Lela Ali Email and Phone Number

-Proofread and revise 100+ bill drafts from the NC Senate and House of Representatives on a daily basis to check for spelling, grammar, sentence structure, and clarity. -Work alongside legal analysts and with the bill drafting team to effectively and efficiently review, edit, and format bill drafts, committee substitutes, amendments, bills, and ratifications.-Research the legal implications and logical structures of new bill drafts to ensure that conflicts with previous statutes are avoided; report findings to legal analysts. -Identify the needs of drafters, legal analysts, and Senate/House chambers and function within all capacities of a bill processor to ensure bill drafts are feasible for legislation; maintain the highest level of confidentiality throughout. -Prepare special provisions for state budget. -Oversee departmental operations and personnel.

-Work with Political Affairs coordinator to design a research project on the history and influence of money in politics with a focus on Arab American involvement in super PACs and election campaigns. -Develop a national voter registration initiative that aims to energize Arab Americans to register to vote and that is operated in a way that caters to the Arab American experience. -Conduct research on the issues of specific interest to Arab Americans on a city, district, and state level. -Write articles and reports in English and Arabic discussing current political, economical, and social conditions of the Middle East.

-Recruited over 30 prospective YP4 fellows from 15 different community colleges across NC to participate in YP4’s leadership development program and propose sustainable community projects on their college campuses or communities. -Fostered and maintained substantive relationships with fellows through regular communication and provided support and coaching for fellows as they engaged in individualized leadership development activities, short- and long-term planning, and goal setting.-Supported fellows’ social justice work on their campuses or in their communities and worked with them to design, implement, and evaluate their proposed community project and individual leadership development plan. -Designed a best-practice model for high investment, sustainable, and strategic leadership development for community college students, particularly from rural and under-resourced areas, for use in other states across the United States.-Conducted research and consulted with YP4 director, staff, partners, and other appropriate stakeholders in the design and development of curriculum for YP4 national summits and trainings. -Served as the external face of the NC Community College Initiative with fellows, alumni, and partners and was the internal point of contact for the NC Community College Initiative within PFAW foundation.

-Prepared immigration applications to be filed with USCIS and the Department of State including family-based petitions (form I-130), naturalization, adjustment of status (form I-485), consular processing, waivers, DACA, U visas, asylum, and TPS. -Assembled evidentiary packets to support applications for immigration benefits. Conducted research on country conditions for asylum applicants primarily coming from Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, and Sudan. -Drafted legal documents and correspondence under attorney and senior paralegal supervision.Translated client documents between English and Arabic. -Held meetings with clients to prepare and review applications for filing.

-Served as liaison between Representative Brockman and constituents of the 60th district.Identified and monitored district specific and city issues; current events and relevant legislation.-Drafted and edited monthly newsletters, e-mails, and policy memos.-Reported on session meetings and hearings.-Provided accurate and complete information in response to constituent inquiries and community issues.-Maintained office procedures, routine correspondence, telephone inquiries, and special projects such as town hall meetings, legislative press conferences, and school visits.

-Led first-ever DACA legal clinics in rural parts of North Carolina, linking prospective DACA applicants to qualified immigration attorneys and representatives accredited by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA).-Organized and facilitated educational workshops focused around relevant immigration policy.-Utilized fluency in Arabic to reach out to the Arab immigrant community in surrounding areas in hopes of distributing resources and educational materials on available immigration services.-Conducted policy research, wrote investigative studies, and reported on policy meetings and hearings.-Reviewed and prepared immigration forms and documents for clients seeking immigration benefits through family-based petitions, DACA, asylum, TPS, etc.-Proofread and edited personal statements, defense briefs, and other supporting documents.

-Recruited and trained students from local colleges and universities to be poll monitors at key precincts in the 2013 municipal election and 2014 congressional election.-Led largest Election Protection training in North Carolina, delivering record student turnout and training over 100 poll monitors. -Worked closely with the director of Common Cause NC on research in a range of policy areas, including money in politics and election reform.-Designed comprehensive toolkits used to educate voters on changing electoral laws in North Carolina and guide them in filling out voter registration forms. -Attended hearings at the North Carolina General Assembly and compiled data for use by senior staff and policy experts.