OP ED | OPINION-US VISA | IMMIGRATION- Helping ‘kababayan’ immigrants find a better way of life
US LAWYER MARLENE GONZALEZ
Many Filipinos want to live the American dream and not everyone gets to realize it. Immigration lawyer Atty. Marlene Gonzalez’ primary goal is to help and provide awareness to her kababayans both in the Philippines and abroad, especially the abused Filipinas in the US. She mentions her mantra as being an instrument to helping clients, and that she doesn’t want her attorney’s fees to be a hindrance to that commitment.
Gonzalez came to the US at the age of 12, her mother was a nurse and is the one who made the decision to move to the US. Her father was a military officer serving under President Ferdinand Marcos at the time and decided to retire to be with his family abroad. They moved to Los Angeles, California and adjusting to the environment wasn’t easy for the young Marlene.
She decided to become a lawyer after listening to a US Supreme Court nomination hearing and finding out that most US Senators who get to pick the most powerful justices have a legal background. She was a stay-at-home mother then raising her first child.
Memento Maxima Digital MarketingGonzalez knew that she needed to be an active participant in decision making as far as the government and life in general is concerned.
“I wanted to be at the table for any decision that impacts me, my life as a mother and as a woman,””added Gonzalez.
She was inspired by Cory Aquino’s rise to presidency.
“Cory Aquino inspired me as a woman, and I decided to pursue a legal education, despite having my three kids already at the time.”
As a lawyer, she began concentrating on her advocacy and became very active as she worked with institutions such as the YWCA, Utah Sentencing Commission, Crime Victim Reparations and the Utah Minority Bar Association. She was also a non-profit lawyer for six years and worked cases related to VAWA (Violence Against Women Act). She currently serves as legal counsel to the Asian Association of Utah- Refugee Immigrant Center.
She has been an immigration lawyer for 23 years. A result of working with non-profit organizations and helping other people, she doesn’t want to do litigation as a corporate lawyer and just make companies richer. Her next move is to establish a law office in Arizona where there are many Filipino-owned healthcare businesses.
She considers her greatest achievement in life as being able to raise three daughters who are now successful in their own endeavors.
At this time, Gonzalez is also launching a recruiting company for nurses. Another high point in her mission to help.
She will also conduct consultations in the Philippines. Her goal now is to help humanity by helping and assisting immigrants and people who want to live in the United States, have a safe and better life.
On a side note, Gonzalez has just recently started her own chocolate factory business. Her goal in this endeavor is to make people happy since chocolate contains the mood-elevating substance of serotonin, which is also known as the happiness hormone. The cacao being used comes from the Philippines and will certainly boost the business of Filipino cacao farmers.
Manila will get to know more of Gonzalez as she visits the Philippines in October of this year. She is open to speaking engagements to promote her advocacy of creating awareness on how to be safe and sure on getting a Green Card.
Filipina immigration lawyer Marlene Gonzalez who is based in Utah.
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