~This web series takes a deep dive into the Tahirih Justice Center’s challenging yet rewarding work, and the champions who show up day after day to get it done.~
Rachel Sheridan began her legal career at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP where she practiced federal litigation. At other firms, she focused on international human rights litigation, and intellectual property work. While she loved what she did during her day-to-day, it was the pro bono immigration work on the side that really sparked her passion. She soon learned that several colleagues were providing their pro bono services to the Tahirih Justice Center, highlighting the important work being done and the professionalism Tahirih’s in-house attorneys displayed each day. When she heard Tahirih was opening an office in the San Francisco Bay Area and expanding its services to a whole new community of survivors, Rachel knew she had to jump on board!
“Once I had my son, I realized that if I am going to choose to leave him every day, it should be for a job that aligns with the values I hold, something that truly feeds my soul.”
Joining the team in 2018, Rachel is Tahirih SF Bay Area’s Equal Justice Works Crime Victims Justice Corps Attorney Fellow. As an advocate for survivors of crime, Rachel delivers civil legal assistance and enforces the rights of survivors – with Tahirih specifically, immigrant survivors of gender-based violence from all over the world. And while each day is different, whether she is working on a U visa, T visa, VAWA, or Asylum case, Rachel is grateful for her #DreamTeam.
“The most rewarding and inspiring piece of my work at Tahirih is the people. Each staff member is so good at what they do, and our clients are some of the most resilient, generous, and determined people I have ever known. I feel really lucky that Tahirih has invested in me.”
But the unpredictability of the work is hard. The changes in immigration justice are frustrating and challenging, but Rachel is reminded every day that the work being done is vital and important, and that’s what motivates her to continue to push forward.
“Tahirih continues to make a difference in the fight for equality by being a microphone for our specific client population – survivors of gender based violence. We allow once silenced voices to be heard, and I think in amplifying these stories, we help to humanize those who are too easily reduced to simple statistics and figures. It is truly a gift to be able to this type of work.”
