Meet Sasha Westerman-Keuning | Board Certified Immigration Attorney and LGBTQ+ Activist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sasha Westerman-Keuning and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sasha, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?

I was born in Boston, MA and raised in suburban Boston. I attended Boston College for my undergraduate degree where I graduated Magna Cum Laude and moved to Miami in 2006 when I accepted a Dean’s Merit scholarship to attend the University of Miami School of Law.

Starting at a young age, I became passionate about LGBTQ rights. I have identified as bisexual since high school and became active in my school’s gay/straight alliance. Not to date myself, but this was in the late 1990s and the topic of civil unions and marriage equality began to emerge as a national debate.  I entered Boston College in 2002, a Catholic University with strong ties to the Archdiocese of Boston. Provisions in the Massachusetts’ state constitution allowed the university to continue to discriminate based on sexual orientation due to the university’s religious affiliation. It was an interesting dichotomy to be in the heart of Boston, with Massachusetts leading the way towards becoming the first state with same-sex marriage, and attending a Catholic university which continued to hold on steadfast to anti-LGBTQ beliefs which were part of Catholic doctrine.

During my sophomore year at Boston College (2004), Massachusetts became the first state to legalize same-sex marriage. We literally danced in the streets of Boston all night long, understanding the historic impact of this decision. Shortly after, I became very involved with student organizations at Boston College which sought to change the university’s non-discrimination policy. First, we collected thousands of signatures to put a referendum on a student ballot to include sexual orientation in the school’s non-discrimination policy. Despite the majority Catholic background of the students, I am proud to say the student body overwhelmingly supported the measure with more than 84% in support.

The passage of the referendum began a years-long battle with the administration of Boston College. A schism appeared on campus between students and faculty who strongly believed in equality and those who believed the university must stay true to its Catholic beliefs. I emerged as a prominent leader of the movement which culminated in a demonstration of thousands of Boston College students marching in protest along Commonwealth Avenue. The protest was featured on the front page of Boston Globe and we were thrown into the national spotlight for our student activism. My LGBTQ activism became the center of my student career. I was elected to one of the highest positions in the Boston College student government as the Vice-President of GLBT Leadership Council. I was interviewed in countless newspapers and even was invited to speak on the then-Hannity & Colmes news program which was interesting, but not a fun experience.

We did eventually succeed in changing the university’s non-discrimination policy and this was my first taste of the power of advocacy and the strength of my voice and leadership. I was featured in Boston College’s student newspaper as one of the 10 most prominent seniors on campus under a headline, “A Voice Heard Round the Campus.” It was exhausting but one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

Shortly after, I was accepted to Boston College Law School, a Top 20 law school, and asked by the leadership there to continue my advocacy work. By that time, I needed a break and decided instead to accept a large scholarship to attend the University of Miami School of Law, but I never forgot my passion for activism.

When I graduated from law school, I knew I wanted to incorporate my LGBTQ advocacy into my legal career. I had been drawn to immigration law since I speak fluent Spanish and studied Latin American politics as one of my college majors and in 2017, I became the youngest Board Certified Immigration Attorney in the State of Florida. As soon as I started practicing immigration law, I saw the huge impact of the institutionalized discrimination inherent in the federal government’s lack of recognition of same-sex marriage due to the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). I, myself, fell in love with a handsome man from South Africa, my husband Dylan Keuning, and I petitioned for his green card through our marriage. I became haunted by the thought that had I fallen in love with a beautiful South African woman instead that we would be separated due to the injustice and discrimination in our laws. I felt revitalized to begin my advocacy work again and began speaking regularly on the impact of DOMA in immigration. I truly felt that immigration was the most impacted field since it dealt with the most fundamental issue: the ability of a same-sex married couple to be physically in the United States together. Most of the other topics surrounding the debate related to issues such as spousal benefits, the right to visit a spouse in the hospital, etc. My clients were dealing with the issue that they could not be together despite the fact that they were in love and one spouse was a U.S. citizen. It was the Equal Protection Clause in action. And I was determined to help these couples any way that I could.

One of the happiest days of my life was in June 2013 when the Supreme Court overturned DOMA as a violation of the Equal Protection Clause. I filed my first same-sex marriage petition the following week and I am now considered a national expert in LGBTQ immigration. The bulk of my practice continues to be assisting same-sex couples in marriage and fiance petitions and because of this I am blessed to have such a rewarding legal career.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I run a full-service immigration practice, Rostova Westerman Law Group, currently based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I began my practice in 2013 immediately after the fall of DOMA so that I could provide personalized attention to my LGBTQ clients and create a niche law practice where I could learn as much as possible about one particular topic of law. I’ve been honored to the serve as the chair of the LGBTQ Committee for the South Florida Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. The key to my success has always been being genuine to myself and caring about my clients. Every case file is special to me and I hope my clients can feel how much I truly care for them and their cases. I also have wonderful support staff, shoutout to my phenomenal assistant, Myriam, who are at the heart of the success of our law firm. We’ve had many challenges along the way, but have always overcomed.  Law school teaches individuals how to be lawyers, but it does not teach lawyers how to run a business. I’ve been forced to learn practice management throughout the years and I wish that law school incorporated this into their curriculum.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I lived in Miami for 10 years with 5 of them in South Beach and it will always be one of my favorite cities. I love being on the water and at waterfront locales. I would definitely take my friend to Joia Beach to see some of the best views of Miami’s skyline. I would also take her to South Pointe Park to watch the cruise ships leave port. I also love all of the ethnic enclaves of Miami and would most certainly take her to Calle 8 and up to North Beach to areas that I call Little Argentina and Little Brazil. Miami has some of the best cuisine from Latin America and there are so many restaurants to choose from. Because I am a UM grad, a visit would never be complete without heading over to Monty’s in the Grove for sunset cocktails. I am also a sports enthusiast and like to attend UM and professional sports matches. Most importantly, I would spend lots of time at Miami’s beautiful beaches!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There have been so many who have influenced me along the way. My fellow students and activists at Boston College, especially John Hellman, who gave me the strength to move forward at times I felt so defeated. My husband, Dylan Keuning, who continues to be so supportive of my work in the LGBTQ community and my law practice and is not threatened by my success. Also, my four year old daughter, Kylie, inspires me to live a life that she will be proud of and to show her the strength of our voices even in the face of life’s biggest challenges. I also must say my clients inspire me everyday. I have learned so much about love and commitment from them and not giving up on one another even when faced with impossible hardships.

Website: www.sashavisalaw.com

Instagram: @swkimmigrationlaw

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sasha-westerman-keuning-9a19aab/

Twitter: @sashamiamilaw

Facebook: Sasha N. Westerman

Youtube: @superlawyersasha

Image Credits
Michael Fein, Lisa Poole