I’ve noticed something about myself—I have a habit of dwelling on the past while being so focused on the future that I forget to live in the present. I often find myself reflecting on my high school years, wondering if I was a better version of myself back then. But if college has taught me anything, it’s the incredible value of self-discovery. Without going into too much detail, the person I was in high school wasn’t me—it was a facade. I never felt like I was being authentic. It was as if all my actions and decisions were made by someone else. I lacked confidence but put on the mask of the most self-assured person in the room. Now, finishing my second year of college, I can proudly say that’s changed. Through my experiences at CSU, I’ve become the version of myself I’ve always wanted to be. I know it sounds cliché, but leaving home and stepping into the world on your own really is an indescribable experience. I’ve had the privilege of meeting some incredible people—those who showed me the kind of qualities and values I want to carry with me. On the flip side, I also encountered people who weren’t right for me, and it was in those moments that I learned exactly what I don’t want to become. College is often talked about in terms of academics and career prep, but what doesn’t get enough credit is the deep personal transformation it sparks. And that, to me, has been just as valuable—if not more. That said, I’ve also been fortunate to grow professionally. This is largely due to my fellowship with LAW SCHOOL...Yes We Can! Before college, I knew I wanted a career in law, but my only experiences were through family members navigating the criminal justice system. I had experience with the impacts of the law, but I wanted access to and understanding of the law itself. LSYWC has given me this and so much more. My mentor group has become one of the most sacred and significant parts of my life. Although we don’t communicate daily, they’ve never failed to offer advice when I needed it. I am applying for a job, and I got to prepare with three attorneys—who gets to say that? I’ve also faced serious legal questions, and my mentor group has felt like family, supporting me however they can. LSYWC has been—and will continue to be—a significant part of my life. The workshops have given me skills I couldn’t have gained elsewhere. The events created spaces to network and connect. But most importantly, LSYWC has given me something even more valuable: examples. Examples of success in the legal field that made the path feel accessible, real, and attainable.

Hello, my name is Ana Barraza. As an immigrant woman and a single mother, I find myself in a vulnerable position; however, it has also been my greatest motivation to move forward and seek opportunities at LSYWC, transforming my life and that of my children. This organization has played a key role in my professional development, offering me a platform to build meaningful relationships, gain visibility in the legal field, and access resources I once thought were out of reach. It has also connected me to an exclusive network of attorneys, academics, and professionals who have opened new doors for my career.  As part of the program, we are assigned mentors. For me, as a full-time student, mother of two young children, and active participant in two programs that support me, that help has been essential. The consistent guidance of my mentors, the Honorable Judge Sara Garrido, Attorney Morgan Richardson, and Board Member Paty Powell. One of the most invaluable pieces of advice I received from them was never to let anyone make me feel guilty for making decisions that benefit my children and myself, no matter how difficult those choices may seem to others. From that moment on, I began to trust my strengths, value myself more as a woman, and understand the power of perseverance and courage.  Also, getting to know the stories of trailblazing women, such as the Honorable Judges Christine Arguello and Sara Garrido, who overcame social barriers to achieve their current positions, has been deeply inspiring. They are living proof that even in the most challenging spaces, it is possible to pave the way for those of us who come after.  Another fundamental part of LSYWC is the legal internships offered at prestigious firms across Denver. These opportunities not only enhance our professional experience but also increase our competitiveness in the job market. Additionally, the program includes LSAT preparation, a crucial tool for gaining admission to law school. Had I known about these opportunities back in high school, I would have taken advantage of them much earlier.  LSYWC is not only transforming my life, but also the lives of my family and community. I am on the path to becoming the first lawyer in my family—on both my mother’s and father’s sides—proving that perseverance and determination can break any barrier. My goal is to become an immigration attorney and, eventually, a legislator in the state of Colorado, creating laws that protect and empower people like me who belong to vulnerable communities.  Being part of LSYWC not only provides you with all the tools necessary to succeed in the legal field and the guidance to navigate your future career, but more importantly, it makes me feel like I belong to a family. That’s how I see my peers—like family—because we are always treated with respect and supported by all the program’s leaders. Without a doubt, it has been an experience I will always be grateful for, and I feel truly honored to be part of it.

