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Lessons Learned During Ten Years of Practice
So, in early November I passed the ten year mark. It doesn’t feel like I’ve been practicing for ten years, but at the same time, I’ve been able to pack so much in the past decade. There was so much happening in early November, I didn’t feel like there was space to discuss this milestone but there is no way I can reach this anniversary and not say something! I thought it would be fun to share some big and small lessons that have made the difference in my career. When I graduated law school, it was at the height of the worst recession (ha!) and no one–NO ONE–in my…
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Lawtina Bookclub: Undocumented Americans
It’s time for another Lawtina Bookclub session! And I know lots of you loved this latest selection, Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicenico. I finished this book earlier this month and it left me feeling some type of way. I think mostly because I felt frustrated…let’s get into it! First, Undocumented Americans is a non-fiction collection of stories of undoc folks living throughout the United States. The author grew up undocumented as well. She interviews workers throughout the U.S. and shines a light on their experiences. Not just the day-to-day, but also the dismissal and mistreatment they experienced in cities/towns where major traumas occurred–NYC during 9/11; Katrina; Flint, Mi.…
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Don’t Talk in Whispers: Becoming Better at Advancing Racial Justice
Many years ago (ok not that many, but a while ago) I was a freshman in college and will be forever grateful that my school had mandatory events for MLK day. I randomly attended one on white supremacy, expecting to learn about organized white supremacist groups (hi, I was a criminology major so felt it was more align with my studies). But instead, I experienced an eye-opening panel that “raised my consciousness” and became really the first step in understanding racist systems; acknowledging racial injustice; and pursuing racial equity. On this site, I never hesitate to talk about race and its impact in the legal system because I believe that…
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Making the Best of Your Internship
We are gearing up to start a summer that will be incredibly unique–many of you will have found internships that will be remote or staggered hours or completely different than what you imagined (or different than what you were first offered in the Spring before this pandemic hit the US). At the same time, things are the same–life keeps ticking, people still need legal support, and this internship–whether it’s your 1L summer or you were hoping to get an offer as you entered your last year of law school–this internship and summer matter. I’ve shared my first legal internship before but for new readers a little summary–I had no clue…
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Ten Changes that Made Me Feel Less Guilty About How Bad We Treat Mother Earth
It’s earth day! Remember the fires earlier this year? They were intense and made really want to review my habits as a consumer and user of things that were better for the environment and the community that I’m in. I asked for advice and people came through with support (you always do!) to help me realign and think of ways to change my habits. So I’m sharing ten things I’ve done that have helped limit my waste and harm. Now before I get into it, I have to say that clean communities and the environment is an issue where we, Latinx, are often not at the table, but always on…
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What Does it Mean to Not Walk the Stage?
I’ve been thinking a lot of about what it means for class of 2020 to not have a traditional graduation ceremony. To not get to put on the regalia, walk across the stage, and collect your diploma, as family and friends applaud you. … I don’t think any words of comfort I provide will really comfort, I know that. It sucks. This entire situation is so horrible and upsetting. In addition to losing out on these milestones, suddenly moving to remote-learning has augmented the gap of privilege and wealth between you and your classmates. I know it’s tough for 1Ls and 2Ls as well. I think about what it would…
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Lawtina Book Club: Make Your Home Among Strangers
ok a teensy bit delayed with our bookclub I know, but I think the chaos we’re in gives me a bit of an excuse. #mybad For (last month’s) pick, we selected Make Your Home Among Strangers by Jennine Capo Crucet. It is her first novel (though she recently had a second published). And unfortunately, she made the news because at recent lecture at a college, some students couldn’t handle discussing racism and took to burning her book (!) as protest. I mean, wtf. It was appalling and immediately I wanted to support this author by lifting up her work. Doing so, though, is not difficult because wow wow wow–what a…
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Wait, How is this Going to Work? Career Planning the Midst of a Pandemic
Hello, so with all the way people’s lives have been upended, it’s really normal to feel dread about what this may mean for your career. Of course, that may not be your first worry, which makes total sense. But at times, you could feel worried about your career and then feel guilty for worrying and all those things are normal. For those on the edge of becoming lawyers, this is the milestone you’ve been working towards for a long time, so it’s completely understandable that you’re nervous and worried. I was nervous and worried too right when I graduated law school. I want to share what it was like when…
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Working in the time of COVID
First, I have to preface this by saying–this is bonkers. This is bonkers!! Like some days I still can’t believe we’re living in the midst of a pandemic with such little control. It’s a bit much. As I shared with folks on insta, I’m working from home because I’m “high risk” because of my asthma. Asthma that was just diagnosed this past fall so being able to navigate that on top of a demanding, high stress job while everything seems to be The Worst is a lot. But at the same time I know I’m incredibly fortunate to be able to work from home and not deal with the fears…
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The Danger in Being the First
Wow, so I didn’t think I would write anything substantial about the American Dirt publishing industry scandal but like always Latino USA came through and inspired me. To bring ppl up to speed, American Dirt was written by a White woman and given a seven figure (!) advance by a publishing industry that then turned around and spent even more money to promote it. They landed promos with Latina influencers, a spot on Oprah’s book club, and blurb by the Chicana literary icon, Sandra Cisneros. The book, while fiction, seemed to be steeped in stereotypes and an obvious lack of knowledge of what it means to be Mexican. When a…