio questionnaire:

What is your favorite word?

Parangaricutirimicuaro (It’s a village in the state of Michoacan in Mexico).

What is your least favorite word?

Whatever.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

Super organizational skills.

What turns you off?

Mediocre people.

What is your favorite curse word?

Motherf—er (but in Spanish).

What sound or noise do you love?

Laughter.

What sound or noise do you hate?

The snip of nail cutters.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Professional traveler.

What profession would you not like to do?

Paparazzi.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

Good job. Come on in.

Will Coley has been an advocate for immigrants and refugees in Charlotte, New York/Newark, and Los Angeles as well as in Zimbabwe and Great Britain, for organizations such as Catholic Charities, American Friends Service Committee, Jesuit Refugee Service and Homies Unidos. For many years, he served as the chair of the Detention Watch Network leadership committee and the detention committee of the New Jersey Immigration Policy Network. Will has a Masters in Public Administration from Columbia University and a certificate in Forced Migration Studies from the Refugee Studies Centre at the University of Oxford. Through Aquifer Media, Will currently assists nonprofit organizations, foundations and community groups utilize digital social media in their strategies for community-building, advocacy and leadership development. More information can be found at http://aquifermedia.com and http://willcoley.com.

We love the self-description on his Twitter page: I’m a latte-drinking, bike-riding, NY Times-reading, taco-loving, social justice do-gooder originally from North Carolina now living in Los Angeles.

The following is our exclusive interview with Mr. Coley:

Spar & Bernstein: What got you involved in activism?

Coley: Even though I was involved in several causes in high school and college, I guess my current activism really took off when I began volunteering to teach English to Vietnamese and Montagard refugees recently resettled in my hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina. I started initially out of curiosity: here in my community were people from the other side of the world with compelling stories, experiencing the culture collision that had fascinated me in college. But ultimately it was seeing the challenges they faced and the shabby welcome they received that challenged me, my values and my faith. Eventually I got a job as a caseworker with the resettlement agency. One of my first assignments was taking refugee families to the DMV to get state ID cards. The women who worked there saw me so often, they’d say, “Here comes Will with all his little people.” Slowly I brought them around to understand that these families deserved assistance like everyone else. And in the end, the refugee communities themselves helped each other with the next step of getting driver licenses.

S&B: What attracted you to the cause of immigration/immigration reform?

Coley: I take to heart the Bible verse from Exodus that says we should “treat strangers as one of our own because [we] were once strangers in Egypt.” When I was seven years old, my father died in a commercial plane crash. My mother, who had lived 20 different places in the 11 years she was married to a military man, moved our family back to the Charlotte area to be near my four grandparents. I often think that the experience of grief, starting over and being a stranger resonated in some small way with the experiences of the refugees I assisted, people who had lost everything. While I started out assisting refugees and then asylum-seekers, I have continued learning about the injustice often faced by newcomers to this country. I often think about the Civil Rights movement and how it was about confronting injustice faced by African-Americans but it also challenged all Americans about the sort of country we wanted to live in. For me, as someone without recent immigration in my family, immigrant rights are also about building the nation we believe in. While the movement should be lead by immigrants, it concerns us all.

S&B: If you were able to change the immigration laws tomorrow, how would you change them?

Coley: Much of my career has taken place after the passage of the 1996 Immigration Act. After graduate school in New York, I got a job with Jesuit Refugee Service to start social service programs for detained asylum seekers in the Elizabeth Detention Center. We launched English classes and the volunteer visitor project that continues with community support, 13 years later. When I witnessed the impact of mandatory detention and lack of discretion for immigration judges, I understand the urgent need for reforming the system. I don’t think more enforcement is the answer: I’ve seen how overzealous and overfunded government agencies have destroyed the lives of individuals, families and communities. This is why I don’t like the label or strategy called “Comprehensive immigration Reform” since it assumes we need to compromise on more enforcement. Even without legislation, President Obama can make administrative changes that could improve the lives of thousands of people. Some might think that this is “Outside the Beltway” naivety but I see it as being accountable to the communities we serve.

S&B: What other causes interest you?

Coley: Obviously immigration doesn’t happen in a vacuum. I’m concerned about issues that create forced migration, like war, conflict, human rights abuses, and supposedly Free Trade. I’m also sort of an outsdoor person so I care about environmental and parks funding issues.

