As Director of Economic Justice, Yolanda Arias oversees our Asian & Pacific Islander (API) Community Outreach Project, the Economic Stability Workgroup, Medical-Legal Partnerships, Preventing and Ending Homelessness Program and Restoring Communities Workgroups, Survivor and Family Justice Workgroup, Immigration Access Workgroup and Veterans Justice Center.

She began her career at LAFLA as a staff attorney in 1988. Some of the work Yolanda has been involved in has included foster care litigation (State of California, Rosales v. Thompson), health care litigation (Harris, et al. v. Board of Supervisors, Los Angeles County, et al.) and extensive policy work on Welfare to Work issues and language access issues.

Before joining LAFLA, Yolanda worked on issues related to the Immigration Reform and Control Act at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF).

Yolanda received her JD from UCLA and her undergraduate degree from USC.