Help Yourself by Helping Others

BE WELL

BY JUDGE KARIN CRUMP, 250TH TRAVIS COUNTY DISTRICT COURT

We are in the midst of the most sad, stressful, and unsettling days of an entire generation. A staggering percentage of our community members are suffering from the financial fallout from COVID-19, some are experiencing physical illness related to the pandemic, while others are being crushed by the emotional trauma that has resulted from the senseless deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless other people of color. Our nation is in a crisis but we, as lawyers, are uniquely positioned to help our communities get through this turbulent time. And serving our community when the world seems completely upside down may actually be the best way for us to heal our own emotional pain.

You have the ability, complete with license from the State of Texas, to lift others up and out of misery with the power of your signature. I challenge you to do exactly that. You may just find that helping others is the secret to helping yourself and enjoying the practice of law—even during these hard and stressful days.

Although it is unlikely that you have been on a plane recently, you probably recall, from prior flights, the message that you must first adjust your own mask before helping others. Are you emotionally stable, sober, eating well, exercising, and getting enough rest and fresh air? Have you managed to ensure that your own kids are safe and finding some semblance of an education despite school and camp closures? If your own mask is secure, it may be time to take a look outward and, in doing so, find personal satisfaction and unexpected physiological benefits of helping others. In fact, researchers at the Mayo Clinic have scientifically proven that volunteering lowers stress, decreases the risk of depression, and may help you live longer. 1 You don’t wear scrubs and you are not likely to be hailed as a hero, but you have all the tools needed to make a significant difference in the lives of those around you.

Your legal education empowers you to advocate for the oppressed. Your law license permits you to represent those who are trapped in abusive relationships or dangerous surroundings. Your networks open doors for the unemployed to find jobs. Your confident voice on the phone allows you to negotiate rental payment delays and the settlement of claims. Your writing skills persuade employers to pay earned wages. You have the ability, complete with license from the State of Texas, to lift others up and out of misery with the power of your signature. I challenge you to do exactly that. You may just find that helping others is the secret to helping yourself and enjoying the practice of law—even during these hard and stressful days.

20 WAYS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW

1. Take a pro bono case through Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas. vlsoct.org/volunteer

2. Serve as the voice for a child as a court appointed special advocate. casatravis.org/ volunteer

3. Advocate for voting rights and criminal justice reform. txcivilrights.org/take-action/ pro-bono-network

4. Hand out food for Central Texans who are hungry. centraltexasfoodbank.org/ get-involved/volunteer

5. Serve lunch or prepare hygiene kits from home for people experiencing homelessness. caritasofaustin.org/ get-involved/volunteer

6. Deliver meals to our older neighbors as a regular or substitute driver. mealsonwheelscentraltexas. org/get-involved/ current-needs

7. Teach music to a child in foster care. kidsinanewgroove.org/ volunteer

Photo courtesy of Central Texas Food Bank.

8. Teach English as a second language or financial stability to those in need. foundcom.org/get-involved/ volunteer

9. Flex your muscles by volunteering in the Austin Diaper Bank warehouse. austindiapers.org/ volunteer.html

10. Be an advocate for literacy by sharing your opinions on literary content that inspires you without leaving the comfort of home. bookspring.org/volunteer

11. Serve as a mentor to newly arrived refugees from the Congo, Syria, Afghanistan, or Cuba. Contact Marissa at mmelnikov@rstx.org.

12. Mentor a veteran with resume or interview prep. merivis.org/volunteer

13. Provide compassionate legal advice by phone to sexual assault victims for two hours per week. texasadvocacyproject.org/ volunteer

14. Partner with an experienced immigration specialist to handle your first immigration case for an asylum seeker stuck at the Southern border (Laredo). vecina.org/get-involved/ volunteer-opportunities

15. Lead a project to enrich the lives of kids in foster care. fostervillageaustin.org/ takeaction

Photo courtesy of Central Texas Food Bank.

16. Serve as a remote translator on the RAICES translation team. raicestexas.org/ take-action/volunteer/ remote-volunteer-activities

17. Inspire incarcerated women as a guest speaker on a Talking Empowerment Group Zoom conference call. truth-be-told.org/volunteeropportunities/beyond-bars

18. Mentor a child with an incarcerated parent. seedlingmentors.org/mentorapplication

19. Help other lawyers recover from addiction by sharing your experience with recovery. tlaphelps.org

20. Join Austin Bar President Kennon Wooten, and Bar members Pooja Sethi and Margaret Chen Kercher, who have been delivering baked goods and necessities to our neighbors experiencing homelessness. toofound. org/community-builders

Footnote: 1. Helping people, changing lives: The 6 health benefits of volunteering, May 18, 2017, https://www. mayoclinichealthsystem.org/ hometown-health/speaking-ofhealth/helping-people-changinglives-the-6-health-benefits-ofvolunteering.