As my junior year of college comes to an end, I can’t help but wonder how I managed to push through all the obstacles life has thrown my way. I then recall the support I have received from my amazing mentoring team. With this group of legal professionals, I have been able to discuss the stresses of life and the things that make me struggle to keep going. My team has become more than just people I discuss my future legal career with; they are people who listen to me and care for my well-being before anything else. At times when I found myself worried about summer internships, courses, or extracurricular activities, my mentors have been there to share their experiences and thoughts, which consistently help with my worries. My mentors have been the most important part of Law School… Yes We Can! and have been able to help me both professionally and personally. This past year has been full of new experiences and knowledge. In the fall of 2024, I was fortunate to study in Washington, D.C, for the semester, which allowed me to intern with a criminal defense attorney in the city. Through this experience alone, I gained insight into the field of criminal law, how court proceedings are conducted, and was able to converse with clients in jail. While in D.C, I was very isolated from everything and everyone that I knew, and my monthly meetings with my mentoring team were the time when I could talk to people who knew me as more than an intern. During this time, I also attended a number of workshops that continued to build on my learning and allowed me to network with really meaningful individuals, such as Dean Freeman at DU Law School and Alan Schieve, who works in admissions at CU Boulder Law. The Law School Admission Workshop explored tips for success in one’s law school application, as well as the various programs and resources available at both CU Boulder and DU law schools. Following this workshop, I was able to reach out to both Dean Freeman and Alan Schieve to introduce myself as a future law school applicant. Being able to have this one-on-one experience was very meaningful and important for someone like me, who is still learning about the legal field.  During my time at Law School…Yes, We Can. I have intervened at two law firms and will be interning at the Kosovo Consulate in Des Moines, Iowa, in the summer of 2025. My participation in workshops, as well as conversations with my mentoring team, has built my networking and communication skills, which I believe have contributed to my successes. I have also been extremely grateful for the flexibility and understanding that the LSYWC staff has given me during my time as a college athlete. Their positive energy and understanding of my schedule have allowed me to work hard on the tennis court as well as in school, leading me to be named “Female Athlete of the Week” by the American Rivers Conference and to keep my undefeated singles record. I have been extremely grateful for the opportunities and people in LSYWC and look forward to seeing what this year has to offer, as I hope to apply to law school in the Fall of 2025.

Growing up, college didn’t feel like an option for me. I immigrated with my family from Mexico to the United States at a young age, and since then, I have had to learn how to be independent. To me, college always seemed far away, intimidating, expensive — like a benefit meant for other people. I didn’t see myself in college, and for a long time, it wasn’t even part of my plan.  But now, I’m just weeks away from graduating this May with my bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Writing this feels surreal. And I’m so thankful I got the push I needed to take a chance on higher education and even more grateful for having found Law School… Yes We Can! (“LSYWC”) throughout this journey.  LSYWC has given me what I didn’t even realize — that I now have the opportunity to go to law school. I am intelligent, I have the resources and resilience to succeed as I start applying for law school and thrive when I get there. I often wish I had found LSYWC earlier in my college journey. If I had, I know I would’ve felt more prepared and supported from day one. But even now, it’s made an enormous difference in my life.  One of the most impactful benefits from LSYWC has been the mentorship. I was paired with someone already in the legal profession, someone I can reach out to at any time with questions, worries, or just to discuss things further. As a Latina, having someone who understands this career path and is willing to guide me through it has been everything. Just knowing I can turn to my mentor for help and guidance makes the idea of law school feel a lot less scary and a lot more possible.  As a first-generation college student, I didn’t grow up hearing about the LSAT or personal statements. I didn’t know how to choose college classes with law school in mind, or how to build the kind of resume that admissions committees look for. LSYWC broke down all of those barriers for me. It helped turn a great challenge that once felt overwhelming into an opportunity that I could manage step by step.  More than anything, LSYWC gave me direction, confidence, and a sense of community by reminding me that even if I didn’t start with all the answers, I’ve always had what it takes.

