Project Libertad

Project Libertad: Overview

Mission & Vision
Project Libertad is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers newcomer immigrant youth and their families by providing essential, youth-led, and youth-centered legal and social services. We envision a world where all newcomer immigrant youth have access to the legal services, social services, academic support, and leadership opportunities needed to thrive.

Recognition for Project Libertad

• 2026 First Place, Advocacy And Policy Champion: Protecting Rights and Advancing Justice, Greater Philadelphia Social Innovation Awards

• 2025 Good Souls Honoree

• 2024 Top 5 CNN Heroes Honor for Executive Director Rachel Rutter

• 2024 Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation’s 2024 Local Impact Grant Recipient

• 2022 L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth Honoree, with a short documentary produced by HBO Max

• 2021 Aerie #AerieREAL Changemaker, as featured in Forbes

• 2021 and 2020 Sony Music Global Social Justice Fund 

• Featured in WHYY, the Philadelphia Inquirer, Gettysburg Magazine, Drexel University #40Under40, The Remarkable People Podcast, Her Story, Charity Matters Podcast, Philanthropy Masterminds Podcast, and more

Community Need

• There is no right to a court-appointed lawyer in immigration court, leaving thousands of kids to represent themselves in court, against a trained government lawyer fighting to deport them. Children with lawyers are 7x more likely to win protection.

• Without legal or social services, children risk deportation to dangerous situations—as in the case of “Lia,” a 12-year-old asylum seeker deported back to her abuser after appearing in court alone.

Programs and Services

• Legal Services: Immigrant Children’s Defense Project, Know Your Rights, Rapid Response support for detained families

• Mental Health & Social Services: therapy, case management, mentoring, tutoring, RISE girls’ empowerment, newcomer support programs

• Youth Leadership: Immigrant Youth Advisory Team, youth-led program design

• Educator Training & annual Scholarship Fund

• Semilla Community Bridge Fellowship for immigrant youth leaders

• Coming Soon: Casa Mariposa supportive housing (2027)