Connecting With My Clients

By Staff Attorney Lavette Holman

I am proud to be a staff attorney with Northwest Immigrant Rights Project’s Granger Office. I am also very passionate about Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination, even if it is in the form of fleeing or being forced away from your homeland. I do not live in my homeland, and I know many other Native People who do not either. I went to law school for the sole purpose of defending treaty rights. And while I am now working to defend and advance immigrant rights with NWIRP, I still care deeply for Native American rights. I am now developing a more global perspective from my clients. 

I wanted to share this with you first because one of my recent cases has left a profound impact on me. I am going to call this client Manny to protect his identity. 

Manny currently lives in Yakima but was born in Guatemala and is Mayan. His first language is Achi, and his family is proud of their heritage and traditions. But heartbreakingly, Mayans are treated as second-class citizens in Guatemala and experience terrible discrimination. 

In Guatemala, Manny and his mother faced economic persecution from gangs who controlled the corn market. Corn is sacred to the Mayan people and their primary form of sustenance. As such, they often went hungry. Manny was also harassed by a particularly dangerous gang in Guatemala, who threatened him and his mother after Manny refused to join them. Fearing for his safety, Manny made the perilous journey to the United States to live with his father in Yakima. 

When I took Manny’s case, I was moved by his story – especially as a Native American who knows what it feels like to be persecuted because of your ethnicity.

The case had some difficult periods. One that stands out to me was when we first met with the Court Commissioner in Yakima County. The Commissioner said some very insensitive and inappropriate things to my client and his father; however, after another meeting with Manny in his home, we submitted his declaration and supporting documents and won. 

Having the opportunity to meet with Manny and his family in their home was very moving for me. They were so gracious and kind. This was when I learned that corn was so important to the Mayan people, which reminded me of the importance of salmon to the Yakama people. I am so happy that Manny is here in our region, even though it was a move he had to make because of the persecution of his people.