For Shimmi, volunteering with Rainbow Railroad is about more than legal support; it’s about standing beside LGBTQI+ people in crisis and helping them feel seen, heard, and supported on their journey to safety.
Finding a Meaningful Volunteer Path
A law student at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law in Toronto, Canada, Shimmi first connected with Rainbow Railroad through her school’s chapter of Pro Bono Students Canada (PBSC). As a volunteer, Shimmi supports the processing of applications for the Government-Assisted Refugees (GAR) program, which allows Rainbow Railroad to refer LGBTQI+ refugees to the Canadian government for resettlement to Canada.
“I applied to volunteer with PBSC because I wanted to engage in client intake and other hands-on work within my first year of law school, but I hadn’t realized just how meaningful the work could be until I was offered the volunteer position with Rainbow Railroad,” Shimmi explains.
As a volunteer with the GAR program, she works with refugees, collecting information about their physical and mental health, legal status, housing, access to healthcare, and other critical needs. In addition, she researches the legal and social conditions in the countries where at-risk LGBTQI+ individuals live to provide context for their situations. This information helps inform detailed assessments, providing a clear picture of the unique circumstances faced by each individual, helping to frame their case for resettlement.
Paige MacLean, Senior Program Officer, GAR Coordinator, depends on the support of volunteers like Shimmi: “Volunteers are critical to this work because they help us increase our capacity to support more LGBTQI+ people at risk,” Paige shares. “The completion of these assessments ensures that we assist the most vulnerable LGBTQI+ refugees through the GAR Program.”
Forging Human Connections
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The connection that Shimmi makes with an LGBTQI+ person at risk can be incredibly meaningful, and often extends beyond simply collecting information: “I have found that I often provide a rare safe and welcoming space for LGBTQI+ people at risk to be themselves and to tell their lived experiences to someone who is on their side…I have realized that this opportunity to show people empathy, kindness, and understanding is another key way that I am able to support LGBTQIA+ people at risk, while I work on their resettlement cases.”
For LGBTQI+ people living in countries where their identities are criminalized, it can be a new experience to connect directly with someone supportive of LGBTQI+ people. In her role as a volunteer, Shimmi can be one of the first individuals to hear someone openly express their identity.
For Shimmi, it is important to connect on a personal level with each person she supports. She shares the following:
“Every time I end an assessment interview, I take a moment to truly wish them the best and to ensure that I will do everything that I can for them from my stage in the process. I always want this to be authentic and unscripted. It’s a moment to assure them that there are people out there who are fighting for them and have their best interests at heart. I want them to feel seen, in a real way, before the interview ends. “
The Emotional Weight of Frontline Work
Volunteering in a frontline role can be deeply meaningful, and also comes with challenges. Shimmi reflects on some of the most difficult aspects of volunteering, “After some interviews, I have found myself sitting in silence or feeling physically shaken. There is truly nothing like witnessing the pain and fear in people’s faces as they share what is currently happening to them.” She prioritizes self-care in order to continue this type of work, explaining, “It is crucial to maintain your own well-being so that you can remain stable and truly be there for those you are working with.”
In spite of the emotional weight of this work, Shimmi is dedicated to supporting LGBTQI+ people at risk. After completing her placement through Pro Bono Students Canada, she made the decision to continue volunteering with Rainbow Railroad.
She reflects on the significance of this work with a wider lens, stating, “I urge the government to recognize that LGBTQI+ rights are human rights, and that our immigration and refugee systems must be fair, accessible, and responsive to those fleeing persecution. The people that I’ve worked with are not statistics but individuals who wish for freedom, love, and safety just as we do.”
Through her volunteer work with Rainbow Railroad, Shimmi is helping to ensure those wishes are met with compassion, dignity, and action.