Feeling frustrated about the way the country is going, I decided to stop ranting at the news and do something. I reached out to the NY ACLU to offer help where needed. First off, I was trained as a poll watcher, and on Election Day last November, I drove in the rain to about 25 polling places in Nassau County. My assignment was to be sure each polling place was following correct procedures (they all were), I was available to contact professionals in charge of answering questions and addressing concerns of poll workers and voters and sending supplies or technicians to the polling place when called for.

I've also attended demonstrations and workshops about immigrant legal rights. Most recently I accompanied a group of volunteers who canvassed neighborhoods in Freeport and Hempstead, distributing information to advise immigrants of their legal rights in case of an ICE raid. I was valuable as a translator in many instances.

There are a lot of empathetic professionals doing their best to help immigrants, prisoners and those whose civil rights have been violated. I am honored to have been included in the work of the NY ACLU (aka NYCLU).