Notary Services at Adelante Mujeres
We listened to the needs of the community and are growing our legal services at Adelante Mujeres. We recently added a notary to our Leadership & Advocacy team to assist with family plans and other immigration documents and forms.
We asked Leslie Perez, our Immigration Legal Assistant and certified notary public, to explain why having a notary at Adelante Mujeres is so important.
Why did you become a notary? Why was this important for you to do?
“As increased immigration enforcement continues to impact our community, my team and I identified a growing need for notary services - specifically for individuals preparing Family Plans in case of immigration emergencies. Through team discussions, we saw an opportunity to incorporate notary services into our work, and I was glad to take on this responsibility to support our immigrant community in a direct and effective way.”
What does a notary do?
“A notary serves the public as an impartial, state appointed witness who verifies important documents such as powers of attorney, acknowledgments, and affidavits. While a notary public plays an important role in document verification, they cannot provide legal advice or act as an attorney.”
How does being a notary help Adelante Mujeres and our participants?
“Becoming a notary allows Adelante Mujeres to strengthen our work by allowing us to provide these services directly and help families complete their Family Plans. These plans include documents and strategies for childcare arrangements, financial planning, and safely storing important documents like birth certificates and passports. This helps families prepare for immigration emergencies by providing a sense of stability in the event of separation and support them in understanding and exercising their rights.”
At a time when there is fear and uncertainty, we are here to help families make an emergency plan for any situation that would prevent them from being present to care for their children. Please complete this form if you are an Adelante Mujeres participant in need of notary services for documents related to family plans and other immigration documents and forms. This service will expand for community in general in February or March.
If you are a community group (such as schools, churches, associations, businesses, etc.) looking to host a Family Preparedness Plan or Know You Rights workshop, please complete this form to request a session.