Blog
The Pro Bono Spotlight honors volunteers and the important work they do to help Asian Americans Advancing Justice-LA fulfill its mission of serving communities in need. In this edition, we recognize Vy Doan, who is currently a senior at Pomona College, studying Public Policy/Psychology and Asian American studies.
In my parent’s eyes, we are foreigners in a foreign country. They have a sole goal and purpose, to provide their children with the best, what they never had.
Gambling addiction, similar to other addictions, is a mental health concern. To lose in gambling is to lose more than just money; losing can lead to stress and depression, family strife, and even loss of jobs or educational opportunities. Gambling is more than a bad habit; it is a mental health issue that cannot be ignored.
Previously on Part I of Gripped by Gambling, Carlos discussed how the temptations behind gambling strained his relationship with his son. In Part 2, Carlos and Myron discuss the importance of language access and support groups as well as the difficulties of navigating the shame and stigma associated with addiction within Asian American communities.
Carlos Lee’s gambling addiction left him at his lowest point in life. With the help of his son and local support groups, Carlos found a path to recovery. In the second story of the series Our Voices, Our Health, Carlos reflects with his friend and coworker, Myron Dean Quon, on his experiences with and the issue of gambling addiction in the Asian American community.
The Pro Bono Spotlight honors volunteers and the important work they do to help Asian Americans Advancing Justice - LA fulfill its mission of serving communities in need. In this edition, we recognize Shirley Wei, an immigration attorney with her own practice, the Law Office of Shirley Wei.
Previously on Part 2 of Health Care Access and Immigrant Barriers, Melevesi and Matelita discussed the difficulties of obtaining Medi-Cal approval for Matelita’s cancer treatments. In this final segment, Melevesi and Matelita reflect upon language and utilization barriers, as well as the importance of community clinics and storytelling.
Nak Kim (“Rickie”) Chhoeun and his family fled the Khmer Rouge and arrived in the United States when he was only six years old. Now, he and over a hundred other Cambodian refugees have been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with final deportation orders. These are the largest raids to ever target the Cambodian community and nearly 2,000 other Cambodian refugees across the country are still at risk of being unlawfully arrested.
Matelita Fifita reflects on her journey to better health after being diagnosed with stage three breast cancer with her daughter, Melevesi Fifita-Talavou. Matelia shares her experience having to postpone treatment because she lacked health insurance to cover costly screening services. With guidance from PIHP and other local organizations, Matelita was able to get health coverage and has been cancer free for six years now.
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HELPLINES
Advancing Justice-LA Advancing Justice-LA's helplines prioritize assistance to low-income persons in the following areas of law: discrimination, family, immigration, public benefits, employment, housing, and civil rights.
| English: | 888.349.9695 |
| 中文: | 800.520.2356 |
| 한글: | 800.867.3640 |
| Tagalog: | 855.300.2552 |
| ภาษาไทย: | 800.914.9583 |
| Tiếng Việt: | 714.477.2958 |
Our mission is to advocate for civil rights, provide legal services and education, and build coalitions to positively influence and impact Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders and to create a more equitable and harmonious society.