Marissa Montes - Professor, Immigration Attorney, Activist & Co-Director of Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Immigrant Justice Clinic
11/30/19 • 81 min
SHOW NOTES
Immigration has and will always be an important topic in the United States and the world.
On today’s episode of Ellas, Brenda Hernández Jaimes sits down with Marissa Montes, a proud Latina professor, immigration attorney, and activist to talk about the challenges and process of immigration. Marissa is also the current Co-Director of Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Immigrant Justice Clinic.
To talk about this topic, one has to be well informed and Marissa is the best attorney and mujer for this episode.
Marissa shares how her childhood and early teen years motivated her to help her community through immigration attorney, her years studying at USC, and the rude awakening she received when studying grad school at Loyola University.
She also talks about the challenges she has faced during her professional career, the biggest wins, and ways to combat imposter syndrome.
We go deep about the current immigration climate in the country and Mexico-Guatemala border.
If you’re planning on starting your path in immigration law or you work in the industry, then listen to this episode to find out vital tips and advice so you can be the best guide to our comunidad.
In this episode we talk about...
2:34 - Discover the backstory of how Marissa Montes and Brenda Hernández Jaimes connected for Ellas
5:15 - Marissa shares how she’s been able to help her Latino community through immigration law
6:13 - Listen to how Marissa’s childhood motivated her to study immigration law
9:09 - Find out how Marissa’s mentors guided her through her college application
11:43 - Marissa talks about how she was able to find her community while studying at USC
14:13 - Do you want to study law? Marissa shares the obstacles that you will face when choosing this important path
17:40 - If you want to study law, listen to the requirements you need to have
20:40 - “It’s what you make it. Like in any career, it’s your work ethic and your reputation that’s going to follow you more than what grade you got in a class, what top twenty law schools you went to and if you were in law review.”
23:24 - Discover how Marissa and her classmates co-founded the Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic
26:15 - Marissa shares how the clinic had to build trust in the community and the work they’re planning to do
28:36 - Listen to the work that Loyola Law students do through the Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic
31:20 - Marissa talks about the biggest wins during her immigration law career
34:34 - Are you an immigration lawyer or want to help our migrants? Marissa shares advice on what you can do
37:40 - Put your money where your mouth is and donate to Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic to help law students guide our migrants
39:27 - Marissa speaks about the Mexican-Guatemala border and human smuggling
42:56 - Listen to Marissa share about the work she did while the caravan was at the border
45:48 - Immigration is constantly changing in the US and international law, find out what those are!
48:27 - Marissa shares advice to our Latina listeners who want to be attorneys
51:55 - Listen to how Marissa deals with imposter syndrome and the things she does to push that aside
53:11 - You also need to speak Spanish if you want to be an immigration attorney
55:53 - Are you looking for a mentor in the law industry? Marissa shares vital tips to have a mentor
58:01 - Is networking scary? Listen to Marissa’s advice on how to use it for your advantage
59:46 - Marissa shares the work she does at Calgang Database Technical Advisory Committee
1:02:54 - Discover what Marissa will be doing in the Los Angeles City Commission on Civil and Human Rights
1:04:35 - Marissa is often the only women of color in the workspace
1:07:25 - Listen to Marissa’s vital and necessary self-care tips
1:10:36 - “I wish that as Latinas or women of color we didn’t have to do double the work to show our worth and value. I wish one day, we have that equal footing.”
1:12:42 - Marissa shares tips on how to debunk the common myths surrounding immigration
1:15:48 - Are you starting your first year of law school or in your first year of being an attorney? Listen to Marissa’s words of advice
1:18:04 - “You’re going to make it and you’re going to be successful.”
1:18:55 - Follow Marissa!
RELEVANT LINKS
SHOW NOTES
Immigration has and will always be an important topic in the United States and the world.
On today’s episode of Ellas, Brenda Hernández Jaimes sits down with Marissa Montes, a proud Latina professor, immigration attorney, and activist to talk about the challenges and process of immigration. Marissa is also the current Co-Director of Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Immigrant Justice Clinic.
To talk about this topic, one has to be well informed and Marissa is the best attorney and mujer for this episode.
Marissa shares how her childhood and early teen years motivated her to help her community through immigration attorney, her years studying at USC, and the rude awakening she received when studying grad school at Loyola University.
She also talks about the challenges she has faced during her professional career, the biggest wins, and ways to combat imposter syndrome.
