By Khesia Taylor
For more than 25 years, TASSC—a DCBF grantee partner—has had a mission to end the practice of torture and support survivors by using a trauma-informed and survivor-centered approach. Their trauma-informed wraparound programming empowers members to retake control of their story and their future.
TASSC’s work centers on helping those who come to the United States to escape persecution they have experienced due to their political opinions, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexuality, profession, or other affiliations that are perceived to challenge power. Most of their clients come from Ethiopia and Cameroon. However, they also work with individuals from other countries, including Afghanistan, Eritrea, Sudan, Togo, and El Salvador.
What TASSC’s work looks like in practice, can be seen in Toko Jonas’* story, which highlights the wraparound approach it uses to serve its clients.
Toko is from Cameroon and was granted asylum after working with TASSC.
His case was pending at the Arlington asylum office for nine years, and during that time TASSC provided Toko with psychological and social services, including job search and work placement assistance, housing assistance, food, and a loving, supportive community. TASSC organized advocates and activists to call attention to the many years people like Toko must wait for an asylum interview.
TASSC shared that, “Toko’s experience highlights the holistic approach TASSC uses to serve our members. Our staff aims to restore dignity to members who may be underemployed or face housing insecurity. Toko shared with us that he thinks that TASSC brings comfort to those who are facing persecution in their home country. Of course, the ultimate feeling of relief comes when we can celebrate a member being awarded asylum. But the intermediate wins and the community we build in the process is where TASSC is making the greatest impact.”
In addition to their work with clients, last fall, TASSC began working with Whitman-Walker (a DCBF grantee partner focused on gay and lesbian health) to better serve LGBTQ+ survivors of torture and those who reasonably fear torture should they return to their country of origin. Whitman-Walker offers TASSC training on how to improve their competency working with LGBTQ+ clients. They are also discussing working together on community legal services such as Know Your Rights presentations and clinics.
TASSC says one of its biggest successes is its legal services program. “Our legal team helps dozens of members each year achieve temporary protected status, work authorization, family reunification and—in our biggest successes—asylum, green cards, and citizenship. In just the past six months, TASSC’s legal services program has assisted six members (plus three derivative applicants) in finally obtaining asylum or permanent residency.”
TASSC anticipates that it will serve 300 members in 2025.
* Toko Jonas is a pseudonym chosen by a survivor who comes from the Toko area of Cameroon and identifies with “Jonas” from the Bible.
Please visit the DCBF website to learn more about how the DC Bar Foundation supports grantee partners like TASSC.