Bridging the Legal Knowledge Gap for Immigrant Communities

UX / UIStrategy

Sep 1

Overview

"My Rights Now" is a bilingual mobile application designed to empower immigrants with clear, actionable information on constitutional rights during encounters with law enforcement or ICE.
Key features include bilingual support (English/Spanish), intuitive navigation, visual aids, and practical checklists to transform complex legal information into an accessible digital tool.

Self-initiated project responding to a critical need within immigrant communities for resources to understand and assert their rights.
Project is currently under development, engaging multiple stakeholders and overcoming technical and logistical challenges such as language barriers and limited technical literacy.

Expertise demonstrated in UX design processes, user research, information architecture, content design, and user journey mapping.
Implementation of UI components using the US Web Design System.

Addresses the fear and misinformation faced by immigrants due to language barriers and lack of accessible legal resources.
Bridging the knowledge gap for a population where 67% face deportation without legal representation and many face increasing restrictions on asylum cases.
Goal is to educate and empower users to mitigate risks linked to rights violations, detention, or deportation.

Meghan Jimenez: Designer and project coordinator; provided Figma designs and established the visual and informational foundation.
Chris Sells: Lead Flutter developer; responsible for translating designs into a functional app.
Sarah Joy Calpo: Flutter developer; providing support and facilitating collaborative development efforts.

Project initiated in July 2025 with core design discussions and initial content handoffs.
Iterative refinement occurred in August 2025 to address technical challenges like exporting Figma designs into Markdown and resolving missing image issues.
Planned expansions for additional language support, including English/Russian and English/Vietnamese.
Utilization of Agile methodologies with frequent user feedback loops.

Research & Discovery: Thorough review of existing "Know Your Rights" materials to identify needs for simplified bilingual content and visual aids.
Product Strategy: Focused on efficient rights information delivery and engaging presentation for non-native speakers.
Experience Design: Information architecture structured around critical scenarios like 'Street Stop,' 'Arrest,' and 'Home Raid.'
Content Design: Adapted legal content into concise bilingual articles with illustrations, minimizing legal jargon for accessibility.
Prototype, Test, & Iterate: Mapped user journeys to identify pain points and guide design improvements for better accessibility and comprehension.

Project is currently in the development stage, undergoing expert reviews before an anticipated free launch in app stores.
Initial qualitative feedback indicates increased user confidence and understanding.
Lessons learned emphasize the importance of precise communication during design handoffs and the need for adaptable scheduling and resource management.