As I was finishing my second year at the University of Colorado Boulder, I began to see myself transform into the person I had always wanted to be. I started out lost, not knowing what I wanted to do in school. I started as a neuroscience major, but I finally found my true passion in International affairs. Through all of my active changes, I found Law School Yes We Can. Everything started to make sense to me. I decided to switch my major and apply to the program at the same time, and I never once second-guessed my decision.  As I look back on that decision, I realize it set me on the path I am on now, putting me in the position as a member of a Multicultural Greek fraternity whose ultimate goal is to graduate. A peer mentor leader in the pre-collegiate program encouraged me to pursue my college degree in the end. And now, as I head into my final year as an International Affairs major with minors in political science, Spanish, and business, and hold a certificate in Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies, I can confidently say that I never second-guessed my decision that brought me here.  I give thanks to LAW SCHOOL... Yes We Can helped me pursue my true vocation. Growing up as an only child, I never had many mentors or anyone to look up to for inspiration, a situation that was compounded by the fact that I was a first-generation college student. I am actively paving the way for my family and setting the example for my younger cousins, trying to be the mentor I never had.  Being a fellow has provided me with immense opportunities and given me access to resources I never even knew existed; I would've told my high school self to apply to the program back then. The weight and pressure have truly been lifted off my shoulders, knowing that there is always someone in the program I can talk to and relate to. My mentor team has always told me to be myself, as only I know what works for me. I don't have to fit in with the rest of the world, and that was the mindset I had during my first years of college. But until I joined the program, I knew I could be my authentic self.  My path in life has always been somewhat unclear when it comes to what I want to do. I've always tried to work hard on many things, but LAW SCHOOL...Yes We Can truly has cleared up my path. Attending the workshops that provided me with knowledge I would have never gained, primarily as a first-generation student, I have always felt like others had an advantage over me. However, the program has shown me that being the underdog isn't a burden. Still, it only leads to more motivation to be great and create my own legacy on my terms.

Now, as I finish my third year at Colorado College, I marvel at the growth I've experienced since my first year. When applying for colleges, I aspired to be the busiest person on campus. I wanted to know everyone, understand my campus like the back of my hand, and experience the long-anticipated moment of freedom.  Upon coming to college, I quickly realized how much fear had paralyzed me from these once treasured and highly coveted aspirations. Freshman me stood in awe as I suddenly dreaded class – the space in which I used to find solace. I had anxiety speaking in front of my peers and closed myself off to joining campus activities. I found it hard to be away from my family while also trying to make a community in a foreign environment. I longed for a community space, and for so long, I would squirm and slouch lower in my seat when I had to say my name, major, and a fun fact about me.  Coming into Law School … Yes We Can, for one of the first times in college, I felt so much relief at the sight of peers and attorneys who were willing to give their time to share their personal experiences. Walking through the doors for orientation this past fall made me understand some people genuinely want to see you succeed. Through LSYWC, I have met with four mentors regularly and aspire to be like them daily. They share their personal experiences with me and are unwaveringly kind. They continue to help me use my voice and stand firm in my experiences.  I have gained a deeper understanding of my leadership style and what it means to attend law school through workshops this year. The DiSC training specifically helped me evaluate my C style and learn how to better work with my peers, taking more risks and pushing forward with confidence. I feel a sense of preparedness that makes me understand what it is like to belong in a community. I look forward to the next year in this program and to continuing to understand the value of gaining confidence within a group. I am so grateful to be a part of this opportunity in order to grow in a safe environment.

