Volunteer Spotlight: Mike Holmes

How did you get involved with RILA?

I attended Restoration Anglican for a while and had heard about RILA as it was just getting started but had never volunteered. I’d had an interest in immigration and learned very quickly just how complex our immigration system is. If I found our system complex, I figured it would seem even more daunting for someone fleeing a desperate situation in another country. I did not have a law degree but wanted to do something tangible. Luckily RILA has a variety of volunteer opportunities that can make use of people who are willing to show up.

Describe the work you've done as a RILA volunteer over the past few years.

I started out as a note taker for RILA. In this role, I participated in client meetings and transcribed the conversations. After volunteering in multiple clinics, I began to understand the flow of asylum consultations and wanted to try and dive in a bit deeper. After five months of volunteering, I started serving as a lead interviewer in client meetings. My time as a note taker prepared me for leading interviews as I learned the general cadence of questions and saw how others asked or developed follow-up questions. My first role prepared me for the second. Additionally, my time as a lead interviewer gave me a greater appreciation for the first role I took. In clinics, every volunteer function serves an important purpose.

How has volunteering RILA affected you?

It has allowed me to connect with people who have vastly different experiences than my own and put faces and names behind news headlines or political debates. Instead of asylum remaining an abstract legal concept, it has become personal. I have sat across the table numerous times from people as they have told me stories through tears, recounted ongoing fears, expressed hope in a new situation, and shared the pains and joys from the regular rhythms of life. This makes it impossible to think about immigration or asylum as merely an issue.

What should people know about our clients and the work we do?

I’ve been consistently struck by the courage, strength, honesty, and determination from the countless people I’ve interviewed. While we provide legal assistance the clients need, I often sit across the table (or Zoom call) from people that teach me through their stories what it means to make a brave decision when circumstances call for action. They exude this in spite of, and often in the midst of significant trauma. It is hard not to admire our clients. Asylum laws are set up to show compassion to those fleeing desperate situations, yet not everyone eligible for that status knows how to go through the process or what to tell a judge. One view of justice includes the idea that people should receive what they’re owed or due, and RILA helps pursue that within our own communities. RILA allows people to have a fair hearing of their stories and serves as a much-needed advocate. In this, we try to practice compassion and seek truth while respecting the nation’s laws.

You can join our next virtual volunteer orientation or learn more about volunteer opportunities by emailing mel@restorationimmigration.org.