In 2023, Tahirih Atlanta:

• Celebrated our 5-year anniversary serving the Greater Atlanta region by hosting our first Journey to Justice Luncheon, recognizing outstanding pro bono partners, elevating client stories, and raising critical funds for our work.
• Built new partnerships with service providers across the Greater Atlanta region to expand the safety net of services available to our clients, including domestic violence shelter programs, therapy and counseling in multiple languages, financial assistance for immigrant families, and more trainings and clinics for pro bono attorneys.
• Established new partnerships with the U.S. Department of State, Duke University, and IREX’s global leadership development program to host three international fellows, with whom we collaborated on local projects and shared best practices on U.S. legal procedures, and other topics.
• Partnered with Kennesaw State University – Wellstar College of Health and Human Services to host a documentary screening that explored the challenges faced by immigrant women and girls fleeing violence followed by a facilitated discussion on immigrant family separation.
• Contributed to the release of Georgia’s 2023 Labor Trafficking Update report which highlights the State’s efforts to enhance its anti-labor trafficking response and provides helpful resources for professionals working in the anti-human trafficking field.
• Served as an expert on panel discussions including United Way’s Innovation Forum: Economic and Housing Stability for All, and Quality Care for Children’s Family Matters: Ending the Silence on Domestic Violence.
• Formed valuable community partnerships with a variety of companies, including Visa who assembled over 60 hygiene kits for our clients.

In 2023, Tahirih Greater DC-Baltimore Region:

• Led a Legal/Law Enforcement Human Trafficking Response Working Group in Northern Virginia, gathering legal providers and law enforcement to better coordinate services and elevate the unique needs of trafficking survivors.
• Planned and hosted a one-day brief advice and counsel clinic in partnership with ACTS of Prince William County to provide legal and social services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
• Built a new collaboration with the HEAL Health and Asylum Collaborative, a partnership among Johns Hopkins University, Loyola University of Maryland, and other service providers in the Baltimore area to increase access to forensic physical and psychological evaluations, mental health care, and other direct services for asylum seekers.
• Organized Tahirih’s first Baltimore Resources Fair for Immigrants, alongside 10 immigration, domestic violence protection, and government service providers and agencies, where adults and children received key know your rights information, access to social and mental health service resources, and received new winter clothes, school supplies, and essential items.
• Trained 75 volunteer attorneys and advocates on best practices in litigating gender-based violence asylum at immigration court with the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland.
• Conducted a training on best practices on trauma-Informed and client-centered advocacy for immigrant survivors of crime for community stakeholders, advocates, and mental health professionals at a state-wide conference hosted by the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Affairs.
• Awarded and distributed $18,000 in grant funding to our DC resident clients to cover basic needs like rent, food, employment loss, and clothing from the District of Columbia Executive Office of the Mayor Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants.

In 2023, Tahirih Houston:

• Advocated against harmful anti-immigrant legislation at the Texas State Legislature, including testifying, submitting written testimony, and participating in a statewide coalition campaign.
• Co-presented at the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault’s annual statewide conference along with a community member participating in the Kitchen Table Conversations program, on engaging immigrant survivors in the work to end gender-based violence.
• Led an interdisciplinary training on the rights of immigrant survivors of gender-based violence, incorporating our legal, social services, and policy teams in partnership with the Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council.
• Hosted a day-long workshop for immigrant youth focused on leadership and empowerment.
• Received funding from The Asian American Foundation to increase resilience and safety in the Asian American Pacific Islander community in Houston, in partnership with Daya and Boat People SOS.
• Presented on the importance of court accompaniment at the Texas Regional Conference for the National Association of Social Workers and facilitated various trainings for the Houston Area Women’s Center for their crisis intervention training for Houston police officers, social workers, and other non-profit agencies.

In 2023, Tahirih San Francisco Bay Area:

• Collaborated on eight legal clinics in partnership with Arnold & Porter, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, PayPal Inc., Airbnb, Gundersen Dettmer, Covington LLP and CISCO to expand our capacity to assist survivors with legal guidance, information, and preparation of legal filings.
• Distributed 29 Caltrain Go Passes to clients and their families to provide free and unlimited access to public transportation.
• Launched the second cohort of our innovative guaranteed income program, Project Empower, in which 14 survivors of domestic violence who are supporting children will receive $1,000 monthly for six months.
• Co-presented on Human Trafficking and Corporate Compliance at the Statewide California Lawyers Association Conference.
• Collected and distributed client care kits donated by WSGR and CISCO for Women’s History Month.