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The Question to Ask during Mid-Terms: Am I doing Ok?
One of the most common problems with law school is that we barrel past every week without thinking much about what you just learned. This makes sense because who has time to sit down and think about past topics when you have so many new ones to learn, on top of papers, job applications, life… But it’s a big misstep to not stop and ask yourself during mid-terms: am I doing ok? And I’m not referring to mental health (though do stop occasionally to think about that). Rather, are you understanding the material? Do you get what the professors are trying to teach you? Are you forming and flexing the…
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Fighting Back: Using our Power to Advance Education in the Latino Community
I recently read the article of a young Latina sharing her graduation with her parents who work in the fields. One thing that stuck out to me was the stress she felt while at school, worried that upon return home her parents could have been picked up by immigration. I’ve been realizing more and more just how overwhelming the added trauma undocumented children (and children of undocumented parents) must feel day in and day out at what the government could do to them and their families. Maritza Ramos, from OITNB, has also described the gut-wrenching feeling of coming home to a deported parents. I hear stories like this and think–what are systems of…
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Affirmative Action, Feminism, & Me
In 2003, I was in high school, when the Supreme Court decided Grutter v. Bollinger--a case discussing race as a factor in college admissions. I remember being in my AP government class with a conservative, white, male teacher who didn’t hold back on how incorrect it was to take race into account. And so most students agreed with him. The class was small, maybe 12. I remember only one or two students, aside from me being in support of Affirmative Action. I remember, a white girl next to me who made a crying sound, implying that students of color complaining about diversity were being whiny babies. I was the only…
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Mastering Law School Classes
Law School classes are like no other because aside from reading often arcane cases and trying to figure out just exactly what’s happening in those crazy fact patterns, you also go into class with terror in your gut that you’ll be the one called on today and omg, what happens if I freeze?! It’s really quite stressful. The fear gets easier overtime, but what you really need to cultivate during the early part of the semester is paying attention so that you actually understand. I know it seems like a no-brainer, but law school is tricky. It tricks you into thinking you can listen and browse the internet at the…
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Furthering Latino Education
The Pew Research Center released Five Facts about Latinos and Education this week. While very brief, it paints an informative picture of the status of Latinos and education. Essentially, Latinos are graduating high school at greater rates than before; enrolling in colleges at higher rates than other groups; and have less loan debt. Yet, Latinos are not earning those four-year degrees, and instead are enrolling at two-year Universities that do not seem to be pipelines to eventual bachelor degrees. Right now only 9% of Latinos between ages 25-29 hold a Bachelor’s. I’m not one to knock down good news with bad. It’s fantastic that we’re graduating high school and that…
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Culture Conflict: Leaving the Home
A few weeks ago we discussed the dropout rates and the obstacles Latinas face in finishing high school. It is a real problem for our community, but thankfully it is improving because Latinas are starting to attend higher Ed at a rapidly growing pace. This fantastic news! However, even when Latinas are making strides in graduating from high school, they have an obstacle placed before them when it comes to earning their college degree. The obstacle being: Will my family be OK if I attend school away from home? Many young Latinas that have been accepted into four-year Universities feel pressured (consciously or subconsciously) to forgo an education at their preferred school…
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Ending the Latina Dropout Problem
I listen to the amazing Latinos USA podcast every week–it’s my absolute fave NPR program, second only to the late, great It’s All Politics, RIP :(. Last week’s story focused on Latinas and confidence–the first story pinpoints the problem with Latinas, confidence, and education (discussion starts at 3:3o). I think the producer identifies the problem incredibly well when she states that often Latinas struggle to feel empowered because we fear that we’re taking something from someone. This idea that if we feel too confident, too secure in ourselves and our goals, then we’re doing something wrong. I agree with her assessment and think this is a struggle many Latinas face when…