Author: Helen Hobson

RALEIGH, NC – Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC), a leading civil legal service provider committed to equal access to justice, is pleased to announce the appointment of Scheree Gilchrist as its Chief Innovation Officer. In this strategic role, Gilchrist will spearhead the innovation initiatives at LANC, fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and efficiency to advance the organization’s vision for an inclusive justice system.

Under Gilchrist’s leadership, LANC will launch the Innovation Lab, a new venture dedicated to exploring and implementing innovative solutions within the organization. The lab will serve as a hub for interdisciplinary teams to collaborate, develop, and test ideas that allow legal services to be delivered more efficiently to North Carolinians.

Expressing her enthusiasm for the new role, Gilchrist stated, “Legal Aid of North Carolina is proud to be the first legal services organization in the country to launch an innovation lab. We are leading in the innovation space because we understand that technology paired with a human-centered collaborative approach can improve and scale our work.”

As the Chief Innovation Officer, Gilchrist will develop and execute a comprehensive and sustainable innovation strategy that aligns with LANC’s vision of being an innovative, creative, and progressive legal services provider. Beginning with modernizing the intake process, LANC will collect more data and adjust its service offerings to better meet existing needs, particularly in rural areas.

“1.5 million North Carolinians are eligible for our services,” said new LANC CEO Ashley Campbell. “We do not have sufficient financial resources to meet that need. We must innovate in order to improve client service delivery, particularly in rural areas of the state.”

Gilchrist brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her new role. She graduated with honors from the University of the West Indies School of Law and holds an LL.M. from Duke Law School. She has been an integral part of the LANC team since 2006, starting as a staff attorney and progressing through various roles within the organization. During her tenure, Gilchrist demonstrated exceptional leadership as she transitioned from being a supervising attorney to managing attorney of LANC’s Centralized Intake Unit.

By embracing a human-centered approach, LANC will work towards reshaping the landscape of civil legal services and breaking down barriers that hinder equal access to justice. Through Gilchrist’s strategic guidance, LANC aspires to set new standards for innovation within the legal sector and create a lasting impact on the lives of those in need.

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To learn more about the Innovation Lab, visit legalaidnc.org/innovation-lab or contact Scheree Gilchrist at LANCinnovates@legalaidnc.org.

Author: Helen Hobson

Summary

Legal Aid of North Carolina’s Right to Education Project recently filed a complaint on behalf of a middle school student and their parent against The Experiential School of Greensboro (TESG), a Guilford County charter school. The complaint targets the school’s alleged violations of its charter agreement, policies and/or procedures and provision of state law. 

Crystal S. Ingram, staff attorney with REP, assisted Isaiah* and parent K.O.* with filing the complaint with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s Office of Charter Schools (OCS).  

“TESG tells students, families, and other stakeholders, “expulsions and suspensions do more harm than good for students and society,” and declared in its charter school application that “it would not, except under extreme circumstances, expel or suspend students,” said Ingram. “Yet, in this case, TESG strayed heavily from those principles with an obvious disregard for the educational and emotional impact it would have on this student and his family. As such, there must be accountability for divergence from its founding principles and its advertised practices. Students at TESG deserve to be given the education their parents were promised they would receive.”

During the Fall of 2022, Isaiah* edited a popular image they found online by placing their teacher’s face over the image and was placed on a five-day short-term suspension for allegedly violating the school’s acceptable internet use policy. Later in the year, Isaiah was suspended short-term once again, this time for a three-day term, for allegedly violating the school’s aggressive behavior policy. 

The short-term suspensions are being challenged on the claim that the alleged incidents do not meet the Code of Student Conduct requirements to impose these suspensions and these suspensions were in violation of state law. Notably, the first five-day suspension was not authorized under the Student Code of Conduct, nor was an adequate informal hearing given to allow the client a chance to defend against the allegations.  

During the suspensions, TESG allegedly failed to provide information to the clients about missed assignments and updated grades. 

