Housing Rights

Amalia Macias-Laventure (they/elle) is a Community Advocate in the Asian Law Caucus' Housing Rights Program. They are born and raised in the Bay Area, and have been a part of housing justice movements for the past 8 years. They earned their B.A. and M.A. in Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State, which shaped their understanding of anti-displacement, settler-colonialism, and land reform, both locally and internationally.

In their spare time, they enjoy organizing with their neighbors, community bonding through mutual aid, and spending time with their dog, Loba.

Dustin is a staff attorney in the Asian Law Caucus' Housing Rights Program. Prior to ALC, he was a housing staff attorney at the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County, staff attorney at PRC as a public benefits attorney, and senior housing attorney with the AIDS Legal Referral Panel. In law school, Dustin interned for the Honorable Maria-Elena James at the Northern District Court and participated in the Williams Institute Moot Court Competition & the ABA National Labor & Employment Mock Trial competition where his team placed 3rd nationally.

Dustin's introduction into the legal professional was via JusticeCorps, an AmeriCorps program that places undergraduate interns in legal self-help centers throughout California. It was through that experience Dustin dedicated his career to empowering others and improving access to justice, especially for the LGBTQIA+ & POC communities. Dustin earned his J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law in 2014 with an emphasis on pro bono & litigation & B.A. from San Francisco State University in 2010 in Criminal Justice. Dustin is heavily involved with BALIF, the nation's oldest and largest LGBTQ+ bar association. Dustin's roommate/chinchilla is Kitty.

Faustina (they/she) is a Community Advocate in the Asian Law Caucus' Housing Rights Program.

They are born and raised in Oakland, and have deeply rooted love for the Bay Area, its people, and its cultures. Faustina is committed to supporting working-class communities and communities of color in their fights against gentrification and displacement, because those are the communities that raised them. Previously, Faustina worked at La Cocina, a nonprofit supporting women of color and immigrant chefs with their food businesses. They graduated from UC San Diego with a B.A. in Ethnic Studies and a B.S. in Public Health and hope to continue implementing the lessons they learned from Ethnic Studies into their way of life.

In their free time, you can find them preserving Vietnamese and Cantonese recipes from their family, taking care of their plants and cat named Saturn, and re-watching comfort Asian dramas from their childhood for the hundredth time.

Julie Lemmer is a senior staff attorney in the Asian Law Caucus' Housing Rights Program. Before joining ALC, Julie was a staff attorney at Legal Assistance to the Elderly where she defended senior and/or disabled tenants against eviction. Before LAE, Julie was a staff attorney at Home Base, a nonprofit dedicated to building community capacity to prevent and end homelessness. And before that, Julie spent many years as a litigation attorney in private practice. Julie earned her J.D. from Florida State University College of Law and a B.A. from Kenyon College. Before law school, Julie spent two years living, studying, and teaching in China, and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bulgaria.

Shelby Nacino is Program Director for the Asian Law Caucus' Housing Rights Program. Prior to joining ALC, Shelby was a supervising attorney at Legal Assistance to the Elderly where she represented San Francisco seniors facing eviction. While in law school, she interned at the East Bay Community Law Center and the Legal Aid Society's Harlem Community Law Offices. Shelby is committed to fighting against the displacement of low-income communities and communities of color.

Shelby received her J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley.