As Public Law Center marks and celebrates Black History Month, we reflect on our pledge in June 2020 to stand in solidarity against racism and inequity. While we are confident our efforts in Orange County have had a positive on Black and other BIPOC communities, we know much work remains to be done. As always we take guidance from our client population and their stories.

One such story comes from a Black woman raising her granddaughter in Orange County. She is a person with disabilities and experienced difficulties with her local housing authority to qualify for a Mainstream Housing Voucher, which is a special type of voucher for persons aged 18-64 who have disabilities. With advocacy from PLC, our client was able to petition for the Mainstream Voucher, which will now allow her to lease a safe and secure place for her and her granddaughter to live. This story is particularly poignant because before our client was eligible for the Mainstream Voucher, she was on the waitlist for a voucher for over 10 years. 

From combating housing insecurity to increasing access to health justice, PLC remains committed to working with our client communities to address factors contributing to the justice gap. While the effects of the global pandemic may be diminishing for some of us, PLC’s clients have a long road to recovery. For those who experience generational inequities, PLC is prepared to assist them throughout their journey ahead. Thank you for your support and pro bono service alongside the entire PLC staff.

Please join us in welcoming Angela Mestre to her new role as PLC’s Pro Bono Coordinator. Director of Litigation & Pro Bono Leigh Ferrin interviewed Angela so we all can get to know her better.

Leigh: This is a bit of a homecoming for you, can you describe how you came back to PLC after clerking in 2000? 

Angela: After clerking with PLC while I was in law school, I continued to volunteer with PLC by taking pro bono bankruptcy cases and volunteering at the Bankruptcy and Guardianship Clinics. Last year when I was volunteering at the Bankruptcy Clinic, I informed the attorney in charge that I was looking for a new job, and that I might not be able to continue to volunteer once I changed positions. Sometime later she informed me that PLC was hiring…and here I am!

As an experienced volunteer for justice, what do you hope to bring to the position?

I hope to bring my experience and knowledge of being on the other side as a pro bono attorney. PLC is always thinking about their volunteers, but without being in their shoes, it's hard to fully understand how they feel or their points of view in certain circumstances. Since I've been there, I can bring an additional perspective of someone who's been in a pro bono attorney's shoes.

What's something not on your resume that might help you connect with existing and prospective volunteers for justice?

I became an attorney to help those that needed legal help but could not afford an attorney. When I was a teenager, my Dad was betrayed by his business partner. He was shut out from the business and left on the street with a family of four and no income. He went to a free legal presentation and was told he had a great case. But he needed $5,000 to put down as a retainer. He was shocked and asked them how, if he had a case, could they require so much money, especially since they knew he did not have any income. Their answer to him was: "Justice costs money." 

My parents were honest workers, did nothing wrong, and did not deserve the situation they were in. They had a case and could have recovered something. But because they didn't have money, they lost everything and struggled greatly for many years. It hurt me to see them suffer. And it made me mad at how unfair it was for those who couldn't afford to hire an attorney. So I made it a point in my career to help others in that same position get the legal help they deserved. I know all of PLC’s pro bono attorneys have a similar desire to help less fortunate people access justice. I look forward to connecting with our volunteers for justice in this common pursuit.