Crafting Compassion and Connection: A Talk with Our Asylum Program Director
At Oasis, our Asylum Program plays a crucial role in providing legal support to LGBTQ+ immigrants navigating the complexities of the U.S. asylum process. Leading this program is one of Oasis’ founders, Maria Elena Paniagua (Mari), whose dedication to both her clients and her team drives the success of our biggest legal program. In this blog, we explore the challenges and rewards of her role, as well as the personal passions that keep her grounded and inspired.
MS: What is the biggest challenge in running the Asylum Program?
MEP: Our country’s ever-growing asylum backlog creates a major challenge in running our Asylum Program. We have clients waiting over eight years for their asylum interviews to be scheduled. We feel and hear their frustrations with our immigration system and yet we cannot give them a definite answer to how much longer it will take. It is challenging to continue to work with new clients while at the same time provide case management to our over 900 active clients. We work to ensure that all clients continue to be served in the most efficient and yet caring way possible.
NS: What is the most rewarding part of being the Asylum Program Director?
MEP: Being able to mentor Legal Advocates and Paralegal Interns in working with asylum applicants while at the same continuing to work directly with my own clients. I have always said that what got me into this work was the human connection I am able to build and grow, not just with the clients we serve but also with our staff, interns, volunteers, and community partners.
MS: We know you like to craft in your free time. Do you have a favorite craft?
MEP: I love to craft so it’s hard to just pick one! I enjoy crafting holiday decorations to use in my own home but to also gift to others. I also love making paper flowers. It’s amazing how with just a few materials you can create something so beautiful.
NS: As a Bay Area Native, what is your favorite thing about the Bay Area?
MEP: Personally — the ties to my family. I was raised and have lived my entire life in the Bay Area and most of my loved ones are nearby. I love that I am able to see them often. Professionally — the amount of community orgs doing amazing work. Because of this, we are able to connect a lot of our clients to resources they may need.
MS: What is your hope for Oasis in the coming years?
MEP: First, to continue to lead with our minds and hearts so that our clients always receive the highest quality holistic services possible. And secondly, for Oasis to continue to strengthen our current relationships with community partners and build new ones, locally and nationally, so that together we increase capacity and ensure every LGBTQ+ immigrant in need of legal and/or social services has access to the needed resources.
Mari’s journey from co-founder of Oasis to current Asylum Program Director is marked by her unwavering commitment to her clients, her team, and her community. Despite the challenges of managing an ever-growing asylum backlog, she remains focused on providing compassionate and efficient services to those in need. Her passion for mentoring and her love for crafting beautiful things out of few materials are just some examples of how she brings creativity and care to everything she does. As Oasis continues to grow and evolve, Mari’s leadership will undoubtedly play a key role in ensuring that the organization remains a beacon of hope and support for LGBTQ+ immigrants.
Published October 15, 2024