Amber Harding
Host: The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
Sponsor: Steptoe & Johnson LLP
Gabriela will implement the DREAM Partnership. The DREAM (Disability Representation Education Advocacy Medical-Legal) Partnership will establish a medical-legal partnership between Homeless Persons Representation Project and Health Care for the Homeless to promote economic stability and help end homelessness in Baltimore.
There are about 2,669 people experiencing homelessness in Baltimore and almost one third of them reported having a serious mental illness. Nationally, only 28% of individuals who apply for Supplemental Security Insurance and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSI/SSDI) are approved on initial application. For people who are homeless and have no one to assist them, that percentage reduces by more than half. The DREAM Partnership will aim to provide free legal representation in SSDI or other public benefits programs to people experiencing homelessness in Baltimore to promote economic stability and help end homelessness.
Gabriela was inspired to serve people experiencing homeless because of her and her family’s own struggle with housing insecurity. She grew up depending on public benefits programs like SSI as her family’s main source of income and knows first-hand how life changing it will be to secure these benefits for her clients.
Gabriela will eliminate barriers for people experiencing homelessness who may also have a physical or mental disability obtaining legal aid with applying to public benefits programs. Gabriela will provide direct representation to clients in Social Security and Disability (SSI/SSDI) hearings and appeals of public benefits. She will also advocate and educate the community on these issues.
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I am passionate about this issue because I know what it is like to not have a place to call home, and I see myself when I serve my clients.
Gabriela Sevilla /
Equal Justice Works Fellow
Host: The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
Sponsor: Steptoe & Johnson LLP
Host: Texas Rural Legal Aid, Inc.
Sponsor: Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.
Host: Arizona Center For Disability Law
Sponsor: Lewis & Roca LLP
Host: Housing Rights Center
Sponsor: Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP