ABQ Times

Four University of New Mexico students are participating in a new federal program aimed at teaching youth nationwide how to become victim advocates.

Sophie Anderson Haynie, Felicia Tuchman, Thanh Nguyen, and Sicilee Silversmith were selected earlier this year for the ‘Victim Advocacy Corps,’ a partnership between the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) and the National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA). This pilot program is designed to train the next generation of leaders in victim services.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, only 16 college students were chosen for the program. Participants will receive victim advocacy training, mentorship, credentialing, a trip to Washington D.C., and a paid nine-month internship with a local victim service agency.

Haynie, a junior studying English Literature at UNM, will be working with ASUR New Mexico, a nonprofit in Albuquerque serving women experiencing homelessness and victims of trafficking and domestic violence. She has previously volunteered with the organization and hopes to build her career around it.

“It’s something I am very passionate about and want to continue doing for the rest of my life,” Haynie said. "I really just want to grow my skills interacting with the people I work with, being personable and more confident in my abilities."

Tuchman, a Ph.D. student at UNM studying clinical psychology, was previously involved in advocacy as an undergraduate at Northwestern University. She served as director of a student advocacy organization created by and for survivors of interpersonal violence on campus.

“I hadn’t done much advocacy at all since graduating college, and I felt like it was missing from my life these past couple of years," Tuchman said. "So I was excited to apply and have an opportunity to engage in that kind of work again.”

Her passion began in high school when she volunteered for a nonprofit serving homeless adults in New York City and as part of a volunteer ambulance corps.

“There was this repeated sentiment that I noticed when serving people from marginalized communities on the ambulance and when speaking with adults who were dealing with homelessness—that people are indifferent towards lived experiences they haven't had," Tuchman said. "That resonated with my personal experiences with victimization and made me want to be an agent of change."

While Tuchman does not see victim advocacy as her day-to-day job, she hopes to integrate these skills into her aspiration to be a professor and clinical supervisor.

“I see victim advocacy as less of a career path and more through the lens of 'how can I integrate this into my current career path; how can I be an advocate in my research, how can I be an advocate as a mentor,'" Tuchman said.

Tuchman will work alongside HopeWorks, a New Mexico organization providing services to people experiencing homelessness.

Nguyen, a senior at UNM studying psychology, expressed her long-standing interest in victim services.

"Ever since my first psychology course in my junior year of high school, victim services has always been a constant opportunity for me to better my community," Nguyen said. "Going into victim services often comes from a place of personal understanding."

Nguyen's internship placement will be at the New Mexico Asian Family Center where she aims to address gaps within minority communities from individuals to civic engagement.

The fellows have already traveled to Washington D.C., where they met national leaders and attended conferences. Next, they will begin their nine-month assignments.

“This whole experience thus far has got me thinking this is something I would seriously consider doing for my career," Haynie said. "The fact that there are so many people out there who are being victimized every single day is unfortunate. But there is a huge need for people to be there—to listen, give resources, and help them navigate any legal processes.”

The students encourage others to get involved by volunteering at local shelters or organizations.