Five years running with a street gang has given me a prospective lacking in higher education. The truth is, not many people have similar experiences in my law school or in law schools across the country. This is disturbing because its means the voices of those I grew up with are unheard in this place called professional school. It has inspired me to actively work to increase diversity not only in my law school but in higher education period. I currently serve on the UW Law School Diversity Committee where we work to achieve an inclusive climate for students of color and other underrepresented communities. I also serve as the co-chair for Latina/o Law Students Association which presents to high school and undergraduate Latina/o students in an effort to eradicate the school to prison pipeline and ensure college enrollment. Another thing I do, which I am most proud of, is participate in a mentoring program for youth who are in juvenile detention. Through this program I am able to focus my attention on a young woman of color who could really use a positive influence.

I was able to get out of the street gang life. I graduated high school and worked for a couple of years before going to college. I am thankful for the opportunity to get a college degree and now to be months away from graduating law school. But with my opportunity comes responsibility to serve and bring up those behind me. I look forward to serving my community through working as a public defender and mentoring youth. Being Latina has definitely shaped my higher education experience. Both because I look around and don’t see many people like me, and because when I am in a classroom I don’t hear many experiences like mine. But I know I belong here because I am a PROUD LATINA!