Polina Ostrenkova – a resident and youth intern at Covenant House New York, which serves young adults experiencing homelessness and survivors of human trafficking – recently mentioned the impact that her Legal Aid attorney had on her development.

Speaking of the women who have impacted her life, Ostrenkova praised The Legal Aid Society’s Sabrina Talukder, “who was the first person who believed in me and supported me when my life felt like it was crashing down.” Talukder, a member of LAS’s Exploitation Intervention Project, is Ostrenkova’s immigration attorney.

“I’m grateful to Covenant House and those people who help others overcome difficulties,” Ostrenkova wrote. “As I continue to grow I will continue to educate myself and will advocate for people. I want to fight for justice and equality.”