Andres Y. Gonzalez

In my fellowship, I undertook a multifaceted role that encompassed both data analysis and community engagement. My responsibilities were two-fold: firstly, to discern the gaps in legal services within Long Island, and secondly, to develop resources to address these priority areas of need. To better understand the gap, I employed various data sources, including Google Analytics and user data collected from our website and our community partner, Nassau Suffolk Law Services. I also utilized information gathered through a survey sent out by NSLS to local organizations, inquiring about the primary needs of the populations they served. Furthermore, I delved into the LiveHelp chat data, pinpointing the most common legal questions posed by Long Island residents. Beyond data collection and analysis, I crafted user testing models to determine the preferred format of resources for our users. I conducted individual interviews and focus groups, engaging both end users and advocates.   The culmination of my work resulted in the development of resources tailored to address the priority areas identified through the gap analysis. Moreover, I conducted presentations in the community to disseminate information about LawHelpNY/AyudaLegal's initiatives and inform participants about the available resources. Through these presentations, I discovered that the community was frequently targeted by scammers and fraudsters. To address this issue, I developed a presentation to empower the community to identify potential scams and protect their personal information. Two standout experiences from my fellowship were forging relationships with our community partners and witnessing the unwavering support of my supervisor in my educational and professional endeavors. Prototyping and client testing were key challenges I faced, which required active listening and eliminating biases to ensure the final product was user-friendly.