“Despite a mental health state of emergency in North Carolina, schools like The Experiential School of Greensboro (TESG) continue to ignore research and circumvent their own written policies,” Isaiah’s mother said, “This is causing our children and our community immense harm. TESG asked the state of NC for funding in 2016 in exchange for providing an education that would remain committed to creating “an inclusive, open, experience-based learning environment that promotes the development of socially-aware citizens who are creative problem solvers and critical thinkers.”  Their divergence from this commitment with my son’s education is not only astounding; unfortunately, it supports the relentless practice of funneling children like my son down the school-to-prison pipeline with an unjust swiftness and with zero mercy. “

Proposed resolutions to the violations include expunging the suspensions from Isaiah’s education and discipline records, as well as recoding the suspensions as mental health days. In addition, the resolutions would require training for the school’s board members, administrators, faculty and staff on Peaceful Schools and Restorative Justice practices and conflict resolution. There is also a proposal which would require TESG to revise their Handbook and Student Code of Conduct to show their divergence from Peaceful School protocols, report on all suspensions quarterly to OCS, and remedy other violations in the complaint as is suggested by an OCS investigation. 

Although the complaint filed was not investigated due to capacity issues and internal regulations, the Office of Charter Schools still allows parents to submit concerns about a charter school which can be added to the school’s file by emailing the concerns to StakeholderSupport@dpi.nc.gov and including the name of the school in the title of the email containing the parent’s concerns. More information can be found by visiting: https://tinyurl.com/nccharterschoolconcerns.

* Name changed for client confidentiality 

Complaint_Public-Version-1 Download

Author: Helen Hobson

Charlotte, NC – Legal Aid of North Carolina has announced Larissa Mañón Mervin, Legal Aid NC supervising attorney for Pro Bono Programs, as its new Charlotte Managing Attorney. This transition precedes long-time Charlotte Managing Attorney Cindy Patton’s retirement.

In her new role, Mervin will lead the staff and operations for the Charlotte office and service area, ensuring Legal Aid NC’s continuous effort to provide free, quality legal services to eligible clients in Mecklenburg County.

Mervin is a member of the American Bar Association House of Delegates and serves on the Board of Governors for the North Carolina Bar Association and the Board of Directors for the Mecklenburg County Bar Association.

“My goal in this role is to make sure staff feels valued and appreciated for the phenomenal work they do,” said Mervin. “I want to ensure that they have the tools necessary to effectively represent our clients and give them the best services possible. I look forward to continuing our work with community partners and sister agencies to provide comprehensive services to Mecklenburg County.” Mervin’s predecessor, Patton, began her legal services career in the early 1990’s at Legal Services of Southern Piedmont. She joined Legal Aid NC at its establishment in 2002 and commenced her 20-year span as its managing attorney.

“I have enjoyed my work and consider it an honor and privilege to have had the opportunity to serve our client community for over 30 years and to have worked with such talented and dedicated staff,” Patton said. “I am very pleased Larissa will be the next managing attorney for Legal Aid NC. She is an extraordinary leader. I’m confident that under her leadership, the Charlotte Office of Legal Aid NC will continue to successfully serve our community.”

During her career, Patton has trained, mentored, and supervised staff while providing legal services to over 2000 clients, making a positive impact on the Charlotte community and the clients they serve.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to have worked with some of the best managing attorneys at Legal Aid NC and Cindy is certainly included among those at the top of the list,” said Mervin. “Collaborative in nature, she was always available to answer questions or brainstorm a solution. She also gave me the necessary autonomy to independently lead my team according to my expertise.”

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Author: Helen Hobson

White House Official joins celebration for community health workers

Raleigh, N.C. – Thursday, March 23^rd marked 13 years since the passing of the Affordable Care Act. The landmark legislation has survived numerous challenges and attempts to repeal it. This past Open Enrollment Period, over 800,000 North Carolinians enrolled in a private individual health plan through the Affordable Care Act. This breaks the previous record by over 120,000 enrollees.