Why not? Yes We Can! I come from an underrepresented community where students don’t expect to attend or graduate from college because it feels unachievable. We are haunted by the voices of denial that discourage us from even trying. My mom always pushed me to go to college. But she grew up in Guatemala in an indigenous Mayan community where people are uneducated due to a lack of resources and language barriers—many people speak Mayan dialects rather than Spanish. My mom came to the United States because she knew she wanted her children to have the opportunities she could never give us in Guatemala. Attempting to take advantage of those opportunities, I enrolled in college at age 18. Without mentorship nor financial aid, I felt alone in my goals and I gave up after 2 semesters. In 2020, I had a realization that my life was going nowhere. I had drowned my childhood trauma in alcohol and up to that point, I had nothing to show for myself. No career, no education, nothing. I couldn’t live the rest of my life this way. As a result of this realization, I became sober. I attended the Community College of Aurora to obtain my paralegal certification through an ABA accredited program, along with my associate degree. Upon completion, I obtained an internship, and eventually a job, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Colorado. It was there that I met Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA), Tim Jafek, who shined the light on the possibility of law school. I laughed. I told him that I could never pay for it, and that I only had an associate degree. To go to law school, I would have to go back to school while working full-time and being a mom to my 7-year-old daughter. He challenged me, “why not?” At the time, AUSA Jafek was a mentor for Law School…Yes We Can! (LSYWC). He told me about the program and encouraged me to apply. In 2024, I got a letter of acceptance into LSYWC. LSYWC introduced me to people like me. People who faced various obstacles in life and seldom had a helping hand in overcoming those obstacles. We were underrepresented, afraid, and unsure as to how to achieve the goals our parents had never achieved. We had no guidance. Many of us had no money. LSYWC showed us that Yes We Can! We met each other and mentors who cared enough to volunteer their time to help students like us with big dreams. The biggest benefit I’ve gained from LSYWC so far has been finding out that I’m not alone: there are other dreamers like me who want to be lawyers to help others like us and beyond. Our experiences have empowered us to want to make a difference in our communities. We have the will, determination, and passion to do this. LSYWC ignites the fuel to help us shine so others can see the potential we couldn’t see in ourselves.

I’ve always been nervous about being late to any event, and it’s precisely the way I felt for the Mental Empowerment event hosted by ALPFA. That day, I slept through my alarm, but by some miracle, I woke up with just enough time to get ready and arrive at the event earlier than expected. I checked in, sat down on one of the comfy couches by the entrance, and took in the aspects of the space. A few moments later, a girl came up and sat next to me. Through conversation, I discovered that she was also a LSYWC Fellow, who is close to graduating from college. That common ground instantly connected us, so we scouted the area together and even had time to connect over coffee! Right on cue, we were invited to grab a seat as the event began. There were four people in chairs in front of us who started with introductions, a summary of ALPFA and its goals, and then the panel discussion commenced. Right from the bat, I felt like everything they covered was extremely powerful and resonated with my life and experiences. The panelists shared aspects of their profession, life, and the obstacles they faced, inviting the audience to discuss their own experiences actively. We covered topics like imposter syndrome, sentiments of underqualification or being undeserving, and feeling overwhelmed or pressured with our lives. Each word shared from everyone’s different, yet similar, experiences were felt deep inside my heart. As the discussion continued, I found myself getting emotional. That day, I felt seen, heard, and understood as a person of color who is heading into a professional career, even though I didn’t talk about my own experiences. It introduced me to new affirmations for my life, such as “you are safe,” “you are allowed to take up space,” and “you are smart, capable, and deserve to be there.” These affirmations all helped remind me of the following: 1. Not everyone approaches with the intention of ‘attacking’ me; 2. I shouldn’t have to mitigate my presence or voice in any setting; and 3. It is my knowledge, skills, and person as a whole that have gotten me to where I am, so I deserve and have earned to be there. Without LSYWC, I wouldn’t have been able to attend these events or even know they existed at all. I wouldn’t have engaged in such a vulnerable and important conversation. I wouldn’t have been able to connect with other fellows and event participants. I wouldn’t have met Marisol, who brought a chapter of ALPFA to DU and was introduced to me by one of my mentors, or Victoria, a guest at the event and owner of the Latina-Owned Collective organization. Most importantly, I wouldn’t have been as successful in my first year of college without the knowledge, connections, exposure, reassurance, and confidence that LSYWC’s events and people bring to me.

