I first stepped foot into a Volunteer Legal Services (VLS) clinic more than a decade ago. I remember the long line of folks waiting outside in the summer heat at Webb Middle School and the handful of volunteers in the school cafeteria waiting to answer their questions. The task seemed impossible. There were so many people who needed help and so few of us to provide it. I was terrified that I wouldn’t be able to answer their questions or, worse, that I would give them the wrong advice. Now, more than 10 years later, I am stepping up as president of the board of directors for VLS.
I began volunteering with VLS at the weekly legal clinics and the Capital Area AIDS Legal Program clinics. I joined the board a few years later as a representative of the LGBTQ+ Section of the Austin Bar. And this year, I will serve my term as president of the board of directors.
At every step of my journey with VLS, I have experienced the feelings of imposter syndrome—those feelings that say, “You’re not good enough,” or “You’ll fail if you try this.” These are also the most frequent refrains I hear from attorneys who have never taken a VLS case or served an evening at the legal clinic. If you have ever had this feeling, I want you to know you are not alone, and I ask that you make 2024 the year to step into your discomfort and help lower the barriers to justice in our community.
The past three years have been fraught with the pandemic and its side effects. We have become more isolated from each other and our community. VLS has weathered these effects with the support of our committed volunteers and donors—law firms and solo practitioners who have taken on eviction cases for our clients; our Sustainability Society donors, who provide the financial resources for our staff to help victims of family violence; and clinic volunteers who help pro se clients fight predatory lenders. We could not address these community crises without their devoted support.
As we look forward to 2024, I want to help VLS build upon its strong foundation to bring in new donors and new volunteers. Service to the community is at the heart of VLS’ mission. We are not just providers of legal aid; we are partners in the pursuit of justice. Meeting this mission requires adaptability, creativity, and a genuine desire to make a positive impact.
We must continue to bring in new supporters to ensure VLS continues as a vibrant part of our community. If you know someone who has never donated or volunteered, please have them reach out to Lauren Wright at lwright@vlsoct.org to make a donation or sign up to take a case. And if they are afraid they are not good enough, you can tell them the president of the VLS board of directors had the same feeling.