The NC Navigator Consortium celebrated this record-breaking achievement by hosting a luncheon at Martin Street Baptist Church in Raleigh. The luncheon honored the achievements of community health organizations and non-profits across the state. The NC Navigator Consortium, a project of Legal Aid of NC, is a non-profit organization with the goal of connecting as many North Carolinians as possible to health coverage. The 60 partner organizations in attendance have assisted the NC Navigator Consortium’s outreach and enrollment efforts over the past 13 years. Eastern Regional Director, Angela Cameron, organized the event.

The ceremony also included speeches from high-profile guests. White House Appointed official, Antrell Tyson from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offered his congratulations to the Navigators and community organizers present. “The numbers speak for themselves,” said Tyson, “”it reflects the hard work and dedication you all committed to this aligned cause.” He transmitted a celebratory message on behalf of the Biden-Harris Administration and lauded the administration’s American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act for lowering the cost of premiums.

Alicia Davis, the Director of Legislative Affairs was able to deliver good news from Governor Cooper’s office. “Just hours ago,” Davis beamed “House Bill 76 was approved.” This announcement was met by cheers from the community health workers. The “Access to Health Care Options” bill expands Medicaid, effectively eliminating the “Medicaid Gap” and broadening access to healthcare for the populations these organizations serve. There could be no better news for groups dedicated to eliminating barriers to coverage.

Alexander DeAbreu from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services gave a presentation on the fast-approaching “Medicaid Unwinding”. At the onset of the pandemic, Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), requiring Medicaid programs to not revoke anyone’s access to coverage in the middle of a health crisis. The protections required by the FFCRA expire this year, removing hundreds of thousands of people from Medicaid.

The CMS Outreach Specialist emphasized the importance of connecting to those affected and preventing them from being blindsided by this process. Navigators are preparing for the influx of people who may need access to Marketplace health plans.

The event concluded with an award ceremony for longtime partners who have gone above and beyond. Cameron and NC Navigator Consortium Director, Mark Van Arnam relayed anecdotes of how these longtime allies hosted events, made referrals and assisted in healthcare outreach over the past 13 years. The recipients of the Affordable Care Act Champion Awards were Urban Ministries of Wake County, Advance Community Health, Alliance Medical Ministry, Dress for Success, and Martin Street Baptist Church, the host site for the luncheon.

The NC Navigator Consortium is the only federally funded entity of its kind in North Carolina, supported in part by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust and Cone Health Foundation. Learn more at ncnavigator.net, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Members of the Consortium are Access East, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, Council on Aging of Buncombe County, Cumberland HealthNET, HealthCare Access, HealthNet Gaston, Kintegra Health, NC Field and Pisgah Legal Services. The Consortium is led by Legal Aid of North Carolina.

Legal Aid of North Carolina is a statewide, nonprofit law firm that provides free legal services in civil matters to low-income people in order to ensure equal access to justice and to remove legal barriers to economic opportunity. Learn more at legalaidnc.org. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

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The project described was supported by Funding Opportunity number CA-NAV-23-001 from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The contents provided are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or any of its agencies.

Author: Helen Hobson

Charlotte, N.C. – United by a common cause, Legal Aid of North Carolina, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy (Advocacy Center), and the North Carolina Justice Center, are working together to obtain legal relief for immigrant victims of crime amidst significant delays in U Visa application processing.

Over 150 victims of crime have filed suit in Nebraska and Vermont against the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) alleging that the agency has delayed the processing of the victims’ U Visa applications for years. The victims have cooperated with law enforcement agencies to prosecute the perpetrator, making them eligible for U Visa legal status in the United States. However, significant delays in the granting of the visas have left victims without justice.

Congress enacted the U Visa for victims of crime in 2000 as a tool for law enforcement and a means to provide benefits to victims of crime who have been helpful to law enforcement. Benefits such as work authorization and legal status help victims achieve financial stability and independence. The years-long delays in processing the applications mean that victims are unable to work and support themselves and their families.

“For the domestic violence victim who just reported the crimes of their abusive partner, the very same partner that paid the rent, it’s essential that work authorization is available as soon as possible, not five years from now,” said Rona Karacaova, Managing Attorney of Legal Aid NC’s Battered Immigrant Project. “These lawsuits will improve public safety and bring financial stability within victims’ reach like Congress intended.”

