Event Recap: NYLPI Observes Bushwick Ayuda Mutua (BAM) and New York Presbyterian’s Asylum Seeker Pop-Up Clinic

On July 20, 2024, staff from NYLPI's Health Justice team - Sophie Dalsimer, co-director, Noelle Peñas, community organizer, Nevien Swailmyeen, advocate, and Sam, intern - joined an asylum seeker pop-up clinic organized in partnership between Bushwick Ayuda Mutua (BAM) andNew York-Presbyterian's Division of Community & Population Health.

BAM is a collective based in Bushwick that holds mutual aid distributions twice a month: it was originally formed in 2020 to deliver essential supplies to neighbors, including migrant families that are both newly arrived and long term residents. These distributions draw up to 250-300 people for each event.

"NYLPI attended in primarily an observational capacity to determine how to best integrate legal services into this clinic model, so that we could assess how we would want to participate sustainably in the future for the long term. We tabled with materials providing resources & information on accessing healthcare, and spoke to a few attendees as well." - Noelle Peñas

NYP reported back outcomes from their medical clinic:

• Doctors evaluated 50 participants. 1 infant, 1 Youth, and 48 adults
• 14 people received prescriptions and got their medicine free of cost.
• 9 patients received OTC Medicines. NYLPI spoke with 10 people, but not all the questions were about immigration or insurance. NYLPI was able to investigate the documents of one person and re-open their case because they thought their case was closed and they would be deported. Sophie and Nevien can speak more on this if needed.

Learn more about NYLPI's Health Justice Program and find resources here.

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