-
Grateful for the Struggle
Around this time, I think it’s important to recognize the struggle one has overcome in order to to be where they are in their life. I know you’re thinking, “bih that’s all you do!” and you’re right lol. I do talk about our struggle a lot. A lot. And I do it because it’s easy to think this career trajectory is easy. It’s not. It’s hard becoming an attorney. For women of color, it’s even more difficult. It shouldn’t be this hard and I don’t condone that the system is this way– like I’m encouraging some weird hazing ritual. It shouldn’t be this way, especially when the reason why it’s…
-
Sidebar: Moving Day
Um, October was a whirlwind. We moved. Finally. It has been a long time coming but we have finally moved house. Whilst events leading up to this have been very stressful, I’m very excited for this next chapter in our lives. We do have a lot of things left to sort out though before we can finally call our house a home. So this has basically taken up all of my time. We were told that the house would be ready in a week, so we had to pack and get ready super fast. The house is amazing. Honestly, I could have moved anywhere because I had a lot of…
-
Sidebar: love and hate
August is over. That means summer is over fr fr. But I guess Summer 17 ended with a bang? I mean, how do we get over what happened in Virginia? Wait, let me back up so this month my cousin returned to Florida to start her fall semester and I miss her so much!! đ She left the weekend of E’s birthday, so we did some mini farewell/bday meals before she left. Â Â Of course, the day after E’s bday we woke up to the protest in Virginia and it really shook me. Not because I don’t think the country is racist (it is) but because how impossible…
-
Don’t Believe the Hype: Navigating Negative Emotions as a First Gen Student
I often mention how many Latinas going into the law are family leaders. Maybe you were the one that interpreted for your parents, or your siblings look to you for guidance/advice on big decisions, or maybe youâve blazed an educational path for the rest of your family as a first gen student. This type of trailblazing status is a prominent feature in many Latina lawyers (and leaders) in our community. It is a powerful labelâto be the trailblazer, the firstâit paints an image of a driven, focused person. Itâs a worthy title for so many of us. But it is also a difficult one. Being first can mean frustration, isolation,…
-
Three Years and Three Big Lessons
I canât believe itâs 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 findâI 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 outspokenâIâm always so impressed and motivated by the accomplishments of this community! So, with that in mind, I wanted to share three things Iâve learned in the past three years: One. Latinas are amazing. Is this obvious? Maybe. In general, I know amazing Latinas who…
-
Side Bar: Summer Nights
July can’t be over because that means I only have one week with interns left. Waaaa! This summer has been nothing if not productive. If I play my cards right, I will have filed TEN applications this month, which is unheard of (for me)! Â Ok but other than filing cases, July was like perfect Chicago summer for me. July included some fun at the beach My best friend visited from Tx and I got to hang with my baby buddy Lincoln! Hung out with my prima (who’s going back to Tampa soon đ ) She finished her semester and will be going back for the fall semester in…
-
Disconnect: How to Really Enjoy a Vacation Away from the Office
Everyone claims that disconnecting from work is important when youâre on vacation. Well, I was just on a vacation where I was completely disconnected as in I had no access to internet at allâand it was not soothing. Rather, I had an internal scream going off in my head about possible emergencies and fires happening while I was away. It was anything but soothing and if I had been able to check my email even once a day, I would have felt much better. So this advice comes from a person who very much likes being connected. And in truth, I think that it bothers family members/friends more when you…
-
Side Bar: At the Beach
So full disclosureâI had hoped to make the sidebar post more visual (i.e. video format) but that will have to wait until I move in the summer because the way my current house is set up, the acoustics are just turrible. Turrible. Anyway, June went by hella fast. Probably because I went on a much needed vacation! Like obviously seeing my dad and his family was great, but the sun! Omg, it was much needed. So letâs just start with thatâPanama was beautiful. I really recommend it as a vacation destination. I spent some time in city and in smaller parts of the country. Staying at my dadâs place is…
-
Summer Series: Conquering Stress While Studying for the Bar
Our Summer Series continues! This series highlights different Latina students and law grads as they embark in their summer jobs and/or bar prep all across the country. We hope to provide a variety of work experiences, options for a healthy work-life balance, and general motivation through different guest contributors to help you to take charge of your summer and professional goals!  Today we hear from Khiabett, a recent law school grad who returned home to Texas to study for the Bar: One. Accepting your needs and limitations: During undergrad I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety and I felt ashamed because I thought taking medication somehow made me âweak.â Once I started feeling better…
-
Is it Even an Emergency? Responding to Crisis During Bar Prep
You are a month away from the Bar Exam! I hope everything is going as smooth as possible. I was in an incredibly fortunate position to not have to work during bar prep and even without that added stress of finances, I was so overwhelmed with emotion, worry, and anxiety. Many of you may be feeling the same pressure (or will soon feel it as we get closer to the date). So, I wanted to talk about avoiding stress and situations that deter you from your goal. I have heard many stories of family “emergencies” that crop up during bar prep that distract someone from their studies and lead to…