“Every time one of our clients is provided representation or assistance by someone in this audience, the broken edges of our society are drawn together. The gaps that deny the most vulnerable of our society access to justice are bridged.”

In its fourth year, AVLF at the Movies highlighted important, impactful issues affecting Atlanta’s communities. Over 300 people joined us to talk about the intersection between gentrification, affordable housing, and education. 

Today, as an attorney working on behalf of low-income clients facing housing instability, there is something sanitized about my profession and my persona.  When I meet with clients, I presume that I can access all kinds of personal information about them – but that they will not learn anything about me.  I am neutral, unmarked, The Professional – not a human being with personality quirks, and certainly not a human being with a first-hand experience of poverty. Perhaps attorneys have more in common with our clients than we are used to looking for.  And perhaps sharing those stories, forging those connections, is worth the risk of letting our professional masks drop.

Funding from the CFGA Spark Opportunity Giving Circle allows us to deepen our impact, continue to build trust, and sustain our programs in the Thomasville Heights Community.