Technola : Public Interest Law & Technology Updates & Commentary : Matthew Burnett & Kate Bladow : Tech Advice for the Non-Profit Legal Sector

Sonia Nazario, who's spent 20 years examining and reporting on social issues like hunger, drug addiction, and immigration, opened the 2010 Equal Justice Conference. In an emotional speech, she explained the difficulties faced by children immigrating to the United States to join their parents and her experiences on El Tren de la Muerta (the train of death) as she traced their journey. For those who couldn't attend in person, the ABA streamed this session live and have posted a recording online. Also available is a short interview with Ms. Narazio about Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), an organization that represents immigrant children, who otherwise would have to negotiate the US immigration system alone.

A side note: As you listen to the beginning of Ms. Nazario's session, several people will refer to protesters. While it's likely not a surprise that the ABA's decision to continue holding the Equal Justice Conference in Arizona was controversial, you may be surprised to hear that on Thursday local advocates protested the ABA's decision. azfamily.com has a short segment on the protesters as well as a quick shot of their song and dance. Was anyone at the conference able to capture the whole song? I couldn't find a recording on either Vimeo or YouTube. - K

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Pro Bono Net is turning 10 this year! If you've been reading Pro Bono Net's newsletters, you've seen the articles documenting its past and looking toward the future.

But you may not know where the idea for the organization came from. (And honestly, even though I've worked with and for Pro Bono Net for a total of six years, I didn't know until recently either.) Turns out that Mark O'Brien and Michael Hertz, Pro Bono Net's co-founders, met when they were handling pro bono asylum cases in the mid-1990s. These cases resulted from the Golden Venture, the infamous smuggling ship, running aground in New York City in 1993. It was carrying 286 immigrants, most of whom were sent to detention centers through out the US. Mark and Michael quickly realized that technology could help the many advocates collaborate better, even though they may not be in the same place.

The stories of the immigrants on the boat were documented in Peter Cohn's movie Golden Venture, which was an Official Selection of the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival and the 2006 Amnesty International Film Festival.

In recognition of this story's connection with Pro Bono Net's beginning, and Pro Bono Net's 10th Anniversary, Peter Cohn has graciously agreed to give half the proceeds of every DVD purchased to Pro Bono Net. You can purchase a copy for $24.95. - K

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The American Immigration Law Foundation's Immigration Policy Center (IPC) has just launched a new blog called Immigration Impact. According to the IPC, "Immigration Impact was developed to help reshape the immigration debate in a way that will bring us closer to comprehensive immigration reform. The blog will provide thoughtful and rapid-response commentaries and insights on the latest news and events so that you can be up-to-date with what's going on with the immigration debate." -M

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On October 31, 2008 at 11 am Pacific/2pm Eastern, I'll be discussing how the Immigration Advocates Network is using online media and social networking tools to engage advocates and increase communication and coordination in the immigrants' rights sector for a LSNTAP training on Creative Uses of Technology in Poverty Law. Other topics for this session include:

• Linking case management systems to document generators
• Call centers to connect pro bono attorneys with clients
• Online advice and representation platforms
• Litigation document management software
• Sharing pleadings with pro bono attorneys

To register for this free webinar, click here. Hope to see you there! -M

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Breakthrough, a human rights organization based in New York and the folks behind ICED -- I Can End Deportation (which we featured here), recently launched Homeland Guantanamos, an online game that highlights the deplorable conditions that immigrants face in detention. Other project partners include CAIR Coalition, Stop Prisoners Rape, Immigration Equality, Families for Freedom, Rights Working Group, and the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition. For more on Homeland Guantanamos, read the New York Times coverage here. For more on immigrant detention, be sure to check out Detention Watch Network, a coalition of advocates working to address the immigration detention crisis. - M

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I just saw that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is using Twitter to send out alerts about field office closings, including the New Orleans District Office, which was closed due to Hurricane Gustav. For more on interesting uses of Twitter and other social media around Gustav, see this post by Beth Kanter. You can also follow technola on Twitter here. -M

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Finding good pro se immigration resources on the web in languages other than English and Spanish is no easy task. Helping to address this need, the Vera Institute recently posted new translations of their Legal Orientation Program materials, which include information on asylum/withholding of removal, immigration fraud, bonds, voluntary departure, and T and U visas. There are also MP3 audio presentations of their Legal Rights Presentation in Arabic, French, Chinese and Vietnamese. Other online sources of pro se immigration materials (with Spanish translations) include the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project and the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network websites. Many of the statewide legal aid websites also have pro se materials on immigration. One noteworthy example is LawHelp.org/NY. -M

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You may have noticed that Matthew was pretty quiet last week. Fear not. He's still as dedicated to blogging as ever. His day job was just a bit busier than normal--the Immigration Advocates Network web site launched.

The launch of this site is a huge step toward building a national network of service providers, advocates, and organizers who work on behalf of immigrants' rights. The web site allows members to connect with each other, receive up-to-date information and trainings, and share resources with others. This site will help each organization serve its members and will also help to strengthen the overall immigrants' rights movement. And Matthew's been a key person in getting this site off the ground. Yea, Matthew! - K

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Check out Breakthrough's video game trailer for ICED (I Can End Deportation) below, then download the game to see what it's like to be an immigrant without meaningful access to due process. It's a great example of technology being used to expose complex legal issues in a way that's both accessible and engaging. If you're interested in learning more about creating or using digital games for social change, check out Games for Change and join their discussion list. -M

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