The List Project at Vanderbilt
2009/2010 Officers
| President: | Andrew Free |
| Vice President: | Colby Block |
| Secretary: | Samara Spence |
| Treasurer: | Ben Berlin |
| 1L Representative: | Christian Crowley |
| 1L Representative; Community Service Team Leader: | Tiffany Nichols |
| 1L Representative; Problem Solvers Team Leader: | Vijnata Trivedi |
| 1L Representative; Street Law Team Leader: | Rachel Weisshaar |
| Research Team Leader: | Annie Prescott |
| Faculty Advisor: | Professor Michael Newton |
The List Project at Vanderbilt
The List Project at Vanderbilt works through the University and Nashville communities to promote the mission of The List Project-- to resettle Iraqi allies. TLP@VU's goal is to connect the tremendous talents and wide expertise of VU students, faculty, and staff with the unique needs of U.S.-affiliated Iraqis in Nashville, throughout the United States, and abroad.
Law student members conduct legal and policy research to further the advocacy of TLP in the White House, on Capitol Hill, with executive agencies, and in international organizations. They also perform responsive legal research to address the needs of resettled Iraqis living in the United States. In addition, they work collaboratively with a variety of institutions, organizations, and individuals throughout the world to assist in networking, job-hunting, and a speedy transition to self-sufficient resettlement. Most important, law students offer friendship and compassion to Iraqi families who have fled violence and persecution as a result of their contributions to their country and ours.
The List Project at Vanderbilt is actively working to expand its initiatives to the wider University community, thus creating a model for campus involvement that will be implemented at colleges and universities nationwide next fall.
For more information:
http://netroots.thelistproject.org/
October 26, 2009
The List Project Founder, Holland & Knight Senior Pro Bono Counsel Visit The List Project at Vanderbilt
Last week, Vanderbilt University Law School (VULS) students provided Kirk Johnson, the founder of The List Project (TLP), and Chris Nugent, senior counsel with the Community Services Team at Holland & Knight LLP, with several busy days of policy briefings, leadership discussions, and family visits in the Nashville area.
When Johnson and Nugent arrived at the airport on Thursday night, they were greeted by one of the first Iraqis resettled to Nashville by TLP. Their visit to Vanderbilt began in earnest on Friday morning, with a small meeting of TLP at Vanderbilt’s Steering Committee. Students shared their efforts to help resettled Iraqis obtain meaningful employment, safe housing, medical care, and English language classes; provided updates on the legal and policy research they have been performing; and offered ideas for furthering the objectives of The List Project both in Nashville and nationwide.
TLP leadership then met privately with Professor Mike Newton, formerly a senior advisor to the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues at the U.S. Department of State. Drawing on his extensive on-the-ground experience in Iraq as a legal advisor to the Iraqi High Tribunal, Newton offered strategic insights into TLP’s policy work. He also helped cement the unique collaboration between TLP and VULS by securing a number of future legal internships for Vanderbilt law students.
The day continued with a thought-provoking talk by Johnson, Nugent, and an Iraqi refugee living in Nashville. Approximately 60 people attended the discussion, including local community leaders, several Iraqi families, and many interested, committed law students and undergraduates. Johnson stressed the urgency of resettling threatened Iraqis who aided the American government in Iraq. He also highlighted the need to hold the U.S. government accountable—and keep it informed—as the drawdown of U.S. troops from Iraq continues. Nugent, who manages Holland & Knight’s team of attorneys assisting TLP, discussed some of the challenges of the legal process for Iraqis on The List, who include translators, engineers, and other highly qualified professionals. Several Iraqis asked questions about their lives in the United States and how to continue moving forward in this country.