S&B: What are the goals of your activism?

Coley: Since moving to Los Angeles, I’ve found myself increasingly drawn to social media. To me, these online tools are exciting because of how well they mesh with community organizing and leadership development, something that’s often been a part of my work. The Digital Divide is certainly a reality that many communities face. But I believe that the experience of making media, whether it’s a blog post, video short or podcast, is an experience that harnesses creativity and teaches leadership, collaboration and challenges injustice. We can literally make our voices heard through our own networks. Through Aquifer Media, I’ve been consulting with lots of immigrant rights groups that are coming to terms with the new communications landscape. I try to help them see the opportunity we now have. I know that within our movement and community organizing trainings we love butcher paper-based presentations by small groups (I do too). But why can’t we think how to do organizing that results in digital content that immigrants themselves can share with the broader world? (No, we don’t have to ditch butcher paper: relax).

S&B: We saw that you posted this quote by Indian writer and activist Arundhati Roy on your Facebook page: “Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.” Why is this quote so important to you?

Coley: I like this quote because it’s about hope and knowing that we have something better to look forward to: the nation and the world that we believe in. I also think about how Dr. Martin Luther King once quoted theologian Theodore Parker: “The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice.”

S&B: Aside from your activism, what do you do?

Coley: I’ve been taking creative writing classes to explore some of things I’ve learned working in this field. I’ve also been putting together work about social media strategy for social justice nonprofit organizations. To be honest, though, it’s hard to make time for writing with the constant siren song of social media beckoning. I’m learning how not to be less of a “human RSS” and participate fully in conversations online that inform my work and writing.

S&B: How long have you lived in LA? And what made you move from NYC? Is the LA activist community different from the one here in New York?

Coley: I’ve been in LA four years now. It took me a while to not be one of those “complaining former New Yorkers” in LA. I still miss New York but have found things to appreciate out here: the beach, the mountains, the weather and no snow. LA has an unexpected charm and many organizations here are doing great work on immigrant rights.

*****

Note: Mr. Coley is currently working with the National Immigrant Bond Fund (http://immigrantbondfund.wordpress.com/ ) and the Detention Watch Network (http://detentionwatchnetwork.wordpress.com/) on their social media strategy as a component of their campaigns.

Grilled today with the famously odd but ultra-revealing Bernard Pivot/Inside the Actors Studio questionnaire is Spar & Bernstein New York immigration attorney Shannon LaGuerre:

What is your favorite word?

Blessings.

What is your least favorite word?

Death.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

Beautiful music.

What turns you off?

Vulgarity.

What is your favorite curse word?

I do not curse.

What sound or noise do you love?

Laughter.

What sound or noise do you hate?

Unreasonable complaints and demands.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Doctor.

What profession would you not like to do?

Mortician.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Welcome!

Welcome! You are my favored child and you have made me proud!

On New Year’s Day, four noble student activists -Juan Rodriguez (20), Carlos Roa (22), Gaby Pacheco (24), and Felipe Matos (23) -began a 1,500-mile march, from Miami, Florida, to Washington, D.C., protesting the desperate need for comprehensive immigration reform and stronger rights for undocumented immigrants.

The walk has been dubbed “The Trail of Dreams,” and it’s scheduled to end up on the steps of the Capitol on May 1st.

The fact is, three of the walkers do not have legal resident status in the U.S. and face the very real risk of arrest, detention, and deportation. One of those three is Felipe Matos, who came here from Brazil when he was 14-years-old looking get an American education, but fell out of status when his tourist visa expired.

Matos ultimately attended Miami Dade College and not only served as Student Government Association president but was named to the USA Today‘s 2008 All-USA community college academic team.

The following is our exclusive interview with Mr. Matos:

Spar & Bernstein: Did all of the original Dream Walkers know each other before this walk?

Matos: We were all part of Students Working for Equal Rights (SWER). We had been working for this organization for several years and SWER leaders help with the logistics of the walk.

S&B: Who came up with the idea for the walk? And what was your first reaction to the idea?

Felipe Matos: (SWER) had already come to the consensus that we needed to do something very different after so many years toiling for change and not achieving anything.

On October of last year, we had an action outside Broward Transitional Center, a detention center in South Florida. Although it was very successful in terms of attendance, we had about 100 students; when we looked inside we saw construction, that is they were expanding it.

