I am so proud to announce the inaugural cohort of the Elizabeth Frankel Fellowship Program. The Fellowship was created to honor the memory of our former Associate Director, a staunch child rights advocate, and to train a new generation of attorneys to fight for the rights of unaccompanied immigrant children. The Fellows, selected from more than 100 applicants who offered incredible skills and experiences, embody the spirit of Liz's work for unaccompanied immigrant children seeking safety. 

Fellow Rubí Rodriguez is a student at Columbia Law School, where she is also a Public Interest/Public Service Fellow and participated in the LaLSA Asylum & Refugee Law Moot Court.

Fellow Mary Ruiz De La O is a student at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, where she recently participated in the Refugee and Human Rights Clinic. Mary is a member of the Executive Board of the Latinx Law Student Association where she focuses on demystifying law school for students from marginalized backgrounds.

Fellow Oneida Vargas Molina is a student at Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Previously, Oneida has worked as a case manager at National Youth Advocate Program-La Jornada, which serves unaccompanied children around the country.

Click here to learn more about the Fellowship and the incredible Fellows who will work with Young Center staff this summer during a 10-week training to zealously advocate for children and to carry on Liz’s vision of honoring the child’s wishes through careful, strategic advocacy. Join us in celebrating Rubí, Mary, and Oneida by sharing our celebratory posts on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and/or LinkedIn. 

Thank you,

Gladis E. Molina Alt
Executive Director