"Know Your Place." This statement has stuck with me over the past few years: “Know your place”. My mind keeps playing with its concepts of objectivity and subjectivity, as well as its negative and positive connotations. There are times I’m sure it’s referring to my blackness, a pressure to give in to societal expectations. At other times, I think it’s speaking to my heart, to be proud of where I stand. But mainly, I think I’m unraveling its power in the best way possible. Howard University is the last place I thought I would end up for college, yet here I am, nearly finished with my undergraduate degree. Stepping into a beautiful all black space, I’ve had the privilege of blending. I’m immersed in all kinds of black, from nerdy and poetic to STEM, joyful, moody, and many others. As a Black transracial adoptee, it’s like seeing for the first time all I could be. So, I can’t help asking myself, what is my place? What is my standout against a backdrop of a million shooting stars? If Howard’s taught me anything, it’s that my people are anything but a monolith. And in that, I’ve found the strength to find my black voice—honestly, just my voice period. No one is going to stand there and tell me who, what, or where to be. There isn’t a preset space reserved for me; I have to create it. LSYWC is an experience that has helped increase my comfort level with this complex idea of place-making. LSYWC is where I learned that place isn’t something handed to you—it’s something you carve out with intention, courage, and a sense of community. It’s a space that welcomes you, while expecting you to show up fully as yourself, even when the world tells you to shrink. Becoming an intern and a 2024 fellow felt like a moment of triumph. I finally felt like maybe I could do this. Perhaps I could really become an attorney, even if that dream still feels slightly out of reach. LSYWC has been that consistent reminder that I don’t have to have it all figured out. Growth doesn’t come from being already prepared; it comes from trying anyway. The push I get from my mentors is one of love and expectation, not pressure, but belief. They believe in me, so I’ve started believing in myself. LSYWC is an experience that is shaping some of my most crucial tools of understanding this world and myself. Every doubt I’ve had about belonging is softened by the fact that this space made room for me, as a whole, growing person with ideas, questions, and purpose. That phrase—“know your place” has always pressed against me in subtle ways, but like I said, there’s so much power to be discovered in this tiny statement. My place isn’t something assigned to me. It’s something I’m actively building. Howard University, for all its unexpected beauty, gave me the gift of Blackness in all its forms. LSYWC helped me step into that multiplicity. For now, this is my place.

My mentors, Bob Bach and Andrew Ken, have given me amazing advice over the course of the past year. From LSAT preparation, to applying for law school and jobs, to how to keep my sanity in the chaos that is the path to becoming a lawyer. However, the most important and useful piece of advice they have given me is to maintain my authenticity. By attending a predominantly white institution like the University of Denver, my confidence was a rollercoaster with constant highs and lows. In my classes I felt like an outlier and someone who did not belong there. But after my meeting with Bob and Andrew, I learned to express myself and be proud of the unique perspective I bring to all of my classes. Being my authentic self has not only increased confidence in my self-image but has also improved my ability to defend my personal beliefs. I am not afraid to take a stand for what I believe in and defend the positions I take in my debates and further improve my logical reasoning for the future. This in turn has improved my grades, as my writing has significantly improved in my pre-law and philosophy classes. I have learned to speak professionally with professors and have developed amazing relationships with them, some of whom will be writing my letters of recommendations to my dream law schools. Bob and Andrew showed me that I did not have to change who I was to be the successful attorney I want to be, and my experiences that have made me the man I am now, the good and tragic, will benefit me in my journey in the legal field. This advice has worked in tandem with all that I have learned from my time so far in LSYWC and helped me solidify my dreams for the future. I hope to get a job as a legal assistant or paralegal in the Bay Area before attending law school, as I I fell in love with the Bay Area when I visited UC Berkeley. I plan to use this time to explore the legal field prior to law school, so as to greatly refine my professional experience to start my tenure at law school with a fresh mind that is ready to be academically challenged. LSYWC contributed to these dreams by preparing me not just for law school, but to shoot for the stars and be confident in what I have to offer, because I have been given skills that make me stand out when applying to amazing law schools and will make me an excellent and skilled attorney in the future.

