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Emily Arnold-Fernandez
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Emily E. Arnold-Fernandez received an Echoing Green fellowship in 2007 and launched Asylum Access to provide legal advocacy to refugees throughout the global south.
Interview with Emily Arnold-Fernandez, Executive Director, Asylum AccessCLICK on the player to listen to this five-minute interview, or on the link below to download the audio file to your desktop.
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Emily Arnold-Fernandez’s journey form Pomona College in California to global refugee rights work began in high school when she joined Amnesty International.She is now focused on refugee rights because she sees an opportunity to change the system. The international community has only focused on needs, not rights. Asylum Access helps refugees in Africa, Asia and Latin America assert their rights in their country of refuge by fostering legal aid with lawyers on the ground and volunteer law students to help with the legal steps required to attain refugee status. Asylum Access also engages in advocacy and strategic litigation.
Emily has learned that law can be a healing force. She discovered that when you tell someone that they are entitled to protection and jobs and schools, it restores their dignity and self-respect. That has shown her how the law is a living thing.
Her advice to social entrepreneurs: “Have a solid business plan! Find out how the change you want to see will occur and understand that it won't happen quickly. And then circulate your plan and answer the hard questions others will ask of you.”
CLICK on the player above to listen to her interview.
