Local hero Olga Hernandez lives by the words “We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty,” a quote from Maya Angelou, her personal hero. “Children in dependency lose hope, and it’s at this time that I remind them that their value did not change,” she says. “I remind them that we are all butterflies in different stages.” As such, she has volunteered with Guardian ad Litem since 2015 where she has handled the training for law students to become Guardian ad Litems, organized speakers to provide them with a full understanding of dependency court, and acted as a special advisor to the student organization Alliance Against Human Trafficking. “The HOPE Public Interest Resource Center was thrilled to partner with Olga, Miami Law students, and the GAL program to bring GAL training to the Miami Law campus,” says Sara Baez, Assistant Director, Public Interest Advocacy Programs for HOPE. “She is a passionate and dedicated advocate and the program has thrived under her leadership. She deserves to be recognized for always going the extra mile to ensure that every child’s voice is heard.”; GuardianAdLitem.com; LawMiami.edu/Hope; BeAVoice.org.
