Yvette Walker
With KVCR News, I'm Yvette Walker. This is IE Latino Voices, where we invite representatives from Latino led and Latino serving organizations to share their stories and their impact in our region. Joining me today is Tessie Solorzano, Executive Director of Inland Counties Legal Services. Thank you for being with us today, Tessie.
Tessie Solorzano
Thank you so much for having me.
Yvette Walker
First, Tessie, tell us what is Inland Counties Legal Services?
Tessie Solorzano
So Inland Counties Legal Services is civil legal aid for Riverside and San Bernardino counties. We provide free legal assistance to low income persons and seniors age 60 and over throughout both counties.
Yvette Walker
As you know, the legal system is a very complicated system with a lot of barriers, and it's very time consuming. Tessie, can you share some of the major barriers Inland Counties Legal Services supports their clients with?
Tessie Solorzano
Yes, absolutely. So, many of the civil legal barriers. The first one is understanding that you have a civil legal issue. More often than not, folks who may receive a notice or receive a summons not quite sure how to reply to it, and so a big part of ICLS is pursuing community education and empowering the communities so that way folks understand their legal rights when it comes down to challenges, whether it's with their landlord, with an agency with a public benefit, with perhaps their abuser, and empowering them through education. Then, of course, we also provide direct legal assistance. We have 65 attorneys on staff, 44 paralegals and a robust admin support group. And so through our organization, we provide direct legal services as well, including counsel and advice, document preparation, all the way through full, extended representation of our clients.
Yvette Walker
What are the major needs you're seeing in the community today?
Tessie Solorzano
Housing and housing defense, particularly when it comes down to issues, whether it's with paying rent, habitability, so the ability for somebody to actually stay safely within their home. We also see a lot of issues with immigration and questions currently, in particular, about their rights and how to handle an encounter with ICE, and that's coming not just from the clients and persons applying for services, but also from community based organizations that want to feel empowered should this situation occur to them.
Yvette Walker
So would these people be eligible for the type of services that you're offering?
Tessie Solorzano
Potentially. When it comes down to our immigration assistance, it's important to make sure that the person is low income, and there has to be some sort of eligibility criteria with regards to either citizenship or eligible non-citizen. And so that screening process does take a bit of time to ensure that the person would ultimately be eligible. But there are some exceptions for eligible non-citizens. And I can go on and on about that one, but what I always tell the community is, if you are interested in legal assistance, don't tell yourself, no, apply. Contact us, and we always do our best to try to help the folks that we can. I can really hear your heart and your passion for the work that you do.
Yvette Walker
I can really hear your heart and your passion for the work that you do. Can you share the story of someone that has really impacted you, the story that resonates with you and that you look back on as you continue your work?
Tessie Solorzano
So I had a client that was applying for in-home supportive services, which enables her to be able to live safely in her home. Regrettably, she was denied the first time around, and it was allegedly, as I was reading the decision, based on not that there was a need, but that the person didn't have a need, and that they were just being ultimately lazy and choosing to not do the basic activities of daily living that she needed to be able to remain safely in her home. It was infuriating, and it shows one of the major issues that happens when it comes down to an individual who tries to seek justice, tries to seek a benefit that they have an entitlement and a right to, but unfortunately, aren't savvy to be able to navigate the system without the assistance of an attorney. And so I took on her case, we were able to go to hearing and get her IHSS benefits, so that she was able to remain safely in the home.
Yvette Walker
So for anyone that has questions or a need for legal representation, what's the best way to connect with you?
Tessie Solorzano
Folks are always welcome to call our intake line, 888-245-4257, or apply online through our website, inlandlegal.org. And for folks that are interested in volunteering, it's not just for attorneys. There are additional opportunities as well. Go on to inlandlegal.org
Yvette Walker
Thank you so much for being with us today, Tessie.
Tessie Solorzano
Thank you.
Yvette Walker
Tessie Solorzano is executive director of Inland Counties Legal Services. Join us again next week for IE Latino Voices. You can find this story and others on our website, at kvcrnews.org/ieLatinovoices. IE Latino Voices is produced by KVCR Public Media and is funded by generous support from the CIELO Fund at IECF, uplifting and investing in the IE’s Latino community. For KVCR News, I'm Yvette Walker.
