Interning with RILA

by Mirna Galdamez Guevara

I am a sociology major with a double minor at Marymount University. In the spring of 2022, I had the opportunity to do my senior internship at RILA. Coming into this internship, I was not aware of all the amazing work that’s being done for the immigrant community at RILA.

As a Hispanic/Latina immigrant woman, I envision working to defend the human rights of our immigrants in the United States. In my years at Marymount University, I have advocated for our Dreamers on campus to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all our students. The work I did at RILA was very different compared to the advocacy efforts I’ve done on campus. RILA introduced me to the core of the immigration system, specifically to the asylum process. I never imagined I would be listening to a judge in a court hearing much less help prepare clients before their court hearings.

Being at RILA, I discovered I am pretty good at interpreting and translating. I would not have discovered this if it was not for my RILA mentors, who were extremely supportive and encouraged me to build confidence in myself to enhance my linguistic skills. Because of my time at RILA, one of my short term-goals is to get certified as a court interpreter.

The work I performed at RILA was extremely rewarding. I felt like I was part of a mission to end injustice against those fleeing persecution which is why I find the following quote from the organization inspiring: “We exist because God cares for the most vulnerable immigrants among us.” Although there is still a lot to learn about the immigrant community, RILA is the best place to begin doing humanitarian work to improve the living conditions of those who have been oppressed and put under disadvantageous situations for not having proper documentation to remain in the country. 

With this, I’d like to thank the RILA family for giving me the opportunity to learn and grow through your own way of advocacy work to empower the immigrant community.