Our Mission
Sur seeks to democratize legal knowledge so that immigrant and working-class communities are empowered with the resources necessary to advocate for their rights and continue to lead us in the struggle for a more just society.
Sur is an abolitionist organization committed to fighting systemic racism and white supremacy.
Why does Sur focus on immigration and employment legal strategies?
Immigrants are among the most vulnerable workers in the country, often working in hazardous industries and being frequent targets of immoral employers. Though imperfect, labor laws provide recourse and can empower immigrant and low-income workers. Immigrants are further oppressed by an immigration system that creates a culture of fear and violence through ICE enforcement, detention, and deportation.
Sur’s attorneys are experts in immigration and labor law. As Sur grows, we hope to serve as a resource in additional legal areas in which our team has expertise including family law, school discipline, public benefits, language access, removal defense, and criminal justice. The ultimate goal of all of Sur’s work is systemic change led by the communities we serve.
Living our values from within.
At Sur, we believe the right to happy and healthy workplaces should apply to all, including our own staff. Non-profit culture has a reputation for over-working and underpaying their employees who are working against oppressive systems and who routinely bear witness to harms to their clients and the communities they serve. These workplaces lead lead to burnout, secondary trauma, and high turnover, earning the term the "Non-Profit Industrial Complex." Sur seeks to disrupt these traditional non-profit models with fair pay, flexible work schedules, self-managed PTO, and a 4 day work week. As we grow, we plan to provide comprehensive benefits, including wellness and mental health stipends.