Livia’s Legal Aid Story

At the 2024 Walk to the Hill at the Massachusetts State House, Worcester resident Livia Gonzalez shared her experience receiving help from a civil legal aid organization. 

Livia was involved in a housing case that threatened her family’s stability. Without legal representation, she believed she would not have been able to navigate the system or achieve a fair outcome. Through civil legal aid, she was connected with an attorney who represented her in the case. 

Her attorney secured a settlement that allows Livia and her son to remain in their apartment and provides sufficient time for her to find new housing after her son passes. The outcome ensured short-term housing stability and a clear path forward. 

“I could not have won my case without legal aid,” Livia said. “The system was stacked against my family. But with my attorney, I had faith—and we prevailed.” 

Her story illustrates the direct impact of funding supported by organizations such as the Equal Justice Coalition and the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation, which advocate for state investment in civil legal aid services.