We go deep about the current immigration climate in the country and Mexico-Guatemala border.
If you’re planning on starting your path in immigration law or you work in the industry, then listen to this episode to find out vital tips and advice so you can be the best guide to our comunidad.
In this episode we talk about...
2:34 - Discover the backstory of how Marissa Montes and Brenda Hernández Jaimes connected for Ellas
5:15 - Marissa shares how she’s been able to help her Latino community through immigration law
6:13 - Listen to how Marissa’s childhood motivated her to study immigration law
9:09 - Find out how Marissa’s mentors guided her through her college application
11:43 - Marissa talks about how she was able to find her community while studying at USC
14:13 - Do you want to study law? Marissa shares the obstacles that you will face when choosing this important path
17:40 - If you want to study law, listen to the requirements you need to have
20:40 - “It’s what you make it. Like in any career, it’s your work ethic and your reputation that’s going to follow you more than what grade you got in a class, what top twenty law schools you went to and if you were in law review.”
23:24 - Discover how Marissa and her classmates co-founded the Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic
26:15 - Marissa shares how the clinic had to build trust in the community and the work they’re planning to do
28:36 - Listen to the work that Loyola Law students do through the Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic
31:20 - Marissa talks about the biggest wins during her immigration law career
34:34 - Are you an immigration lawyer or want to help our migrants? Marissa shares advice on what you can do
37:40 - Put your money where your mouth is and donate to Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic to help law students guide our migrants
39:27 - Marissa speaks about the Mexican-Guatemala border and human smuggling
42:56 - Listen to Marissa share about the work she did while the caravan was at the border
45:48 - Immigration is constantly changing in the US and international law, find out what those are!
48:27 - Marissa shares advice to our Latina listeners who want to be attorneys
51:55 - Listen to how Marissa deals with imposter syndrome and the things she does to push that aside
53:11 - You also need to speak Spanish if you want to be an immigration attorney
55:53 - Are you looking for a mentor in the law industry? Marissa shares vital tips to have a mentor
58:01 - Is networking scary? Listen to Marissa’s advice on how to use it for your advantage
59:46 - Marissa shares the work she does at Calgang Database Technical Advisory Committee
1:02:54 - Discover what Marissa will be doing in the Los Angeles City Commission on Civil and Human Rights
1:04:35 - Marissa is often the only women of color in the workspace
1:07:25 - Listen to Marissa’s vital and necessary self-care tips
1:10:36 - “I wish that as Latinas or women of color we didn’t have to do double the work to show our worth and value. I wish one day, we have that equal footing.”
1:12:42 - Marissa shares tips on how to debunk the common myths surrounding immigration
1:15:48 - Are you starting your first year of law school or in your first year of being an attorney? Listen to Marissa’s words of advice
1:18:04 - “You’re going to make it and you’re going to be successful.”
1:18:55 - Follow Marissa!
RELEVANT LINKS
Previous Episode
Geraldine Ridaura Schumacher - Founder & CEO of Holy Matcha
SHOW NOTES
Starting a business is HARD and nothing es de color de rosa.
Founder and CEO of Holy Matcha, Geraldine Ridaura Schumacher talks about all the obstacles, lessons learned and biggest highlights she lived through while opening the first matcha cafe in San Diego.
On today’s episode of Ellas, Brenda and Geraldine go deep on the nitty-gritty reality of starting a business and how being resourceful is vital to being an entrepreneur.
Geraldine also shares about growing and learning through feedback. From learning and having a new set of challenges of opening the first and second location of Holy Matcha.
Life is about growing and learning through feedback and through those hiccups Geraldine has become the Queen of Matcha.
Geraldine also opens up about all the challenges she faced when quitting her job and taking the big leap of being an entrepreneur.
We also talk about how Geraldine has been investing her love into her two locations, matcha, food, and service she provides to her customers.
Geraldine speaks about being purpose-driven to providing the best and most healthy option to her customers which also includes Matcha Mornings, a community that unites a driven group of humans powered by authenticity + passion.
Get ready to dig in and surround yourself with pretty pink, delicious matcha and the harsh truth of opening your business with THIS episode!
In this episode we talk about...
2:08 - Geraldine Ridaura Schumacher explains why she’s a hustler and fighter
3:41 - Listen to Geraldine talks about her childhood and hardworking family
6:27 - Discover how Geraldine began her entrepreneur journey
12:00 - Find out how Geraldine didn’t allow any obstacle stop her from starting her matcha café
16:46 - Geraldine shares how the emotional support she received grounded and made her mature
18:36 - “Transitioning from quitting my job and starting Holy Matcha was terrible.”
