Safe Exit

AVLF

Free Legal Support for Atlanta Families

Daija McKnight

Facing legal issues or want to help? Get assistance or volunteer to support our community.

Get Help NowBecome a Volunteer

Daija McKnight

Daija McKnight is a Community Support and Prevention Advocate with the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation, where she supports individuals and families by providing advocacy, resource coordination, housing stabilization assistance, and connections to community services.
Prior to returning to AVLF in June 2026, Daija served as a Community Support and Partnership Advocate with the organization to support families from the Forest Cove Community from August 2022 through January 2025. In that role, she worked closely with clients seeking housing and financial assistance, provided case management services, conducted outreach and follow-up support, and connected community members with resources to promote long-term stability and well-being.
Originally from Atlanta, Daija is passionate about community advocacy, empowering vulnerable populations, and helping individuals overcome barriers to housing and self-sufficiency through compassionate, client-centered support.

Morgan Worrell

Morgan Worrell serves as a Community Advocate with the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation. In this role, she works directly with individuals and families, helping them navigate challenges, access critical resources, and connect with services that promote stability and self-sufficiency.
Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Morgan is passionate about serving her community and advocating for those in need. With years of experience in the nonprofit sector, she has worked alongside vulnerable populations, providing support, resource coordination, crisis intervention, and community-based services. Morgan’s commitment to service is rooted in her belief that every person deserves access to opportunities, support, and the tools needed to thrive. Through her work, she strives to empower individuals and strengthen communities across the Atlanta area.

Ailena Rivera

Ailena joins our Community Support and Partnership department as a dedicated Community Advocate, bringing a wealth of experience and a passion for community empowerment.

Her journey has spanned diverse landscapes, originating from the picturesque island of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, before contributing her talents in West Palm Beach, FL, and finally choosing Atlanta, Georgia, as her new base.

Ailena arrives at AVLF with an impressive and proven track record, having dedicated many years to impactful work within the nonprofit sector. Her expertise lies particularly in social services programs, where she has consistently excelled at fostering crucial connections. She possesses a unique ability to bridge divides, expertly linking communities, strategic partners, and individual families with the essential resources and comprehensive support systems required to achieve lasting self-sufficiency. Her hands-on experience has endowed her with a profound understanding of community needs and effective engagement strategies.

In her vital new role, Ailena is set to leverage her deep well of experience to strengthen community ties across Atlanta. Her overarching objective is to facilitate sustainable, positive outcomes that not only meet immediate needs but also empower our communities to flourish autonomously for years to come.

Mercedes Williams

Mercedes Williams is a dedicated grassroots leader specializing in prevention-focused assistance and strategic legal navigation. Driven by an unwavering personal mission to uplift others, she previously served as a Community Advocate for the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation (AVLF), building a strong reputation as a resilient voice for local families.
Ms. Williams holds an Associate in Interdisciplinary Studies alongside specialized training from Atlanta Technical College. Her foundational experience as a Deputy Cadet with the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office provides her with unique insights into public safety and institutional structures. By blending this background with empathetic community care, she expertly transforms complex challenges into actionable local resources that drive long-term community resilience.

Sonya Humphries

Sonya Humphries is AVLF’s Director of Community Support and Partnership. This position emerged from a collaboration with Partners for HOME, a nonprofit founded by the City of Atlanta to manage the Atlanta continuum of care for homeless services. Sonya is responsible for administering emergency financial assistance to clients who are on the verge of eviction or loss of necessary services such as gas or electricity.

Sonya is a lifelong Atlanta resident. She previously served as Assistant Director of Advancement Services and Donor Relations at Georgia Piedmont Technical College and was Institutional Advancement Coordinator at Atlanta Technical College. She is a graduate of Atlanta Metropolitan State College and Atlanta Technical College and a proud Walter F. George High School alumnus. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, decorating her home, and watching Cary Grant movies.

La’Nette Holloman

La’Nette assess, coordinates, and leverages partnerships to connect tenants to supportive services, including but not limited to removing barriers to housing stability and equitable access to public benefits, employment resources, coordinating with children’s new schools to assist students in overcoming achievement obstacles precipitated by the displacement.

La’Nette graduated with honors with a degree in Business Management and was the TCSG Student of the Year for the entire state of Georgia. Using her platform, she has represented Atlanta’s disadvantaged and marginalized population on the floor of the Georgia Senate, The House of Representatives and in the office of Former Governor Nathan Deal.

She is a native of Syracuse, New York.