Identity is very proud of staff Case Manager Tanya Sanchez, who was honored by the national legal aid organization KIND for her tireless work with a pregnant teenager KIND referred to Identity’s Upcounty Youth Opportunity Center while working on the teen’s asylum case. The Baltimore field office of KIND (Kids in Need of Defense) presented Tanya with an award for “Excellent service on behalf of unaccompanied immigrant children.”
Tanya, who currently helps 75 Identity youth as a Career Navigator and Case Manager, says the award came as a big surprise; she was shocked when KIND told her she would be honored.
When this client first came to Identity, she was suffering from an earlier trauma. With no family support, she had dropped out of school and hadn’t received any medical care during her pregnancy. Tanya worked for months to get her an obstetrician, social services and baby necessities. Now a new mother with a healthy baby born in August, the teenager continues to work with Tanya to stabilize her support system and to continue her education with Identity’s GED classes.
KIND’s mission is to ensure that no child appears in immigration court alone without high quality representation. KIND lawyers have been able to work with more young clients in Montgomery County because of recent funding.
