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American Like Me: A Book Review
On one of my first days of school in the U.S. a young boy approached me and asked: What color are you? I had never been asked this before and remember showing him my arm, confused that this poor boy didn’t know his colors and answered: I’m tan. Later when I told my mom what happened, she laughed and said if someone asks you that again just say you’re Mexican. Easy enough. However, as I grew up, I realized the complexities of race in the U.S. I grappled with my own cultural identity and picking the right “label.” It’s all so complicated and made more so by the fact that…
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A Spark: Books that Empower Latinas
So, the sad truth is there are many Latina authors, but they are not supported and very rarely get the same backing as other authors. That’s why it feels rare to read a book by Latinas. I’ve mentioned before that I’ve edited my social media followings to include mostly & primarily women of color. When I think about it, I realize it stems from my reading habits. Like most of you, I love reading and when I was little, the library was our refuge. My mom would take me to the local library and it would provide solace and peace away from homes that were, at times, tumultuous. I was…
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How Can You Study In Times Like These?
Everything can feel so overwhelming right now with what’s happening in the news. It can feel like a useless endeavor to study for the bar when so much chaos is happening at that border and in our communities. Even still, it’s so vital for you to keep going, to focus on the bar (or whatever goal you have this summer). Use what’s happening as motivation to get to your next chapter. But I really want to volunteer! I remember the travel ban last year and how people swarmed the airport. So many students participated in that as well. So, yes, you can certainly volunteer in whatever capacity you can. But…
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Value Your Time: Learning to Say No
Learning to value your time is a skill. When you’re new to the profession you may add too much to your plate because you want to impress the higher-ups, or you want experience, or you just don’t know if you can really say no. I totally get that it’s not easy to recognize when some opportunities are just not right for you. But not knowing when to say no (even as a student) can lead to you wasting your time, feeling demoralized, and neglecting other, more important, projects. I learned this the hard way when I was a 3L: My law school had a pretty prestigious trial advocacy fellowship (that…
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Latina Lawyer Gift Guide 2017
So I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I totally use the holiday season as an excuse to buy things for myself. Wooops. Secret is out. But I can’t be the only one! In the past, I’ve shared basic/classic items that all new attorneys and law students would like–and those are all still solid choices. But, this year I thought I’d share some of the items that I have been constantly using and that translate into easy gifts for either new attorneys or law students: Statement earrings. I really love statement earrings at the moment. They aren’t too distracting–like some of my noisy statement necklaces, but add so much…
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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…
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Put in the Work: Preparing for Finals
We talk a lot about stress in law school, especially during finals time because guuuurrrl it is stressful! Beyond anything you experience in college. It is a mental mind melt and it can feel confusing as to why it feels so rough. Trust that you’re not alone in feeling frustrated and that it’s very normal to feel like you’re at a loss during finals. You’re about to go into exams without any real idea of how well you understand the concepts you’ve been learning. It’s all riding on these grades and not only is it curved, but you also have to worry about format. Issa lot. But it’s not impossible.…
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Grit is not Enough
Are you gritty? Do you persevere above all obstacles to reach your goal? Chances are, if you are heading to law school, the answer is yes. We are so full of grit, y’all! Grit (perseverance and passion) is a quality characteristic–and students of color, living in poverty have it by the boatload. Yet, we place too heavy a burden on students of color when we focus on grit as the sole reason of why they succeed. Because when we only focus on the individual, we take away the responsibility schools and other systems of power have to help our communities. And grit isn’t enough for students to overcome those barriers.…
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Why is Law School Such a Trip?
Everyone knows that law school is hard. You know that going in, but for many of us, halfway into our first semester there’s a shift from difficult to seemingly impossible. Why is law school so mentally difficult? Why does it make us question our intelligence, our choices, and capacity? Law school is tough for practical reasons. Mostly, they are retraining you to think objectively. Thinking objectively is difficult to do. It goes against our nature, which often wants to choose a side rather than view everything from all angles. It’s hard to master, and it’s frustrating when you don’t “get” it—especially when you’re used to doing well in school. It’s…
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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 you’ve 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 label—to be the trailblazer, the first—it paints an image of a driven, focused person. It’s a worthy title for so many of us. But it is also a difficult one. Being first can mean frustration, isolation,…