As I near the conclusion of my first year as a Law School…Yes We Can Fellow, and reflect on my journey at the University of Denver, I’m realizing just how much has changed since my first year at this school. When I first started college, I was nervous about the unknowns, about whether I would belong, whether I could handle the pressure, and whether I would find a space where I felt truly supported. Later, I found that space in LSYWC.  ut now, I’m just weeks away from graduating this May with my bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Writing this feels surreal. And I’m so thankful I got the push I needed to take a chance on higher education and even more grateful for having found Law School… Yes We Can! (“LSYWC”) throughout this journey.  LSYWC has given me what I didn’t even realize — that I now have the opportunity to go to law school. I am intelligent, I have the resources and resilience to succeed as I start applying for law school and thrive when I get there. I often wish I had found LSYWC earlier in my college journey. If I had, I know I would’ve felt more prepared and supported from day one. But even now, it’s made an enormous difference in my life.  One of the most impactful benefits from LSYWC has been the mentorship. I was paired with someone already in the legal profession, someone I can reach out to at any time with questions, worries, or just to discuss things further. As a Latina, having someone who understands this career path and is willing to guide me through it has been everything. Just knowing I can turn to my mentor for help and guidance makes the idea of law school feel a lot less scary and a lot more possible.  As a first-generation college student, I didn’t grow up hearing about the LSAT or personal statements. I didn’t know how to choose college classes with law school in mind, or how to build the kind of resume that admissions committees look for. LSYWC broke down all of those barriers for me. It helped turn a great challenge that once felt overwhelming into an opportunity that I could manage step by step.  More than anything, LSYWC gave me direction, confidence, and a sense of community by reminding me that even if I didn’t start with all the answers, I’ve always had what it takes. But now, I’m just weeks away from graduating this May with my bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Writing this feels surreal. And I’m so thankful I got the push I needed to take a chance on higher education and even more grateful for having found Law School… Yes We Can! (“LSYWC”) throughout this journey.  LSYWC has given me what I didn’t even realize — that I now have the opportunity to go to law school. I am intelligent, I have the resources and resilience to succeed as I start applying for law school and thrive when I get there. I often wish I had found LSYWC earlier in my college journey. If I had, I know I would’ve felt more prepared and supported from day one. But even now, it’s made an enormous difference in my life.  One of the most impactful benefits from LSYWC has been the mentorship. I was paired with someone already in the legal profession, someone I can reach out to at any time with questions, worries, or just to discuss things further. As a Latina, having someone who understands this career path and is willing to guide me through it has been everything. Just knowing I can turn to my mentor for help and guidance makes the idea of law school feel a lot less scary and a lot more possible.  As a first-generation college student, I didn’t grow up hearing about the LSAT or personal statements. I didn’t know how to choose college classes with law school in mind, or how to build the kind of resume that admissions committees look for. LSYWC broke down all of those barriers for me. It helped turn a great challenge that once felt overwhelming into an opportunity that I could manage step by step.  More than anything, LSYWC gave me direction, confidence, and a sense of community by reminding me that even if I didn’t start with all the answers, I’ve always had what it takes.

In pursuit of education, I chase agency. The kind not in symbolic nature, but the embodied or structural kind. The kind that transforms knowing into doing. The kind that recognizes how the law can be both gatekeeper and guide, how it shapes the very roads we walk on, and whether we can walk them at all. I want my community to see how individual agency fuels collective action, and how we can transform our surroundings. Education connects political potential, meaning a just education system empowers individuals to act as equal agents in a democracy, something needed now more than ever. Growing up in a rural community where my presence was both hyper-visible and invisible at once, I learned early that the law is not abstract. It is felt, in school boards underfunded, in infrastructure skipping over quiet towns, in the way identity is policed as much by silence as by words. In that place, my body learned its own politics. But the law, I’ve since learned, can also give you the tools to shift the boundaries others draw for you. Law school, to me, isn’t a promise of power. It’s a chance to ask different questions. It’s where I lead with curiosity, something I was taught not in the classroom, but through the characters I clung to in books. Anne of Green Gables taught me to insist upon my education as a woman. She modeled how to create space in worlds where the status quo didn’t imagine us there. In that way, literature taught me the first lessons of law: to insist, to interpret, to belong. I’ve been fortunate to find belonging in different places outside my family. In Denver, I was seen in a way that rural life often denied me. Representation wasn’t just about seeing Latinas in high places, it was about being accepted in the complexity of my identity. It was about not having to negotiate visibility, but just being. I learned there how authenticity sustains communities when the systems don’t. The law, too, must imagine what is possible, as what is known fades to fascism world wide. My legal ambitions are rooted in imagining a world where rural and urban inequities aren’t siloed stories, but are imagined radically, daring to reconstruct futures where resources are redistributed, communities are empowered, and justice is redefined. I’m grateful to be surrounded by a program like Yes We Can Law School, among peers who are visionaries interpreting justice and creating it. They are actively protecting rights and expanding the very idea of how it is applied. Here, I have the privilege of being mentored by those who are actively defining what justice is and how it evolves under changing social, political, and human pressures. I thank my mentors for giving me the time, space, and guidance to reimagine futures more equitable, more courageous, and more humane. So yes, we can. But only if we choose to. Only if we chase not just justice in the abstract, but the everyday kind.

