Hi Friends,

My name is Brenda Kissane, and I am asking you to join me in supporting Daniela by helping with her legal fees to stay in the United States. Daniela came to Salem from Ukraine in 2022 as a refugee when the Russian invasion of Ukraine began. She enrolled in Salem High School as a junior, and started rebuilding her life.

I met Daniela through my mom, Alice Merkl, and started helping Daniela with her school work and eventually with applying to college. Daniela has since become a part of our family.

I have witnessed how being in the United States has not only allowed Daniela to avoid the horrific violence Ukrainians are facing because of Russian aggression; it has allowed her to embrace being in Salem. Daniela has worked at two local restaurants downtown, engaged with our local Ukrainian community, joined a dance team, and built many friendships here. The resilience and courage she exemplifies in every challenge she faces is truly incredible. Daniela graduated from Salem High in 2024 and is now a student at the University of Massachusetts Boston pursuing a degree in computer science.

As we all know, the Trump administration has been waging an aggressive, inhumane campaign against immigrants. As a direct result of these actions her protected status is under imminent threat. This means Daniela needs to have legal representation to apply for a new immigration status as advised by legal counsel. As Daniela is still under 21 and here on her own, if she has the proper legal representation, she has a high likelihood of being successful in staying in the US safely.

For those of you who are lucky enough to have not needed legal representation recently, I can tell you, it is expensive. With Daniela’s family all either here as refugees or back in Ukraine supporting their effort for freedom, she is turning now to all of us. Fighting a legal battle is definitely not what any college freshman should have to endure, but here we are. Daniela needs our help.

While it may sound cliche, every dollar makes a difference. Every dollar is a chance for Daniela to focus on her college career, not on whether she's going to have to leave this new life she has worked so hard to build.

Please give what you can to help keep Daniela safe, in school, and legally protected. We are so grateful for any support you can provide during this critical time in our history!