Hi everyone, my name is Elaina Stephenson and I am the new fellow on the Vets for American Ideals team at Human Rights First. I am so excited to dive into this incredible work, but first I’d like to share a bit about me and how I came to be a part of the VFAI community.

I first heard about Vets for American Ideals, and Human Rights First, through Joe Jenkins. Joe’s a Marine Corps veteran, VFAI leader in Dallas, and an alum of the University of Texas at Austin’s Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, the program I am currently pursuing.

This unique program is an accelerated Master’s degree, involving twelve months in Austin on the main campus, followed by a six-month policy fellowship in Washington, D.C. Here in the District, I work full-time during the day at a host organization (thanks for having me, HRF!), and finish up my coursework at the LBJ Washington Center at night. It’s a demanding schedule, but this December, I’ll graduate with my Master’s in Public Affairs.

Are you still with me? Though describing the specifics of my school program is complicated, my reasons for wanting to join the VFAI team are simple: I want to advocate for causes I care about, gain policy experience, and learn to be a connector in a world of deep divisions.

I became interested in the refugee crisis in an unusual way. Prior to studying at the LBJ School, I worked as a paralegal at Baker Botts LLP in Austin. While there, I assisted attorneys with legal research and trial preparation for commercial litigation. Though the fast-paced world of trials was exciting, I was most passionate about the pro bono cases I got to assist on. One such case involved obtaining political asylum for an individual fleeing gang violence in Honduras. The case was a stark introduction into the world of refugee, asylum, and immigration law, and it sparked my interest in learning more about this policy issue.

At a trial law firm, the nature of my work was feast or famine—I was either working long overtime hours to prepare for a trial, or enduring very slow days as I waited for the next case to arrive at my desk. During one of these famine periods, I looked further into what I could do in my free time to help those caught up in the refugee crisis, even if it was on a small level.

In my quest to get involved, I came across Caritas of Austin. Caritas is a local non-profit with a Refugee Resettlement division where volunteers and social workers help newly-resettled refugees acclimate to their new community. I immediately got involved.

As a direct service volunteer for Caritas, I partnered with a refugee family from Kabul, Afghanistan. They were a couple of young parents with a newborn baby. The husband had worked as an I.T. professional at the U.S. embassy in Kabul, and while he was able to pick up English on-the-job in Afghanistan, his wife only had an eighth-grade education level.

While he looked for work in the United States, his wife stayed at home to look after the baby—preventing her from attending formal English classes. So, it was part of my duty as a volunteer to assist her in learning English, help her acclimate to American culture, and provide companionship as she adjusted to her new life in Austin. I worked with the family for over a year, going to their home twice a month for English lessons and to help them settle into the community. I’m happy to report that less than three months after their move, the husband is working as an I.T. professional, his wife now speaks basic English, and the baby—over a year old now—is sputtering out words in both Pashto and English!

When I first heard about Human Rights First, and the work the VFAI team is doing, I was extremely interested in their mission to connect veterans and refugees, but I felt hesitant about how I would fit into the organization given my lack of military experience.

This notion quickly faded as I learned more about the specific campaigns VFAI carries out, and how it places emphasis on advocating for Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs). And that’s where this comes full circle, as the Afghan family I helped came to Austin through the SIV program. The husband’s five years of service with the U.S. government in Kabul earned them that right. I had the good fortune to watch the family as they found work, made friends, moved into a new apartment, and raised a young baby, all because the United States kept their promise to them. It inspired me to want to fight for all the other families like them, to make sure America keeps its promise to them too.

I am still learning daily about the vast military world and all that it entails, but I am beginning to see that veterans are regular citizens leading regular lives. I am excited by the VFAI leaders I’ve met so far—each continuing to serve by working in their communities to advocate for SIV recipients and refugees.

I’m here to join them in their mission of connecting people in today’s divided world. I am driven by their commitment to this nation, whether in uniform or in civilian life, and I’m proud to bring my own passion for service to the team.