When I first started thinking about college I had so many expectations about what my experience would be like. Looking back, I realized my freshman year was nothing like I expected it to be. I thought college was going to be easy and I would be constantly going out and making new friends. The only thing that scared me about college was the schoolwork and whether I could get good grades. Now that my freshman year is almost over, I am happy to say I’ve done good in my classes and kept my grades up. Getting good grades wasn’t always easy because I always had obstacles that I always had to get through. While dealing with family and financial trouble it was sometimes hard for me to focus on my classes and my assignments. Even though it was hard for me to focus on my assignments I always made sure to set time aside to do my work even if I was having a hard time. Balancing a job while attending classes and keeping up with schoolwork and homework it was hard for me to make new friends or even keep in contact with them. It’s hard to keep in contact because when I often feel overwhelmed, I shut myself off from talking to people so I can focus. So being overwhelmed made it hard to go out and meet new people. I was also really scared to meet new people as well because I sometimes feel too nervous to talk to new people. When I try, I just start overthinking and feel like I talk too much or say the wrong things. Overall, my freshman year has been a learning experience. Even though it wasn’t what I expected I am more than happy with the grades I earned and I and proud of how I handled everything I needed to. If I learned anything the most it would be to push myself to be more social and make more friends. I feel like with me being scared that stopped me from making new memories and getting myself out there.

I am forever grateful that I joined the LAW SCHOOL…Yes We Can (LSYWC) community. It is hard to believe that I joined only a year ago, as my life has been enriched in many ways since then. My mentors have been extremely helpful in this LSYWC journey thus far, and I look forward to continuing this journey with them. As a child, I always bounced between career ideas, unsure of what I wanted to pursue. However, becoming an attorney has always interested me. During my senior year of high school, I interned at an elder and estate law firm. It was not quite the area of the law that interested me, but I was able to learn more about an attorney’s work in this field. I was also president of my school's Criminal Justice and Law Program, which gave me access to lawyers and furthered my intrigue to practice criminal law. I did a one-month fellowship at a civil law firm, which broadened my legal interest to include civil law. Similarly, during this past semester of college, I took a course about the history of the U.S. and Mexico border, which sparked my interest in immigration law. This semester, I joined several organizations. I struggled to put myself out there, but I’m glad that I did. For instance, I participated in my college’s early start program. I took two compacted classes to mimic university-level courses, and in engaged in different activities and events to familiarize myself with the campus, staff, and city community. I thoroughly enjoyed the program and I was able to form lifelong connections while better preparing myself for college. Additionally, I joined our campus’s Black African Coalition and Hooked Hearts. Both align with my passions and allow me to contribute to the community by supporting those in need. My mentors consistently encourage me and always offer their guidance. They empower me to seize every opportunity and supported me when I started college and studied abroad. All of my mentors have shared their experiences, indulged my curiosity and answering my endless amount of questions. My mentors emphasize how everyone’s journey is different, whether you take a gap year or go straight through from undergrad to law school. I get excited each day as I get closer to the next chapter of my life: law school. I am still unsure where I want to study, but it is reassuring to know that I am surrounded and supported by the fantastic people at LSYWC. In the meantime, I will continue to enjoy this chapter, take it day by day, and celebrate my successes!