20:54 - Listen to how people don’t expect women to be business owners
24:29 - If opening the first location Holy Matcha was hard, opening the second location brought a new set of challenges
25:49 - It’s better to make mistakes and learn from them because you WILL MAKE mistakes
27:34 - Listen to why Geraldine inspires herself
29:02 - Do you want to open your brick and mortar? Then listen to the ups and downs you may experience when starting your business
33:20 - Geraldine isn’t trying to take the crown from coffee, she’s providing a different option to the caffeine world
35:17 - “I’m not doing this for the money, I’m doing it for the cause”
38:41 - Discover why Geraldine chose North Park and East Village to be the locations for Holy Matcha
43:21 - “At the end of the day it’s not about the design, it’s not about the Instagram, it’s about the love and passion I have for this product and how much I truly believe in it.”
45:14 - Geraldine reveals what she was feeling the night before opening her first location
51:26 - Listen to Geraldine share about being featured in Forbes
54:18 - Find out how Holy Matcha contributes a healthy and inclusivity to the wellness industry
57:43 - Geraldine explains why she started Matcha Mornings and providing a space for inspiring Latinas
1:04:40 - Discover the inspiring Latinas who have spoken in Matcha Mornings
1:07:09 - Do you want to open your own wellness business? Geraldine shares important advice!
1:09:35 - Geraldine gets real on how she tries to balance Holy Matcha, her family, friends and time with herself
1:16:45 - “Trust myself.”
1:19:05 - Follow Geraldine, Holy Matcha and Matcha Mornings!
RELEVANT LINKS
4 Lessons Latina Founder Geraldine Ridaura Has Learned Since Opening San Diego’s First Matcha Cafe
4 Latinas Whose Work Contributes To Making The Wellness Industry More Inclusive
WA...
Next Episode
Sandra Blow on Fighting for Her Beliefs through Photography
SHOW NOTES Following your passion might not always be a clear road.
In today’s episode of Ellas, Sandra Blow talks with Brenda Hernández Jaimes about her vast photography career, overcoming obstacles and fighting for her beliefs through her photos.
As a queer photographer based in Mexico City, Sandra showcases the faces of the current generation of LGBTQ+ such as our queen, Zemmoa.
She also shares about discovering her passion for photography and creating a new path for her career.
Sandra also talks about her inspiring collaborations with Carla Fernández and recent photoshoot with John Waters.
She also shares advice on self-love, trusting the correct people and opens up about domestic violence.
I highly recommend you listen to this episode to know a clear and true view of being a freelance photographer!
In this episode we talk about...
2:09 - Sandra Blow shares how she found herself and fights for her beliefs through her photography
4:41 - Listen to how Sandra discovered her passion for photography
8:17 - Find out how Sandra began working at Grupo Expansión
11:55 - Sandra talks about how her mentor believed in her and pushed her to deliver her best work
16:08 - Discover how Sandra’s experience of working in the editorial industry became her photography school
20:27 - Sandra confesses how she was let go of her job on her birthday
24:48 - Listen to Sandra’s journey of being a freelance photographer
28:38 - You need to be proactive and look for people that make you feel you belong
32:48 - Sandra shares how she creates a safe and respectful space when photographing her friends and clients
35:34 - Find out how Sandra and Zemmoa became friends and ultimately took Zemmoa’s iconic photos for the 41st LGBT+ Pride Parade
42:03 - Sandra talks about photographing her friends and cementing their life through photos
56:14 - Listen to Sandra share her experience of photographing John Waters
1:03:12 - Discover how Sandra collaborated with Carla Fernández for her Spring/Summer 2020 collection
1:12:30 - Sandra opens up about being a victim of domestic violence and leaving the abusive relationship
1:19:45 - Donate to help treat Sandra’s dad cancer treatment
1:21:50 - “Love yourself no matter what!”
RELEVANT LINKS
Read Zemmo’s essay in Rolling Stone
WANT MORE?
Follow Sandra: @div4virtu4l
Follow Sandra’s photography: @sandrablowphoto
Follow Sandra’s food photography: @blowsonhotfood
Donate to the cancer treatment for Sandra’s Dad: Donate
Follow Ellas: @ellasthepodcast
Follow Brenda: @bren_jai
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