Legal Aid of NC’s Battered Immigrant Project, the Advocacy Center’s Immigrant Justice Program, the NC Justice Center, and Brad Banias of Banias Law, along with assistance from local counsel, Brett Stokes and Jill Martin-Diaz of the Vermont Immigrant Assistance Clinic at Vermont Law and Graduate School, filed the lawsuits against USCIS in Nebraska on Jan. 9 and Vermont on Feb. 2, 2023.

The lawsuits seek agency action on the delayed cases, specifically employment authorization, protection against deportation, and travel documents for petitioners abroad in need of re-unification with their families in the U.S. The lawsuits are also the first of their kind brought on behalf of U visa petitioners en masse in Nebraska and Vermont.

“We support the litigation filed by Legal Aid of NC, NC Justice Center, and Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy on behalf of U visa petitioners,” said Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood on behalf of the Orange County, NC Sheriff’s Office. “Any victim who learns it will take years to receive a U visa is likely discouraged from applying. The potential benefits of obtaining lawful status through the process feel too remote and are therefore not an effective incentive to report any crime or voluntarily engage with a law enforcement officer. Reluctance on the part of any portion of the community to report crime jeopardizes everyone’s safety and complicates our ability to protect the most vulnerable members of society.”

Legal Aid NC’s Battered Immigrant Project, the Advocacy Center’s Immigrant Justice Program, and the North Carolina Justice Center advocate for immigrant survivors. The lawsuits are intended to compel the USCIS to follow Congress’s intent to protect immigrant victims of crime and provide law enforcement effective tools to investigate and prosecute serious criminal activity.

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Author: Helen Hobson

The incidence of human trafficking is on the rise in our state. With no income to speak of in Mexico, Ariana met people who promised to transport her to the United States where she could find work. Instead, they sold her to a brothel in a town on the U.S.-Mexican border. After being sexually assaulted and beaten on multiple occasions over a period of several weeks, the brothel owners brought her to the United States, where she was forced to cook and clean for a woman involved in a trafficking ring. Other women in the house were forced to prostitute themselves. The traffickers called Ariana’s family members and threatened to harm her in an attempt to extort money. Ariana escaped, made contact with family members, and reported the traffickers to federal investigators.

Several months later, thanks to the investigation initiated after Ariana’s testimony, the trafficking operation was raided. Authorities discovered a number of other undocumented people being held against their will. Our client’s continued cooperation in the prosecution of the traffickers led to several convictions. Ariana’s complete cooperation in the investigation and prosecution, in spite of the danger to her personal safety and the extreme emotional trauma she experienced, entitled her to a T visa. These visas allow human trafficking victims to live and work in the United States and provide a path to permanent resident status.

Thanks to Legal Aid NC’s continued advocacy on behalf of Ariana and her family, she was recently reunited with her young daughter, whom she had left in Mexico. The reunification was particularly poignant, because Ariana’s original motivation for coming to the United States was being able to afford her daughter’s schooling—an opportunity that Ariana herself had never had.

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Author: Helen Hobson

← Back to Healthcare Access

HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment ends Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023.

Raleigh, N.C. – The NC Navigator Consortium urges all North Carolinians who need health coverage to enroll or update their coverage before Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023, the last day of the Open Enrollment period for the Health Insurance Marketplace® at HealthCare.gov. Health insurance navigators still have available appointments to offer free help in person, and via phone or Zoom, to anyone in North Carolina who needs affordable coverage. Appointments may be scheduled by calling 1-855-733-3711 or online at NCNavigator.net.

“The January 15 deadline is make or break for millions who need affordable health coverage,” said Mark Van Arnam, director of the NC Navigator Consortium. “Those who miss this deadline will not be able to enroll in a new policy unless they experience qualifying life events or make 100-150% of the Federal Poverty Level. Make an appointment for help today!”

Since the 2023 Open Enrollment period began Nov. 1, 2022, the NC Navigator Consortium has helped more than 30,000 North Carolinians. The NC Navigator Consortium’s federally qualified health insurance Navigators connect consumers to qualified health plans that provide essential health benefits and preventive care, in addition to mental health care, ER care and maternity coverage, not limited by caps or pre-existing conditions.