It was during my junior year of college that my curiosity about law school began. As I pursued a bachelor’s degree in communication studies, I had the privilege of taking courses that expanded my understanding of the history of our country. I recognized the long-standing power attorneys held and the crucial role they played in shaping laws, governance, and societal change. Lawyers have been strong advocates for justice and aided social movements across centuries. I also recognized that what a person advocates for and what they consider to be justice reflects their lived experience and identity. The surprising reality is that there are still disproportionately low numbers of lawyers who identify as LGBTQ+ or Latina women. This lack of representation restricts our ability to craft laws that truly reflect and protect the diverse realities of our communities. The more I considered what I wanted my career to look like after college, the more my desire to pursue a legal education grew. The reality of my lack of access quickly settled in. I did not know where to begin my law school journey. I started to tell my professors, my peers, and friends in the nonprofit world about my strong desire to attend law school. I am thankful to the community that led me to Law School Yes We Can. This program has exposed me to the legal field. This exposure has not only affirmed my feelings of needing to be a part of the future diversity of the legal profession but has helped me gain a larger network of support. The program has been a valuable resource, providing me with essential access and opportunities. These included insightful workshops that equipped me with the tools to navigate the law school application process successfully. This program also brings together a group of peers facing a similar journey. I have found comfort in sharing similar challenges, uncertainties, and hopes for the future. The mentors selected for me by the program have been essential in my journey to pursue a career in law. Their stories of resilience inspire me, and their guidance and support during my LSAT preparation have been incredibly helpful. I feel confident that I can make my dream come true and attend a law school that aligns with my values and helps me obtain my J.D.

When I was younger, my mom and dad always emphasized the importance of education and hard work, especially as immigrants. I didn’t fully understand what they meant and looking back, I wonder how their push affected me. Until high school, I had been an over-achiever, joining every club, participating and being scared that I would never get into a college. I heard about LAW SCHOOL...Yes We Can through my high school but because I wanted to go into Biology, I didn’t even think about applying until the program showed up in conversations with friends after I had changed my major to International Affairs with a minor in Sociology. It was nerve-wracking to finally apply for something completely different considering I’d never been exposed to the law field. I just knew I wanted to be apart of LSYWC Meeting the other fellows at the class of 2024 orientation was incredibly humbling and felt like I was thrown in with the fishes the whole time. I think it was simply my anxiety and nerves taking control. I had realized all the traits within myself that could grow through the program. However, never in this space did I feel unwelcome nor that I didn’t fully belong. The realization that everyone including the Fellows at LSYWC was of genuine intent was relaxing and incredible. My entire mentor team has been wonderful. I’m surrounded by supportive and head-strong women who only want the best for me. We meet monthly and it’s sometimes strange to say but I do look up to them. It’s always a privilege to have the opportunity to demystify the field with them. My mentor, Christine, always tells me to stand up for myself and to take the steps to “just get in” to law school, which is a conversation we have often. This advice honestly reshaped my perspective since meeting her through LSYWC because it has helped me grow from the intense expectations I’ve had growing up. My law school mentor, Liv, gave me the opportunity to expose myself to the realities of law school, which looking back, I would’ve thought would be daunting and horrifying. Another member of my mentor team, Jesse, has shown me it’s okay to feel uncomfortable and that even lawyers and attorneys experience growing pains in the field, which is a concept I hadn’t even thought of. My mentors feel like older sisters and I wish I had met them early on in my life because maybe then I would’ve realized that law doesn’t have to be a restricted space. Since joining of LSYWC, my family has noticed that I’ve been more interested in school and professionalism for reasons of growth rather than expectation, and they consistently have encouraged me to follow my path. They are proud of me and I am blessed to have their support. LSYWC not only gave me an entire network of mentors and connections in law, it also gave me the resources to pick myself up by the bootstraps and adopt a resilient and focused mindset.