MAY 23 • 2024 | 79

about it,” she says. 
Lerner was recently 
awarded a Michigan 
Advocacy Program 
Outstanding Case 
Advocacy award for 
her commitment and 
dedication to her clients.
“I love that I get to learn 
about different people’s 
cultural backgrounds, 
different languages and just 
seeing humanity no matter 
where you’re coming from,” 
Lerner says. “Every day 
I’m working with someone 
from somewhere else in the 
world, learning from their 
courage and the types of 
things they’ve faced. I feel 
blessed to be in that kind of 
a position.” 
Much of her work with 
MIRC depends on what’s 
going on in the world at the 
time. 
“Think of anything that 
could happen in the world, 
whether it’s a humanitarian 
issue or a natural disaster 
or something at the border 
— it’s my job to pivot 
to help people who are 
coming into the country 
because of whatever’s going 
on. And it changes day to 

day,” Lerner explains. 
Lerner recently helped 
a woman win an asylum 
case who had been working 
her way through the 
immigration system for 
about 10 years. 
Doing the work daily is 
meaningful enough. But 
doing that work while also 
being Jewish adds another 
layer of meaning for Lerner. 
“Throughout Jewish 
history, we’ve escaped 
persecution. My family 
escaped from different 
situations. You hear the 
stories from World War II 
about Jewish people who 
couldn’t get out because of 
visa issues or about people 
who were able to help 
them. And I really hold 
onto that,” Lerner says. 
“The fact I can be in 
a position where I can 
help other people who are 
escaping difficult situations, 
persecution, domestic 
violence, different things 
they’re dealing with, I see it 
as my purpose in life to be 
there for people in the way 
I’m grateful other people 
were there for my family 
once upon a time.” 

Lerner with her husband, Jeremy, and her friend Lauren Mehringer 
at the recent NEXTGen Detroit event Destination EPIC.

PUZZLE ANSWERS

Solution to puzzle in 5/16/24 issue.

1. The red themos and paper on the ground 

(left side of pic)

2. The chair behind the standing man’s 

behind.

3. The seeds on the plate in front of the boy 

in the blue shirt (bottom right)

4. The brown plate/container on the table 

(between the man standing and boy in blue 

shirt.)

5. String lights along the top of the tent.

