Minda A. Thorward

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I have been practicing law since 2006 and I am licensed to practice law in Washington State, the District of Columbia and Maryland. I am also admitted to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the Federal District Courts in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and the Western District of Washington. I am a volunteer attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and for the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP), and a member of the National Lawyer's Guild. I am also an active member of the Washington Chapter of the America Immigration Lawyers’ Association (AILA-WA), and have volunteered on the Executive Committee for AILA-WA and various other committees.

As the daughter of an American Peace Corp volunteer and civilian nurse who met and fell in love while working in the Philippines, I grew up immersed in a family environment that valued multiculturalism and embraced diversity. My  parents' travels took them allover the world, and I have followed in their footsteps, traveling to Central and South America, and to parts of Western Europe.  Growing up in the melting pot of Silver Spring Maryland (which borders DC) my upbringing was filled with a deep appreciation for all peoples and cultures, and for the richness immigrants provide my community and my country. The United States has always been and will always be a nation of immigrants. My upbringing and my subsequent life experiences instilled in me a strong sense of social justice, and the belief that all humans beings deserve to live in dignity, have the right to pursue life, liberty, and happiness, and should be given the opportunity to achieve the American dream of a better life for themselves and their families.