Name: Kasey Quiche
Class Year: 2027
Major: Sociology, Political Science
 
Internship Organization: Voces Latinas
Internship Title:  Legal Service Intern
Location:  Jackson Heights, NY
 
What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!  

Pride Parade in Queens that Voces Latinas staff all attended!

Voces Latinas is a nonprofit organization that started with a mission to reduce the rates of HIV transmission and violence among immigrant communities within the Latinx population. Since then, Voces Latinas has expanded its mission and now operates across eight central pillars: sexual health and wellness, domestic violence, health care services, workforce development, women’s services, legal immigration, mental health, and community outreach. In particular, the legal service team has helped newly arrived immigrants with asylum applications, employment authorization applications, and legal consultations. In addition, they help with advocacy letters to judges, connections to pro bono lawyers, and declaration documents. During my time here, I have assisted clients with asylum applications, EAD applications, and translation of important documents like birth certificates.  

Why did you apply for this internship?   

I am really passionate about helping the immigrant community, especially because I’ve seen firsthand how difficult it can be for people to navigate systems that aren’t designed for them. I also participated in this internship because it was the perfect opportunity to gain direct, hands-on experience in the legal field while also contributing to work that truly matters to me. I’ve always known that I wanted to pursue a career where I could advocate for others, and this experience has made me more confident that becoming a lawyer is the right path for me. Working alongside attorneys and legal staff has given me a much clearer sense of what legal work entails on a day-to-day basis – from filling out complex applications to drafting advocacy letters and assisting clients in preparing for court. I enjoy the work I’ve been doing. 

Voces Latinas community outreach van

I’ve also learned a lot just by talking with my colleagues about their own journeys through law school and public interest work. Law school is a big investment, both financially and emotionally, so being able to ask questions and get honest advice from people who have already gone through it has been incredibly valuable. These conversations have also opened my eyes to other career fields I hadn’t seriously considered before, such as immigration policy work, nonprofit leadership, or paralegal roles in community-based organizations. Even if I ultimately choose to become an attorney, I now understand the many ways people can support immigrant communities through legal and advocacy work.
 
What was your favorite part of this internship?  

My favorite part of this internship has been meeting and talking to clients! I am always interested in learning about other people’s lives, so when clients feel comfortable sharing, I am always happy to listen. It’s one thing to see on the news how a country’s poor conditions are affecting families and another to interact with them face to face and hear about them.
  
Can you talk about the skills you are learning and why they are important to you? 

The whole Voces Latinas team attended a free soul immersion experience hosted by Siembra Today. The workshop included an evening of sound healing, “charla” or chit-chat, and artistic expression led by licensed and holistic practitioners.

During my internship at Voces Latinas, I’ve developed several important skills that are deeply connected to both my personal values and professional goals. One of the most valuable has been improving my communication skills, especially in Spanish. Since many of our clients are mainly Spanish speakers, I’ve learned how to explain complex legal processes in another language. I now feel much more confident speaking Spanish, even when handling sensitive topics. This is important to me not just because I am passionate about becoming a lawyer, but because I hope to serve immigrant communities who often face language and cultural barriers in legal settings. 

I’ve also strengthened my legal writing and research skills, particularly through helping draft asylum applications and letters to immigration judges. Writing advocacy letters and compiling country conditions reports for asylum cases has taught me how to make compelling legal arguments while being mindful of each client’s unique story. These experiences are critical for my future in the legal field, especially if I pursue immigration or public interest law. 

In addition, I’ve become much more adaptable and efficient in a fast-paced environment. On any given day, I may need to troubleshoot a printer, translate a birth certificate, or walk a client through the next steps for their case. These situations have helped me build my problem-solving and time management skills, which are essential in legal and nonprofit work where resources are often limited. 

Finally, I’ve learned the importance of ethical responsibility and community trust. Seeing how many of our clients have been misled or exploited by unlicensed “lawyers” has been upsetting, but it has also reinforced how important it is for me to build trust and offer accessible, honest support.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced at your internship? 

The biggest challenge I’ve faced during my internship at Voces Latinas has been managing the emotional weight of clients’ stories while still remaining professional. Many of the individuals Voces Latinas helped have experienced trauma, violence, family separation, or extreme poverty in their home countries. It’s incredibly moving – and sometimes heartbreaking – to hear what they’ve gone through, especially when they share details about leaving children behind or being mistreated on their journey to the U.S. 

At first, I found myself feeling overwhelmed after some of these interactions. I wanted to help in every way possible, but I quickly realized that I needed to set boundaries to avoid burnout and stay grounded in the legal tasks I was assigned. Over time, I’ve learned how to balance empathy with professionalism – listening actively while still focusing on how I can best support them with the resources the organization offers. 

This challenge has made me stronger emotionally and more self-aware. It has also deepened my commitment to pursuing a legal career where I can continue advocating for vulnerable communities while also valuing and taking care of my own mental health.