JANET GWILYM - BOD Nominee
Community Member
(King County)

My professional career has focused on immigration law, including working with immigrant survivors of domestic violence. For over the past eight years, I worked with Kids in Need of Defense ("KIND"), representing unaccompanied immigrant children, all of whom are survivors of trauma. For five of these years, I served as the Managing Attorney of KlND's Seattle office, overseeing staff and programs in Washington State. Previously, at private immigration law firms, I assisted many immigrant survivors apply for immigration relief under VAWA. In 1995, after the tragic murder of one of my clients, I joined the group of women who founded the Asian and Pacific Islander Women and Family Safety Center (now "API Chaya"), and also volunteered with Northwest Immigrant Rights Project for many years. A longtime supporter and admirer of WSCADV, I would like to serve on the Board to more deeply support the Coalition and advance the building of a culture that supports the beloved community, thus ending domestic violence.

The three cornerstones of WSCADV's Theory of Change are all issues that have been present and visible in my work as an immigration attorney for unaccompanied children. The children I worked with have come to the United States to escape persecution based on their race or ethnicity, gender-based violence, and severe poverty caused by economic injustice. Once arriving in our communities, they have continued to face institutional systems of oppression including through the state and immigration courts, education, health care and housing systems. It has been my job to help them navigate these unjust systems to get them to a place of safety, stability, and growth. I am continually learning ways to first recognize and then respond to Injustice (a life-long pursuit) but I have also seen and experienced a great deal from my clients and through them have learned many lessons for Identifying and then building the three cornerstones. As a WSCADV Board member, I would draw upon and share these lessons and experiences to further the mission of the Coalition. I have a long history of working with non-profits focused on human rights, Including programs supporting survivors of domestic vlolence and will draw upon these experiences as well. Finally, I am a listener and collaborator, and always approach challenges with compassion. From my understanding of the culture of WSCADV staff and the board, I would work well with the Coalition and would be very honored to be a part of this amazing organization