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A Community Living Through Trauma
I’ve been think a lot about trauma and the experience of Latino youth. What spoke to me most recently was the video of this young girl, Fatima, crying because the U.S. government took her father away from her. It’s clear by their story that her dad is an immense part of her life, a supporter, motivator, protector, provider—everything a good dad is. And now he’s been ripped from her. For what purpose? I read this story and thought of countless of others that I’ve read of Latino children who live in constant fear and anxiety of this happening to their families. Who hear their parents being called illegal or criminals.…
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MLK Day: On Resistance
I wish this MLK Day could be more festive. A real celebration of progress and accomplishments, but we are facing a bleak time. I remember attending an event in September about DACA and a panelist kept wanting to talk about this doomsday scenario and everyone–everyone–the other panelists, the audience, we kept laughing it off because it was just never going to happen. And now, groups are scrambling to prepare for the worst: raids, loss of basic rights, the mental, economic, and emotional toil of losing access to healthcare, and just the ever-encompassing fear of all the things that could happen. I am fearful of what this administration will mean to…
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Be a Goal-Digger: Setting and Achieving in 2017
I remember checking my first semester law school grades and thinking, “hmmm, not great.” Surprisingly, I did not have a freak out when my grades were not so fantastic. And although I tried to alter some things second semester, I still didn’t seem to get it. It wasn’t until I completely revamped my studying style that everything finally clicked into place and it was smooth-sailing/dean’s list from then on, thankyouverymuch. But think of all the time I wasted my second semester because I didn’t realign appropriately. Instead, I should have taken the gift of a “fresh start” to make real changes in my study habits. I try to do that…
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Walkout: How Protests Lead to Increase Access to Education
There is a meme going around that shows two versions of Latinos: one is a group of college grads and the others are protesters. The image reads that the graduates’ actions (of going to school) speaks louder than the protesters. The idea being that we should keep our heads down, do the work, and our success will speak for itself. It’s an admirable thought, but it’s wrong. It’s wrong because it ignores our history. U.S. Latinx history proves that we achieve justice only when we fight for our rights. And Latino access to quality education is specifically tied to community protests where community members agitated, disrupted, and demanded civil rights…
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Latinas at Work: Working Hard for Half the Recognition
There was a recent a study conducted on Latinas in the corporate world. The study found that Latinas are more likely to feel like they have to work harder than colleagues to be taken seriously. There is a fear of being seen as “too Latina” and a great effort to downplay our otherness at work. When I read this I was like, aha! I very much attempted to assimilate my looks into a more mainstream “look” when I was in law school. I still don’t wear hoop earrings for fear of how they’re perceived. L We’ve hit on these topics before, but it’s a recent student that shows how Latinas,…
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Journey to JD: When You Fail Law School
Law school is hard. Everyone knows that, but it’s not just hard academically, it’s difficult on an emotional level. Students are used to being the smartest in the room and we’re stripped down and re-structured so that we can think like a lawyer. This teaching model was very much created with one type of student in mind. When we are not like the “typical” law student we can struggle mightily to succeed. Today we have a guest post from J, a current law student, who wants to share that struggle with us. I think it’s important for us to see the grit, determination, and fight we often have to do as…
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One Week to Go: Conquer the Bar
You have one week to go. It’s super tense right now, I know–this was me, one week before the bar: Don’t panic. That is what I keep telling myself. don’t panic b/c it distracts you. just focus. not easily done. I have been in my apartment for five days. I have not stepped foot outside my home in five days…and I probably won’t until Saturday. study study study. But sadly today I reviewed subjects that are not my friends: Commercial Paper, Secured Transaction, and Corporations…basically all business related shit. After reviewing I about freaked out when I tried to do an essay because I could not answer it! I was…
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Be Your Best Self During the Bar (it’s semi-possible)
Some worthwhile pieces of advice as you study for the bar so that you go into the exam well-rested, well-nourished, and well-versed in the format:
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Confidence Boost: What All Law Students Need to Know
During law school, I kept a semi-consistent blog where I basically just re-capped my weekends (super riveting, I know). I was looking at a post I wrote after the first day of my Bar prep course and how much I was already freaking out about failing: But mostly I’m fearful because the one thing law school was great at was reminding me how unintelligent I am. I mean, when people asked me questions about theories or laws I would think to myself, “why are they asking me?” Seriously, my intellectual confidence took a beating so it’s no surprise that I am apprehensive about this whole Bar thing. Now, some people…
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More than a Brown Face: Making Your Voice Heard
Ok first, if you’re not watching the People vs. OJ Simpson you need to get your life. That’s the first thing. Seriously, it so accurately touches on race in the law and what it feels like to be an attorney of color. It’s no secret that this profession has a diversity problem. It’s no secret that students of color feel isolated, and that it often gets worse once they’re actually practicing. Then we feel the pressure of feeling like a token—constantly questioning if we’re actually valued, wanted, or just there for show? The scene that really spoke to this was in this week’s episode where the prosecution is dealing with…