Kane County JusticeCorps Fellow Honored with Illinois Leadership Award
Twenty-three-year-old Dasha Pates has been recognized for her work with Kane County Law Library and Self Help Legal Center and the 16th Judicial Circuit with the first-ever Illinois John Lewis Youth Leadership Award. 
The John Lewis Youth Leadership Award was created by the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) to honor civic-minded young people who demonstrate leadership abilities, have a passion for social justice, and are motivated to improve the quality of life in their community. The award was presented by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias.
Pates, an Oswego native who graduated from Aurora University, was selected from a pool of over 30 candidates for her work improving access to legal services at the Kane County Law Library inside the Judicial Center.
As an Illinois JusticeCorps Fellow, Pates has helped disenfranchised members of Kane County, including the unhoused, people with mental health concerns, people living in poverty and students. The Illinois JusticeCorps program places fellows in courthouses around the state to bridge the gap in legal aid.
“The work that we do affects so many lives and missing one court hearing could mean someone loses their home, or not submitting court forms properly could mean someone loses the right to see their child," said Pates in a speech accepting the Lewis Youth Leadership award. “In the face of a complicated legal system, JusticeCorps members are often the only people that the general public can go to for legal help."
Halle Eichert, Director of the Kane County Law Library and Pates' supervisor during her time as an IL JusticeCorps Fellow at the Judicial Center, co-nominated Pates for the Youth Leadership award for her exceptional efforts in assisting patrons with legal resources at the courthouse, consistently exceeding expectations. 
Pates, who speaks four languages, began her one-year service term in August 2023 and will attend law school in the fall of 2024.
“As our law library is open to the public, Dasha assists a diverse patron base, putting her best foot forward to meet their needs no matter who they are or the legal issues they face," said Eichert. “Dasha's presence in and outside of the courthouse cannot be missed. The general public is often unaware of the logistical proceedings of a legal case, and since civil cases are not entitled to public defenders, self-represented litigants with ongoing civil cases are left lost and without help. Dasha helps bridge the gap in legal aid in any way she can, through her leadership, language skills, and legal information," added Eichert.
Pates was also recognized for the award for her work in advocating for her Pre-Law classmates in college. While serving as President of the Aurora University Pre-Law Honor Society, Pates created the organization's first Women-in-Law Panel in response to concerns from female students that they lacked role models in the male-dominated legal profession.
A first-generation immigrant from the Philippines, Pates became an American citizen and seeks to honor and revive her heritage of advocacy for the downtrodden. She plans to apply for law school this year so she can even more effectively ensure all citizens and residents have equal access to the possibility of justice. (pictured to the right Dasha Pates and Kane County Law Librarian Ellen Schmid, co-nominator with Halle Eichert who is not pictured)
Learn more about the services provided by the Kane County Library and Self Help Legal Center by clicking here.
