Lily Feng: A Bottom-Up Approach to Social Change: Improving Models of Legal Advocacy to Foster Collective Action

Lily Feng worked with the Asian Outreach Center in Boston to study how the organization pairs legal services with community development initiatives to support undocumented Asian immigrants. Her research emphasized the importance of advocacy and collective action within immigrant communities.
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Lily Feng’s Laidlaw Leadership-in-Action project focused on supporting undocumented Asian immigrants in Boston through her work with the Asian Outreach Center. This organization, operating under Greater Boston Legal Services, aims to provide legal assistance, foster community development, and advocate for immigrant rights among non-English speaking Asian communities, including Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and others.

For her research, Lily sought to understand how the Asian Outreach Center combines legal aid with community-building initiatives to address the diverse needs of undocumented Asian immigrants. She conducted semi-structured interviews with the center’s past and current clients, many of whom were navigating complex immigration processes such as applying for asylum, green cards, or dealing with undocumented status.

One of the primary challenges Lily explored was the passage of the Massachusetts Bill aimed at granting driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants. The Asian Outreach Center was heavily involved in supporting this legislation, holding legal clinics to help clients understand their rights and access necessary documentation. In her research, Lily examined how the center paired legal efforts with community support, working in collaboration with various partner organizations to provide holistic assistance.

Key Findings from her research included a divide in the types of services sought by immigrants, depending on their age. Older immigrants were more likely to seek public benefits, such as social security and healthcare assistance, while younger clients sought job opportunities and help with immigration relief. Moreover, her research revealed a notable difference in how integrated immigrants approached community organizing. Those with a long-standing relationship with the Asian Outreach Center were more likely to adopt a collective action approach, understanding that advocacy and community collaboration were critical. In contrast, newer immigrants often focused on their individual needs.

Language barriers were another significant challenge that Lily faced throughout her research. Most of the participants were non-English speakers, communicating in Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, and other languages. The project required extensive use of translators and partnerships with local community organizations to ensure effective communication and outreach.

For her Leadership-in-Action project, Lily worked with a partner organization to create focus groups that brought undocumented immigrants together to foster a sense of community and provide political education around immigrant rights. These efforts aimed to build the foundation for future advocacy and support within these marginalized communities.

Reflecting on the project, Lily acknowledged the capacity limitations faced by the Asian Outreach Center, noting the overwhelming need for services compared to available resources. Her ongoing work focuses on capacity building to ensure that these conversations continue and that long-term solutions for undocumented immigrants in the Asian community can be achieved.

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