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.