The Sanctuary Lawyer.
Virginia’s Alina Kilpatrick.
There are so many places that I can speak from when it comes to our Saint Gone Rad of the week: The South’s Sanctuary Lawyer, Alina Kilpatrick.
I met Alina a year ago while working with Ice Out of RVA as ICE OUT helped to establish a Sanctuary here in Richmond. I had heard about this lawyer that worked for little to nothing. People in my community call Alina la abogada and they know they can come to her for an honest assessment of their cases and good help. We have worked together in community ever since.
Since that time I’ve done interpretation for her clients. I have come to trust Alina and I always seek her input when it comes to issues of immigration that affect the people I love. Alina is also my friend and she supports me in real ways like buying me groceries when I am too sick to leave my house and helping me free my own little sister when ICE put a detainer on her.
Alina is a theater major turned lawyer. A good lawyer at that. Not only because she is absolutely brilliant when it comes to problem solving and triaging clients, but also because she is so sensitive when talking to survivors of extreme violence. Her research and investigation skills when it comes to the law are superb, as is the way she meticulously presents great cases. Alina is a creative genius who wins cases by outsmarting, outwitting, and outworking the government agencies terrorizing my people.
She is also an amazing mentor, taking time to coach younger femme lawyers in the nuance of immigration law. Alina teaches the people that work with her, too, so that we understand what we are interpreting. Her own upbringing and her self introspection lend her support in constantly thinking of ways to keep serving her clients and community.
Alina’s career speaks for itself, and her character is beautiful and true. She works hard daily, going all over Virginia to serve clients. She cares about marginalized folks who do not have access to immigration lawyers. More and more she dreams of working outside of the state, especially in Southern rural areas where the need for good immigration lawyers matches the need for funds to have a lawyer in the first place.
Alina is a total SAINT, someone that chooses over and over again to take care of people and do the right thing, even if it costs them their comfort, status and even friendships. She is totally RADICAL, using every resource available to fight oppressive institutions. Saint Solaris celebrates Alina Kilpatrick, The Sanctuary Lawyer, and wishes her a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
