If knowledge is power then the grandest gift one can give to another is enlightenment.
For immigration attorney Ruth Jean, this belief is important in the work she does in her practice.
Jean chose law because she believes that “everyone is born with innate human rights—and while the United States is in no way perfect, it is founded upon the principle that we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, those being the right to ‘Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.’ This principle is what drives my passion for the practice of immigration law.”
“I sought to practice law because it provides a source of hope and vindication for those who are on the brink of hopelessness,” said Jean.
Jean recalls her family’s journey to the United States and the impact it has on her as a person, and as a lawyer, she advocates for those who seek refuge and a better life in the U.S.
“As a young girl, my mother risked her life and the life of her three children to enter this country by boat.” Jean, who is a married mother of three children, often calls her mother the “hero” for following that spark of hope that ignited her to make the voyage that now permits her to help fellow immigrants in need.
Teaching the community about laws like the Violence Against Women’s Act (VAWA) and how either men and women who have suffered violence from their husband, wife, or child who is a citizen or resident alien can petition for themselves without needing the help of the abuser. VAWA is a law not commonly known within the community and truly a life-saving opportunity for those who find themselves in such horrible situations.
Leaders like Jean enrich immigrants and the underprivileged daily. Proof of evolution at its best. As a child of Haitian parents and a true leader in the community of Lauderhill, this leader’s light continues to shine bright in the journey of our ancestors to make freedom possible.
