Long Post: 35 F, immigrant, lawyer in JD preferred job in a small market, looking for advice and guidance regarding next steps

I moved to the US middle of the pandemic to attend law school. Initially had the idea of becoming an IP/patent attorney but decided to pursue an adjacent path and pivoted to data privacy. Due to personal and economic considerations (I was navigating the immigration journey simultaneously with law school and poverty), I immediately took a JD preferred job out of law school because I was so dirt poor I couldn’t even afford to take the bar exam. Currently, I have a couple of years of experience supporting commercial counsel and managing privacy operations for clients. As I contemplate the next steps in my career, I wanted to know if transitioning into a legal position (either firm or in house) is possible for me? What skills would I have to develop or showcase to potential employers? I was thinking of taking certification exams, writing some blog posts or articles for my company blog or publish elsewhere, try to organize events etc. Also, as someone who lives in a smaller market and works a fully remote job, how do I go about networking and finding attorneys that would be open to mentorship or coffee chats. (I am writing this on a long bus journey so I apologize for poor organization and any typos. I have been pondering these questions for a while with no answers. Any guidance will be appreciated.)