Fellows

Leslie is a first-year law student at Golden Gate University, School of Law in San Francisco and was a member of the 2020 inaugural cohort.

As someone committed to a career in public interest law, she intends to use her law degree to advocate for marginalized groups and serve them through movement lawyering and policy advocacy work. It is essential to uplift the voices of people who are often not getting the recognition they deserve for championing fundamental change. Her goal is to work alongside historically excluded communities and reimagine the American legal system as one centered on transformative and restorative policies.

Leslie’s motivation to serve others through public interest work comes from her own lived experiences and through meeting community members and the impact of legislation on their lives. She grew up in a low-socioeconomic, predominantly Black and Latino neighborhood with little investment from political leaders. She witnessed systemic violence through poverty, affecting every aspect of daily life including poor education, unaffordable housing, inadequate healthcare, and employment.

Alejandro J. graduated from Kalamazoo College and is a member of our 2022 cohort. In his words: “Mentorship has always been one of the key contributions to leading me in the direction in which I must travel. LEAP has provided me the opportunity to network with folks that have been down the road I am approaching. LEAP’s specific focus on a social justice based understanding of the law would enhance my path by providing me with the necessary networks to be a legal beacon of change in my communities. Having worked in a law firm for the past two years has given me the exposure to see what the day-to-day life of a lawyer is like. However, I still yearn for an opportunity to see what a lawyer engaging with the justice system to aid those who look like the people I grew up with is like. LEAP’s emphasis on mentorship and guidance will play essential to allowing me to be the best possible candidate that I could be as I know this is a journey that can be traversed alone. It is through collaboration that we are able to reflect on, challenge, and further develop our skills and knowledge.”

My personal experiences have given me first-hand observations of how policy and law implementations affect low-income communities and individuals, giving me the skills to make a difference for when I become a lawyer. The nature of my interest in the legal profession closely resonates with my personal values of altruism and activism. One day I wish to be able to inspire others who are in the same place as I once was and help them achieve their goals. I would love to use my legal education to advocate for a variety of marginalized and underrepresented groups.

I would love to help mentor or be a guide to any undergraduate or younger students who are interested in law. I firmly believe that there is a pipeline problem and as someone who is first-generation and was lost by the law school application process, I would love to be
a resource to other students who may come to feel the same way as me. My goal is to always help uplift other students/people from marginalized populations and do my part to help open doors for increased representation, equity, and justice.

Jannet will be attending Stanford Law in the fall of 2022!