Special Highlight
Final Thoughts from Adrienne Worthy – LAWV Executive Director
This year, Adrienne Worthy will retire after 28 years of service to the legal aid community in West Virginia. Each month for the past several years, she has shared introductory thoughts for our newsletter, The Justice Brief. Here is her final letter for March 2025.
| Today, March 31, I take on the classic transition mantle of working on “Special Projects” and hand over the Executive Director keys and toolbelt to the wonderful Kate White. You will hear more about her next month. Meanwhile, with 33 days left until official retirement, it is time to say one last thank you and tell you that YOUR work is not done: *To my many wonderful LAWV colleagues: I wish you all the respect and support you deserve for the special knowledge, skills and talent you possess to do life-changing work for clients. One of the things I most love about LAWV is that everyone contributes, and the “sum of our parts” is our superpower. Looking out over a room of 170 staff at statewide meetings always made me feel like we could successfully tackle any problem! Times are tough now for non-profits and the people who work for them – hang in there and keep on “seeking justice and changing lives!” It has been the honor of a lifetime to work with you. *To members of the LAWV Board: I have had the pleasure of working with more than one hundred leaders over the past two plus decades and I have learned something from every one of them. LAWV board members come from all over the state and all walks of life (lawyers, activists, parents, justice-workers, teachers, care aids, and more) and their diverse views and life experiences created a thoughtful, strategic and caring Board of Directors, year after year. Thank you for the professional respect, support, education, and friendship – I will miss you! *To our supporters in the Bar: Thank you for every pro bono hour and donation given, helping us extend our services in scope and depth for those who would not have been helped otherwise. From the leadership at the WV State Bar and the state’s biggest law firms to the small firms and solo practitioners in rural areas, thank you for standing with us now…and in the future, where the path looks particularly treacherous. And if you have been on the sidelines, now is the time – we want and need your support. *To the WVU College of Law and its Faculty: Thank you for serving as the major pipeline for committed high-quality attorneys to fill LAWV’s ranks. Many stay for their whole career, while others spend a shorter time – but no one leaves untouched by our mission. I appreciate the dedicated faculty at WVU who promote a love of service and the law through Public Interest Advocates, the various Clinics and the Center for Law and Public Interest. Your work makes an enormous difference in the lives of students and the work of organizations like LAWV. It is now more vital than ever. *To our community partners, collaborators and funders: It has been a joy to develop meaningful and strategic partnerships with you – from state agencies, schools, senior centers, and community-based foundations to other non-profits, libraries, and local businesses — these partnerships have ensured our information and services reach those who need it the most. From advocacy for those in nursing homes to those who are unhoused, or with behavioral health concerns to services for veterans, kinship families and domestic violence survivors, it is magic when all the “partnership pieces” fit together. Our extensive services exist because of our thoughtful and dedicated community collaborators. Please reach out to work with LAWV if you do not already – connections remain vital for the work ahead. *To our clients and those in vulnerable communities: Many people in West Virginia lack the resources they need to survive or thrive. The wealth gap continues to grow, leaving more behind. We know and we understand. Please keep knocking on our door, calling our hotline and applying online for services. Tell us what you need and how to support you and we will work to help you overcome obstacles to jobs, health care, housing, recovery, and safety. There may be tough times ahead, but we will not go away. *And finally, to those who do not know us well yet: Our work providing access to justice has both “big and small picture” implications. Legal Aid is absolutely fundamental to American democracy but also is of immense importance to a Mercer County family who is unlawfully evicted or an individual with a disability who lives in Moorefield and has lost medical benefits. A healthy and robust Legal Aid means a level playing field, a fair application of the rule of law and a justice system that works for all our citizens! It also means justice works on a individual and community level. If you care about your West Virginia neighbors…and America’s future, please take time to check out: www.legalaidwv.org and support a strong Legal Aid of West Virginia. Leadership transitions present a wonderful opportunity to invest once again in our vital work. Please click on our donate button to make a donation today! Thank you for the honor of working with so many of you for the last 28 years. I leave inspired and grateful. |