National Hispanic Heritage Month: Mercedes Benites

To conclude our honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, which ran from September 15 through October 15, Garvish Immigration Law Group’s Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee highlighted the journeys of our very own staff members who celebrate their hispanic heritage. Nearly 40% of our team represents hispanic nations including Argentina, Colombia, El Salvador and Mexico. We are honored to work with such a diverse and talented group of (mostly) women and we cannot wait to share these inspirational stories!

Mercedes Benites is a native of Milan, Italy. She is the descendant of two Argentineans. She grew up in Argentina as a teenager. Mercedes loves soccer and is a fan of Newell’s Old Boys, a first-division soccer team from Rosario, Argentina. Mercedes has lived in Italy, Argentina, and United States.

“I loved living in different countries and learning distinct cultures and traditions. It defined who I am and how I see diversity and understand it. Being Hispanic in the USA means finding people expressing themselves in ways I was familiar with when growing up. Listening to Spanish is comforting to me when being far away from home.”

Mercedes graduated Summa Cum Laude from Georgia Southwestern State University studying Political Sciences and Global Studies. She has worked in the Organization of the American States (OAS), Georgia Governor’s Office, and at an international Immigration Law Firm in Bologna, Italy. She currently works at the Georgia General Assembly as a Legislative Assistant for two State Senators. She also works part-time with Garvish Immigration Law Group as a Marketing Assistant.

“I began my relationship with Garvish Immigration as a client. Later on, I became part of the team. I love the environment of Garvish Immigration. I was represented greatly as a client, and I feel extremely well by being part of the workforce of this incredible company.”

Mercedes first arrived in the USA with an F-1 visa. Upon graduation, she was sponsored for an employment-based green card. She decided to do consular processing and faced the process during the pandemic. Immigrating to the USA while dealing with Covid-19 was challenging for Mercedes due to all governmental processes being delayed by the pandemic. With Elizabeth’s guidance and reminder to “surrender to the certainty”, Mercedes focused on being patient and believing in the certainty that she would eventually receive her visa.

“Garvish Immigration amazingly represented me from beginning to end. It was the only law firm that gave me a real solution to remain in the USA. Garvish Immigration accompanied me with care, attention, and dedication. Alexandra was the leading attorney on my case. She went above and beyond with my case. I cannot thank her enough for all the work she has done for me. If you ever interact with Elizabeth, Nadia and Alexandra, you know how much they care about all our clients.”