Open Door Legal

We're excited to highlight one of our AppLovin Cares partners, Open Door Legal ! They provide universal access to civil legal representation, helping reduce poverty by ensuring everyone has access to justice.??? Hear more from Lexi Binazir about their incredible work and our partnership below. ?? To learn more or support Open Door Legal, visit https://opendoorlegal.org/. #AppLovinCares #OpenDoorLegal #CommunitySupport

We're excited to highlight one of our AppLovin Cares partners, Open Door Legal ! They provide universal access to civil legal representation, helping reduce poverty by ensuring everyone has access to justice.??? Hear more from Lexi Binazir about their incredible work and our partnership below. ?? To learn more or support Open Door Legal, visit https://opendoorlegal.org/. #AppLovinCares #OpenDoorLegal #CommunitySupport

Interning at Open Door Legal this past summer as part of the Dartmouth Center for Social Impact's cohort program in San Francisco, I encountered truly invaluable work. There, like always, I was a storyteller. That word maintains a certain essence, a creative responsibility, for whomever takes up the mantle: from Euripides to Scherazade to Bisan in Palestine. While the Frontline and Legal teams at ODL work to provide universal civil legal aid to low-income individuals in the city of San Francisco, I provided a conclusion to that process. After we successfully closed a case with a client, I conducted an interview and from there found the words to share that client’s experience with the community. The legal services that ODL offers and the work that I performed on the Development Team these past few months often operated in tandem. In a way we were all defenders, giving a voice to those who do not have the knowledge or the fiscal clout to speak for themselves. We all contributed to that mission of universal care, our representation manifold and intended to provide access to as many people as possible. Getting to work with Jessica Arita, Sierra Sparks (Loya), and Laura Turner as we planned ODL's 11th annual fundraising gala was an incredible blessing. Through nothing more than serendipity, I was spirited into the world of development and quickly fell in love with the work. I learned how essential development work is to extend an organization's mission. The Development Team at ODL, especially, emphasizes the humanizing nature of the labor. Through the gala, external communications, grant writing, and client interviews, we strove to make sure that our donors, staff, clients, and the greater public all felt interconnected within a greater system of care. At the same time, I became enthralled by ODL's unique organizational structure. Executive Director Adrian Tirtanadi and I immediately bonded over ODL's non-hierarchical composition, which not only amazed me as an amateur organizer but allowed me to feel as welcome within the whole ODL family as quickly as I did. Interacting with and interviewing staff, I rapidly encountered the passion, dynamism, teamwork, caring, and grit that made up the marrow of ODL. Open Door Legal is something entirely new, and it gave me tremendous comfort to contribute to the mission when I did. They are not simply fighting within the system, with “the master’s tools,” so to speak. Open Door Legal roots its front within the communities of people that live and participate in the inner workings of the city of San Francisco. They've planted a seed, meant to grow and billow outwards. I'm lucky I got to help water it. #DCSI Dartmouth Center for Social Impact Dartmouth College Open Door Legal

One of the most incredible stories of strength and determination we've ever encountered, it was an honor to create this short film highlighting the love of a mother as she overcame incredible odds to seek asylum in the United States. We are proud of the work our client Open Door Legal does for the most vulnerable in our communities.

I recently realized that this summer in San Francisco is my first time actually working in a “big city.”? Although my dad grew up here and I have a lot of family in the area, I never felt super familiar with it beyond childhood memories and the countless shows and movies that gave me a romanticized version of the city (always with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background). San Francisco is huge and diverse, and working at different offices around the city has given me a chance to explore and connect with it in new ways. The commute, though tiring, gives me a moment to decompress and reflect. Observing the streets and people, I see the stark disparity in wealth: unhoused individuals among shiny corporate buildings, young professionals with AirPods passing by makeshift encampments without a glance. These contrasts underscore the importance of orgs like Open Door Legal that are designed to bridge this gap. One person at a time. It’s the everyday things, the basic necessities of life like shelter, a stable income, safety from abuse. Even more, it is about protecting the rights of people to live with dignity regardless of their station in life. In family law, this includes the rights of parents to be there for their children; the rights of individuals to exit toxic or abusive relationships; the rights of families to organize in the way that works best for them. These interests are deeply personal. But they are shared by people across all socioeconomic levels. And we can’t ignore the ways that people facing poverty are treated differently in our legal systems. That includes family courts. Especially after observing a few hearings in SF Unified Family Court, I have seen just how confusing, overwhelming, and intense issues like child custody and visitation are. Not everyone can hire a private attorney. But their rights are just as important as the people who can afford to. Thank you to Equal Justice America and all the donors who are supporting people like me who want to bridge these gaps in our neighborhoods. If you are interested in donating, please go to my fundraising page here: https://lnkd.in/gPTXWwej. #EJAFellowUpdates #TheLawBelongstoAllofUs? Equal Justice America Open Door Legal University of California, Berkeley - School of Law

Recently, I went on a walk with Adrian Tirtanadi, the founder of Open Door Legal , and had an incredibly interesting and energizing conversation. As we walked past the iconic Painted Ladies of San Francisco, he asked me what being “radical” meant to me. I started rambling about abolition and anti-capitalism, sharing how I’ve always felt radical, especially growing up in a place where my racial, religious, political, and identity were constantly under fire. I was pushed to interrogate the status quo early on, and the more I learned about how and why the world functions the way it does, the more “radical” I became. This only continued throughout law school (University of California, Berkeley - School of Law). Rather than making me cynical, it pushed me to think critically and find creative ways to change the narrative. To me, being radical means refusing to ignore the suffering of others just because it is easier or more beneficial for me. It’s about leaning into the intensity of my feelings and letting empathy guide me.?? Adrian put it perfectly (and much more concisely): having a radical commitment means being willing to think outside the box and sacrifice the comforts of the status quo to achieve it. Not letting the world wear you down until you inevitably “fall into line.” Not dismissing the needs of the many to satisfy the wants of a few. Not letting the scale of the problem overshadow the value of helping even “just” one person, one neighborhood, one city. In fact, that’s how it has to start! Literally just being that open door for someone facing real and immediate challenges, sitting down with them face to face, and reminding them that they are not alone.? This organization embodies these values in a profound way. ODL takes creative ideas and enacts them, translating radical concepts into words and actions. And it doesn’t hurt that they know how to throw a party! Last week, ODL held its Good Neighbors Gala event (see the cute group photo). It was a highlight of my experience, showcasing the critical role of fundraising and the power of storytelling. Hearing from past clients about their struggles and how ODL provided free, accessible, and comprehensive legal services was moving. Rather than trying to exploit sad stories, I felt like it was celebrating the hope and joy that free legal aid can bring into people’s lives. I am honored to be working in a space that offers a haven for those turned away by others, building a community and empowering people to overcome obstacles to live with peace, dignity, and opportunity.?? Thank you to Equal Justice America and all the donors supporting this crucial work. If you are interested in donating, please go to my fundraising page here: https://lnkd.in/gPTXWwej.? #EJAFellowUpdates