For APALRC's current strategic plan, please click here: APALRC Strategic Plan 2010-2015

Programs:

The APALRC advocates for the legal and civil rights of Asian Pacific Americans in the Capitol Region through activities in two program areas: Direct Legal Services and Advocacy. The APALRC's recent accomplishments in each of the program areas are highlighted in our latest newsletter.

Direct Legal Services:

The helpline and interpreter projects were founded on the principle that before launching into its own direct legal services program, the APALRC first needed to work with existing legal providers to address the language and cultural barriers that were preventing their services from reaching the Asian American community.  Operating these projects over the years has enabled us to clearly identify gaps in the legal services delivery system where we continue to encounter difficulties in finding adequate referrals for individuals calling the helpline.
In response to these gaps, in 2004 the APALRC achieved a major turning point in its history by expanding its services beyond intake and referrals to include direct legal representation.   The APALRC is now home to two direct legal service projects:  we provide legal advice and representation on employment law matters to low-wage Asian immigrant workers in Montgomery County, Maryland, and we also provide comprehensive legal services (including assistance with protective orders, immigration law and family law) to domestic violence victims in Northern Virginia and Maryland.

Advocacy:

As founder and fiscal agent of the D.C. Language Access Coalition, the APALRC advocates for full and equal access to D.C. government programs and services for D.C.’s estimated 39,000 non-English speakers, particularly in the areas of health, welfare, education, housing and employment benefits.  The APALRC’s leadership on this issue led to the successful passage of the 2004 D.C. Language Access Act – considered the most comprehensive language access law in the country – which requires that government services be accessible to those with limited English skills.