The NC Navigator Consortium is the only federally funded Navigator entity in the state that serves all 100 counties across North Carolina, and it is supported in part by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Learn more at NCNavigator.net, and follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Members of the Consortium are Access East, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, Council on Aging of Buncombe County, Cumberland HealthNET, HealthCare Access, HealthNet Gaston, Kintegra Health, NC FIELD and Pisgah Legal Services. The Consortium is led by Legal Aid of North Carolina.

Legal Aid of North Carolina is a statewide, nonprofit law firm that provides free legal services in civil matters to low-income people in order to ensure equal access to justice and to remove legal barriers to economic opportunity. Learn more at legalaidnc.org and follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Author: Helen Hobson

← Back to Housing

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Affordable housing is hard to come by, especially when living with a disability. Having lived in the same home since 2010, T. Totten* and her disabled mother and sister are now facing eviction.

In 2021, a chain of failed housing inspections, due to property management non-compliance, resulted in the termination of Totten’s Section 8 Housing Voucher. While the Housing Voucher was reinstated by the Housing Authority of Winston-Salem (HAWS) in Sept. 2021, failed inspections continued to threaten Totten and her family’s livelihood.

On May 19, 2022, Totten’s property manager was notified, yet again, by HAWS that the home was “un-inhabitable” and that renovations were necessary to pass inspection. If renovations were not made, and the inspection was not passed, they would have to stop making payments to the property. Later that day, Totten received a Non-Renewal of Lease letter from her property manager stating that she needed to vacate the home in less than 30 days.

“If I left when they wanted me to, I would be homeless,” said Totten. “Me and my handicap mother and sister would have nowhere to go. That’s when I called Legal Aid of North Carolina.”

Once connected with Legal Aid of North Carolina, supervising attorney Edward Sharp informed Totten that a tenant may not be put out of a rental home without being evicted through the courts first. While this was good news, it only delayed the inevitable — eviction.

Totten remained housed for the time being, but the property manager continued to ignore her and the Housing Authority’s repair requests. As a result, HAWS had to cease payments to the property.

Now, months later, the inevitable has arrived. On Nov. 8, 2022, Totten received a Nonpayment of Rent notice stating that she owed over $5,000 in rent, which was meant to be paid through her Section 8 Housing Voucher. If the payments are not made, legal action will be taken against Totten by the property.

The payment deadline has passed, and Totten and her family are struggling to find a new home. With extremely long waiting lists, unsafe living conditions, and little-to-no handicap accessible options, the possibility of homelessness is looming.

“It is very hard to find landlords who are willing to accept Section 8 Vouchers,” noted Sharp. “While the Housing Authority of Winston-Salem actively recruits landlords for the program, it remains a crisis for voucher holders looking for new apartments.”

A team of Legal Aid NC attorneys, paralegals and support staff are working together on Totten’s complicated case, providing her crucial legal advice, and connecting her with a social worker to assist in finding Totten and her family a new, safe place to call home.

As our Winston-Salem team continues their search to find Totten suitable housing, we urge you to email HelenH2@legalaidnc.org, if you, or someone you know, has a lead on handicap accessible, Section 8 Housing.

*Name partially redacted for client confidentiality

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Author: Helen Hobson

← Back to Healthcare Access

Raleigh, N.C. – In advance of the approaching Dec. 15 Open Enrollment deadline, the NC Navigator Consortium is hosting free enrollment events to answer questions about health coverage, help consumers update their HealthCare.gov policies and enroll in new plans through the Health Insurance Marketplace®. Open Enrollment will not end until Jan. 15, 2023, but those who need coverage starting Jan.1, 2023, will need to apply by Dec. 15, 2022.

“We encourage anyone who needs coverage to come and speak with us,” said Mark Van Arnam, director of the NC Navigator Consortium. “If you need coverage for the new year, now is the time to get help and get covered.”

