A Message from the 2023 DHBA President, Carla Green

DHBA Familia,

We are officially off to a new year and I am truly honored to be serving as President of the DHBA in 2023!

I want to start by saying that I know I have some big shoes to fill following Elsa Manzanares, our 2022 fearless, hard-working President. Elsa’s dedication to the DHBA has been an inspiration and I hope to carry on and grow the already wonderful momentum, initiatives, and support Elsa was able to garner for the DHBA this past year. I am thankful Elsa will continue to serve on our Board as Immediate-Past President and we look forward to working with her. I also want to acknowledge and give many thanks to some of our outgoing Board members that have given their service and (for some) several years of their time—many thanks to Jake Torres, Tyrone Valdivia, Fabiola Segovia, and Javier Perez. I want our members to know that the DHBA would not be the organization that it is without you. Without your support, your time, and yes, even your donations—the DHBA would not be able to accomplish the wonderful work that it does. We are grateful for each of you and encourage you to participate, become involved, and socialize with your familia. The DHBA is only growing, getting stronger—we’re excited that we’ve seen substantial increases in our membership numbers, we’ve raised record-setting donations for our incredible initiatives, including for the DHBA’s pipeline initiative, the Dallas Latina Leadership Program, and our Judicial Externship Program.

Throughout my years of service on the DHBA Board, I’ve had the honor of meeting and having long discussions with our DHBA members. In those discussions, I often hear about how the DHBA has impacted our members, many times in different ways. For some, the DHBA has been an organization that has introduced them to other attorneys with similar backgrounds that have resulted in long-lasting, inspiring friendships/mentorships. For others, the DHBA is an organization that has rallied behind causes and initiatives that inspired our members to participate and become more involved in our Dallas-Hispanic community.

For me, the DHBA has always felt like home, like family. My first introduction to the DHBA was in law school when I attended Texas A&M University of Law. I was a single mother, juggling raising an 8-year-old son, trying to get through my law school courses, and keeping up a comfortable household for the both of us. Scholarships were game-changers. The DHBA awarded me one of my first scholarships in law school—and to this day—I remember how excited I was to receive those funds. It was a relief. I needed and the DHBA responded. That’s familia. After graduating and moving to Dallas, the DHBA became an organization of support and comfort. I’ve met so many life-long friends/colleagues through this organization that I consider familia.

It is truly inspirational to hear (and experience) how the DHBA has impacted our members’ law practice and lives. We want to continue to do so. So, join us! Come celebrate with us! We are excited about this upcoming year and look forward to working with our members to reach our goals and continue our mission.

Carla Green 

2023 DHBA President

Volunteers Needed For Pro Se Asylum Clinic

Tuesday, September 03, 2019 8:04 PM | Matthew Phillips

The need for legal assistance in Dallas for immigrants in removal proceedings who fear persecution in their home countries is at an all-time high. To help meet this need, local immigration attorneys and non-profit organizations have been collaborating to organize Pro Se Asylum Clinics. These clinics are very much in need of additional volunteers, particularly Spanish-speaking volunteers, both attorneys and non-attorneys, and we ask all of our DHBA members to consider taking a day to volunteer. 

Volunteers at the clinic will first be trained on a Thursday evening and will then assist immigrants in completing their applications for asylum during the Saturday clinic. This is a discrete, one-day volunteer opportunity, which would be perfect for attorneys who want to help immigrants in need but are not able to take on an asylum claim for full representation before an Immigration Judge.  

Here is some more information on the clinic:  http://interactives.dallasnews.com/2015/asylum/

The clinic schedule’s is posted at www.zoltanlaw.com under the Outreach tab. 

The upcoming schedule is as follows:
  • Thursday, Sep. 12th, 6:30-8:30, Volunteer Training for Pro Se Asylum Clinic, Law Office of Paul S. Zoltan, 8610 Greenville Ave., Suite 100, Dallas 75243
  • Saturday, Sep. 14th, 10:00-4:00, Pro Se Asylum Clinic, RAICES, Midway Tower, 4230 Lyndon B Johnson Fwy #225, Dallas 75244
  • Thursday, Nov. 7, 6:30-8:30, Volunteer Training for Pro Se Asylum Clinic, Law Office of Paul S. Zoltan, 8610 Greenville Ave., Suite 100, Dallas 75243
  • Saturday, Nov. 9th, 10:00-4:00, Pro Se Asylum Clinic, RAICES, Midway Tower, 4230 Lyndon B Johnson Fwy #225, Dallas 75244

Please email Carol Weinstein at clnewb@gmail.com to register for the training and volunteer at the clinic.

Volunteer opportunities include:

  • Assisting clinic participants in preparing an application for asylum during the Saturday clinic
  • Translating documents: If you are fluent in Spanish and can assist with translating original documents such as birth certificates and police reports, please email Melissa Kenfield at mbkenfield@gmail.com. This aspect of the project is done entirely through email.  
  • Conducting technical review of the applications to correct any errors before filing 
  • Assisting the pick-up and filing of the application packets one month after the clinic is held: 1) Review with participants from the earlier clinic corrections to any mistakes that technical review has revealed; 2) Copy the applications and address envelopes for filing; and 3) Prepare (that is, print, number, copy, and tab) or help to prepare packets of documents pertaining to relevant patterns of human rights abuses.

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