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The Mission Statement
Latinas Uprising was born from the frustration of visiting mainstream internet communities that discussed being a lawyer or a women professional or even a female lawyer, but never seemed to take into account the experiences we have as Latinas. We often hear that women make around 70 cents to the man’s dollar, but that’s actually the statistic for white women. Latinas make 55 cents to the man’s dollar. That type of disparity will create an entirely different experience that is just not being discussed in mainstream communities. Why aren’t we included? We consist of the largest growing minority group in the U.S. and are a huge consumer group. We are…
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Pre-Law Probs: Mastering Your Personal Statement
When I tell you that I never prepared and planned harder for my law school application than anything else in my life I am not joking. I was serious about getting admitted and knew I needed as much preparation and help as possible. The biggest obstacle for me was my personal statement. I knew I had a lot of convincing to do as my LSAT score was very average. So I did things I never, ever did with my writing (that in retrospect should have been a habit lol). I had multiple friends give edits and suggestions. I went to the writing center–hand to god, I had never stepped foot…
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Latina Leader: Community Coordinator Talia Rodriguez
This is another installment of the series, Spotlight On! A series where we showcase Latina lawyers and learn about the successes in their early careers. Today we hear from Talia Rodriguez, based in Buffalo, NY, who coordinates a legal aid clinic and shows what it’s like to do legal work that has a direct impact in your own local community. Talia is also a powerhouse and community leader, having recently recognized by the Minority Bar Association of WNY! 1. When did you start practicing? I am not admitted to the NYS Bar. I have passed two of three qualifying examinations and am awaiting from results from the UBE. I started managing school…
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What Did You Miss?
We’re so excited for 2015! We have a lot of fun and informative plans in store for everyone! Though we’ve only been sharing information for the past four months, we wanted to share our favorite posts thus far: For prelaw students: our first part of the Breaking Barriers series. For law students: creating institutional change at your school even when faced with resistance. For attorneys: navigating the rules of professional etiquette, starting with your wardrobe. For those creating work-life balance: What to do when family obligations become obstacles. Of course my ultimate favorite is our mission statement! We’ve had a really great four months and look forward to the New…
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FAQ
Why is this needed? Latinas are part of the fastest-growing and largest minority group in the United States, but compose only 1.3% of the legal profession. Our lack of representation is due to myriad of obstacles that we encounter that deter us from even getting to law school. Before law school, many of us had to overcome many barriers, including– poverty; the limitations imposed by acculturation; an unsupportive educational system; as well as rigid social customs and gender roles that rarely empower us to join this profession. Once we’re in school, we often face subtle and blatant racism, sexism, micro-aggressions, and behavior that make us question our own worth. Many…
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Latina Leader: Denise Hernandez
It’s time for another Latina Leader Lunes! Today we spotlight Denise Hernandez, an assistant district attorney based in Texas. Not only is she a litigator and advocate for survivors of domestic violence but she is also the co-founder of Hustle for the Cause, a a Social Impact Production company out of Austin, Texas. Owned and operated by LGBTQ Women of Color, their mission is to generate a positive social impact by creating cultural content and experiences that empower undeserved communities. She is also the founder of Chingona Fest, a statewide conference and music festival focused on empowering Latinas. So we can assume she is booked and busy and we’re so…
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Latina Leader: Karla Navarrete
It’s time for another Latina Leader Lunes feature! Today we hear from California attorney, Karla Navarrete. A senior attorney at Coalition for Humane Rights, shares a bit of her work and what motivated her to become a lawyer. Spoiler: what I love most about her story is that she saw the need for more representation of Latinos in the law and then she went for it! And not only is she is excelling, she is leading a path for the next generation. 1. When & why did you decide to go to law school? I decided to go to law school as a sophomore at UCLA. I was looking for…
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Work With What You Got
This week the internet was down at my house and because I can’t get ready without background noise, I started playing my iTunes on my laptop (lol wut). A Laura Pausini song came on and suddenly summer 06 came flashing back. That summer, I took the June LSAT and spent the rest of time researching law schools and starting my personal statements. Our house had no AC so the family computer was in the basement so that we wouldn’t sweat to death while using the hot ass computer. It was a really out of date desktop–so out of date that the screen lagged behind the keyboard. Like, I would write…
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Three Years and Three Big Lessons
I can’t believe it’s been three years since I went live with his site! When I first started Latinas Uprising, I had no clue what type of community I would find—I just knew that surely there were others that experienced the legal profession in the same manner as me. In time, I have met so many amazing women. Women who are focused, driven, passionate, and outspoken—I’m always so impressed and motivated by the accomplishments of this community! So, with that in mind, I wanted to share three things I’ve learned in the past three years: One. Latinas are amazing. Is this obvious? Maybe. In general, I know amazing Latinas who…
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There’s No Such Thing As Reverse Racism
Today, I woke up to the news that this administration is planning to investigate colleges that discriminate against White people. Specifically, they are planning to attack affirmative action programs. As an advocate for increased access to education in the Latinx community, campaigns like this make me want to scream. Anyone who is genuine about education and increased access knows that AA programs do not harm people in power. In fact, and please repeat this until you can’t say it anymore, white women have benefited the most from affirmative action. Affirmative action programs and policies gave me a spot in schools and situations where I likely would have been overlooked in…