Upcoming Enrollment Events:

Saturday, December 10, 2022, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Advance Community Health, 1001-1011 Rock Quarry Road, Raleigh, NC 27610
Monday, December 12, 2022, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Martin Street Baptist Church, 1001 E. Martin St., Raleigh, NC 27601
Tuesday, December 13, 2022, 2 – 6 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Garner, 601 St Mary’s St., Garner, NC 27529
Wednesday, December 14, 2022, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Alliance Medical Ministry, 101 Donald Ross Drive, Raleigh, NC 27610
Thursday, December 15, 2022, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. at Martin Street Baptist Church, 1001 E. Martin St., Raleigh, NC 27601

If consumers are unable to attend the upcoming enrollment events, they can schedule a free appointment online at ncnavigator.net or by calling 1-855-733-3711.

The NC Navigator Consortium connects consumers to qualified health plans that provide essential health benefits and preventive care, in addition to mental health care, ER care and maternity coverage, not limited by caps or pre-existing conditions. Health insurance Navigators help North Carolinians maximize their coverage by:

Taking time with them to help avoid mistakes
Showing all options, ensuring their providers are in-network
Explaining terminology and processes, increasing health insurance literacy
Assisting them with estimating their income for the year ahead, one of the most difficult parts of the HealthCare.gov application process

The NC Navigator Consortium is the only federally funded entity of its kind in North Carolina, supported in part by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Learn more at NCNavigator.net, and follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Members of the Consortium are Access East, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, Council on Aging of Buncombe County, Cumberland HealthNET, HealthCare Access, HealthNet Gaston, Kintegra Health, NC FIELD and Pisgah Legal Services. The Consortium is led by Legal Aid of North Carolina.

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The project described was supported by Funding Opportunity number NAVCA210405-02-00 from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The contents provided are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of HHS or any of its agencies.

Media Contact

Helen Hobson, Chief Communications Officer, 704-430-7616

HelenH2@legalaidnc.org

Author: Helen Hobson

Raleigh, N.C. – Legal Aid of North Carolina is proud to announce that staff attorney Cody Davis, J.D., M.P.A., has been elected chairperson of the North Carolina Commission for the Blind/State Rehabilitation Council (SRC). Gov. Roy Cooper appointed Davis to the board in 2019; he was reappointed to the board this summer, and nominated for the top position by peers. In this role, Davis will advise the NC Department of Health and Human Services for the Blind on issues relating to services for persons with disabilities, especially vocational rehabilitation, independent living and medical eye care programs. The council also develops and submits a state plan to monitor, review and evaluate these programs. More information can be found on Gov. Cooper’s website.

“I am blind, and in high school and college, I received services that made my education, training and livelihood possible,” said Davis. In addition to work-related vocational rehabilitation services, he has received support from independent living programs that help those with disabilities learn skills to improve daily living and mobility. “I will lean on my experience to develop a more active and engaged membership for the Commission for the Blind/State Rehabilitation Council. Additionally, I hope to create more opportunities for public input.”

Working out of Legal Aid NC’s Concord office, Davis works on the organization’s Medicaid Appeals Technical Team serving clients across the state. Davis and his colleagues help North Carolinians with appeals related to Medicaid eligibility, which includes helping someone prove that they meet the State’s disability threshold, or income and resource requirements. They also help those who have Medicaid with appeals related to denial for a needed service. Learn more about Legal Aid NC’s work to increase access to healthcare.

Davis attended North Carolina State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science, philosophy and criminology, and a Master of Public Administration in policy analysis and management. After graduating from the Campbell University School of Law in 2018, he served the school as a Wallace Public Service Fellow. His work in public service continued as a program evaluator and legal analyst with the North Carolina General Assembly and as a fellow at the UNC School of Government. He joined Legal Aid NC in 2021 as an intake attorney and was promoted to the Medicaid Appeals Technical Team four months later. He has served on the North Carolina Commission for the Blind/SRC in various roles since 2019.

“Living with hearing and vision loss can be incredibly challenging, but there are so many people like Cody who turn their personal experience into a passion for advocacy,” said Legal Aid NC CEO Ashley Campbell. “We are proud of Cody. He’ll bring valued leadership to these organizations and increase their impact.”