That’s when we realized that enough was enough.

Our daily struggle led us to feel hopeless to a system that did not even breathe. We couldn’t let ourselves to continue to live in fear.

Right after this episode, Juan Rodriguez came back from New York City from a conference where he had discussions about a walk that resemble the Underground Railroad to D.C. with an organizer from the Passie Foundation.

This was meant to be a walk where DREAMers would walk city by city being received by other DREAMers and allies to build solidarity and to give hope to each other. When he came back and he told us about the idea we were already at the edge of our seats. We all added new things to what it was going to become the “Trail of DREAMs” and this walk was birthed out of our need to tell the world that we are human beings.

S&B: What prompted you to make such a bold statement about immigration reform?

Matos: We need Just and Humane Immigration Reform now. We were tired of the empty promises and old tactics. This is when we decided to take upon ourselves to build a fearless youth-led movement and walk through the Deep South, which is an emerging immigrant community and yet full of an ugly history of racism and bigotry.

We helped to elect Obama, the four of us registered more than 1000 people with our peers from SWER. We worked so hard in 2008 because we believed in his promise of change and yet we found more despair after he got elected. We, as a community, need to hold him accountable to his promises.

S&B: Are you scared about getting arrested, detained, or deported?

Matos: We are not scared, but we understand the risks we are running very well. However, the present is unbearable. Down in Florida we don’t have in-state tuition, and we can’t get licenses nor jobs. Our futures were also uncertain due to the increase of deportations in Obama’s Administration.

Photo Credit: Palm Beach Post

Matos: In the beginning, I had a lot of blisters all over my feet. It was extremely painful. Later, it became clear that the pain and terror that we encountered time after time in every community we visited was enormously present. This made us realize that our physical pain cannot be compared with the pain of families been separated or young people that cannot realize their full potential and dreams.

S&B: What’s been the reaction from people who have seen you along the way? Has it been all positive? Or has there been some negative comments?

Matos: Ninety-five percent of the people were supportive of us. As matter of fact people feed and shelter everywhere we go. For instance, there were people along the route that were day laborers and didn’t have a job for several weeks and yet collected more than $80 for the walk. Nonetheless, we have encountered resistance. A few people told us to go back to Mexico even though none of us are from Mexican origin.

S&B: How many shoes do you have for this walk? And have you worn out any yet?

Matos: We only have one pair of shoes each due to our lack of financial resources. We wear lightweight hiking boots and none have worn out yet even though we have walked more than 500 miles already.

S&B: What has been the highlight of the walk?

Matos: There were so many beautiful moments, but just recently we went into a small town called Mayo in north Florida.

When we got there the community told us that the local police from a near by town, Live Oak, were neglecting hate crimes. We met with a man that needed five brain surgeries because of an attack right outside his home.

There was a lot of racial tension in that part of the state and the police couldn’t communicate effectively because they didn’t have people in the force that spoke Spanish. To address some of these issues we gave them a workshop about their rights and help to form a group that was going to continue fighting for improvement. We also met with the local sheriff and brought in the Department of Justice to minimize the racial tensions in the region.

S&B: What’s your gut feeling about comprehensive immigration reform happening in 2010? And have you heard anything from Obama or the administration about the walk?

Matos: This is going to be a difficult process, but we can’t achieve any change if we are not willing to fight. We sent a letter to Obama, but he has not responded anything yet.

S&B: If you could change the immigration laws, what would you change?

Matos: We have four principals for Just and Humane Immigration Reform.

1. Pathway to Citizenship: We want immigrants to become part of this beautiful society and help to elect those who represent our community. For too long our humanity has been based a nine digit number, a social security number, and it is about time that all of us can become a full person.

2. Worker’s Right: The current system uses people and then easily disposes of us through deportation independently from our contribution to society.

3. End of Separation Families: Our families have been separated in the middle of the night and that needs to stop now.

4. Access to Education: Our youth talents and dreams are being wasted because of our failed immigration system. We need to create opportunity for personal growth so our youth can be educated and help to rebuild our economy.

FYI: Our walk would not be possible without the help and support from our people and allies. If anyone would like to follow us they can text the word “trail” to 30644 or visit our website at www.trail2010.org.