After sharing hummus and kabobs at lunch, members of TLP travelled with Johnson and Nugent to meet with individual Iraqi families, hear their stories, and share insights, thoughts, and hope with them. Over several cups of chai tea, each family explained their fears about their time in Iraq, their struggles after coming to the United States, and their joy at meeting members of TLP. Johnson listened closely and encouraged these Iraqis to keep moving forward despite the hard economic times many of them face. The day ended about 8:00 p.m. that evening with a hearty Iraqi dinner. Early the next morning, Nugent and Andrew Free, the head of TLP at Vanderbilt, ventured out to nearby Smyrna, Tennessee, to meet 16 more Iraqi members of the local TLP community.
Special thanks are in order to Samara Spence, Rachel Gore, Rachel Weisshaar, Shannon Fyfe, John Spragens, and all TLP@VU members for making this visit a success. All told, TLP@VU donated over $1,000 to make this trip a reality. It has already begun paying dividends.
TLP@VU aims to aid Iraqi refugees in Nashville during their transition to U.S. society. Vanderbilt law students involved with TLP include Arabic-speaking veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom, students who have worked in the past with refugee groups, and others who are inspired and committed to helping Iraqi families. If you are interested in joining the Vanderbilt chapter and helping resettled Iraqis in Nashville, we encourage you to join Netroots, our online community, and contact Andrew Free to learn more about local opportunities.
September 13, 2009
Law Students, Iraqi Refugees Launch TLP at Vanderbilt Chapter
Out of respect to those observing Ramadan, the first meeting of the Vanderbilt University chapter of The List Project (TLP) lacked refreshments, but that didn’t stop six American-affiliated Iraqi immigrants and nearly 20 enthusiastic Vanderbilt law students from showing up at the law school on September 13th to meet each other, share stories and interests, and formulate their plans for the rest of the year.
The TLP chapter at Vanderbilt aims to aid Iraqi refugees in Nashville during their transition into U.S. society. Some of the families are somewhat isolated, living on the outskirts of the city, and meeting Vanderbilt students has enabled them to see friendly faces, learn more about the city, and understand the opportunities available to them.
The law student contingent included Arabic-speaking veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom, students who have worked in the past with refugee groups, and others who are inspired and committed to helping Iraqi families.
The students listened closely as Iraqis described the harrowing attacks that led them to flee Iraq for the United States. The students then offered their support and committed themselves to helping their newfound Iraqi friends resettle and navigate the Nashville job market.
The Vanderbilt chapter of TLP has seen its membership increase by leaps and bounds, and this rapid expansion has already had enormous positive effects. In one month alone, and with only two formal meetings, TLP at Vanderbilt volunteers have contributed:
- More than 250 hours of volunteer service (including home visits, resume consultations, job search assistance, transportation to doctors and dentists, shopping orientations, household energy bill assistance, playground and soccer runs, and trips to the Department of Motor Vehicles); and
- Roughly $2,000 in goods (including new beds and bedding, gently used furniture, televisions, household appliances, toys, musical instruments, books, lamps, cribs, strollers, clothing, kitchen accessories, rugs, bookshelves, and cleaning supplies).
We highlight these contributions in numerical terms simply because it is impossible to fully describe the value of a smile on a child's face when he first sets eyes on his very own bicycle; or the peace of mind parents feel when they and their children can sleep on clean bedding; or the independence individuals gain when they obtain their U.S. driver's license. As our organization grows and community support increases, we are confident that these contributions will keep growing, too.
TLP at Vanderbilt is planning an ambitious set of activities for this year and beyond, including:
- A policy and legal advocacy effort;
- A jobs and networking task force;
- Know-your-rights presentations geared toward the needs of Iraqi refugees;
- An Iraqi women’s support group; and
- A service drive, which will provide recently arrived Iraqi families with some of the household items that help make a house feel more like a home.
If you are interested in joining the Vanderbilt chapter and helping resettled Iraqis in Nashville, we encourage you to join Netroots, our online community, and contact Andrew Free to learn more about local opportunities. No Vanderbilt affiliation is necessary, and the time commitment can be as minimal or as extensive as you wish.
