Hey John,
Today, I’m excited to share with you the new cohort of Pre-Law Fund recipients for 2021.
This year, we provided 10 undocumented students applying to law school with financial assistance and technical support for their application process. Learn more about each of our amazing recipients below:
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Isidora was born in Chile and grew up on Long Island. She has developed a passion for immigrant rights and public service. As a student at Hunter College majoring in Political Science and Public Policy, Isidora served as a voice for undocumented students on campus and beyond. Isidora currently works as a litigation paralegal in New York City. She looks forward to attending law school in the fall of 2022.
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Hyo Young “Ana” was born in South Korea and immigrated to the United States when she was in middle school. She is an alumna of American University in Washington, D.C. where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Data Sciences for Justice, Law, and Criminology. As an immigrant-survivor of sexual violence, it has been her goal to attend law school to advocate for immigrant victims — particularly victims of sexual violence. She firmly believes that immigrant rights are human rights.
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Freddy was born in Guatemala and immigrated to the United States at the age of 12. He is a senior at George Mason University (GMU) majoring in Sociology. As the Internal President of UndocuMason, an organization working to create a more inclusive environment for immigrants through education and advocacy, Freddy has contributed to institutionalized support of undocumented students at GMU. He aims to pursue a J.D. to dismantle barriers faced by immigrant populations through a career in the legal field.
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Wendy was born in Mexico and migrated to the United States with her mother and her two sisters. Wendy majored in Media Studies at UC Berkeley. Her lived and field experience made Wendy interested in attending attending law school and becoming an attorney that provides holistic services, aiming to transcend traditional legal services. She believes that in order for migrants to thrive in a new country, they must be granted the opportunity to care for all of their needs.
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Aiko is a UCLA grad Afro-Mexican immigrant with roots in Teloloapan and Costa Chica, Guerrero. Her experience as an undocumented Black immigrant has been the driving force behind her zealous advocacy for her community. Aiko grew up in a hyper-surveilled community of Santa Ana, California, and it was the resilience and perseverance in this community that fostered her work ethic and pushed her to begin organizing as a youth. The indignation she feels as a Black undocumented immigrant woman towards the criminalization and deportation of her community is pushing her to go to law school to become an attorney and continue organizing against oppressive systems.
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Mitzia migrated to the United States in 2006 from Mexico. She is a second year doctoral student at the Jurisprudence and Social Policy (JSP) Program at Berkeley Law School where she studies the legalization process through the lived experience of undocumented people. She is interested in simultaneously earning a J.D. while getting her Ph.D. to become a law professor and contribute to existing efforts to recruit and retain more students of color in law school. Her ultimate goal is to one day have her own organization that conducts research to inform legal policy to decriminalize immigrants.
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David was born in Mexico. Watching his dad work to support his family in an abusive work environment, David realized how many hard working-class immigrant families become complicit in abusive labor practices for fear of deportation, retaliation, or job loss. David has worked at SEIU Local 721 and participated in the Mobile Workers Alliance (MWA), fighting for minimum wage, benefits, and the possibility to form a union for gig workers. David currently works at West Coast Employment Lawyers, as a discovery clerk hearing from employees of different industries about their experiences of discrimination, sexual harassment, and wage or hour violations. David wants to pursue a legal education to confront these workplace injustices, and most importantly, to represent his undocumented community.
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Yael was born in Mexico and migrated to the United States at the age of 4. From a young age, Yael’s parents fostered a passion for immigrant and worker justice. She grew up in La Puente, California, believing that college was not an option due to her immigration status. Nonetheless, she went on to receive her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Labor and Workplace Studies from UCLA. Currently, she works as an eviction defense Paralegal at Bet Tzedek Legal Services in Los Angeles. Yael is committed to uplift the experiences of low-income communities of color and ensuring they have access to equitable legal resources.
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Paulina is a protector, an advocate, and a student of life. She was born in Mexico with cerebral palsy, a condition that can impact a person's ability to perform many physical tasks. Paulina’s family migrated to the U.S. when she was 6 years old, seeking access to procedures and extensive therapies that her condition demanded. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Spanish Literature from UCLA. Her undergraduate experience helped her frame and articulate many of the biases and prejudices that were an integral part of her everyday life as a disabled immigrant. Passionate about advocacy, Paulina has worked in nonprofits and paved her way to Washington, D.C. Her hope is to work in estate planning, focusing on elders and people with disabilities.
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René is a proud immigrant hailing from the Mexican-U.S. border. His identity as an immigrant has been central to his exposure and involvement seeking radical change for disadvantaged communities. He is particularly passionate about immigrant rights and college access for marginalized youth and has had many opportunities to engage in both lines of work over the past few years. He received a bachelor's degree in Chicanx-Latinx Studies from Pomona College and aspires to enroll in law school next fall to continue sharing spaces, learning from, and advocating alongside community members.
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It has been an inspiration to bring them together in one place to build and learn with one another. It is my distinct pleasure to introduce them to you as they aim ever higher in their work of transforming their communities through a career in law.
We are able to empower these undocumented young people to reach their education and career goals only through the generous support of our community. Please consider donating today.
Thank you for your investment and support for our scholars past, present, and future,.
Always grateful,
Jesús
Jesús Flores Rodríguez
Legal Services Coordinator
Immigrants Rising
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The Pre-Law Fund is made possible because of the generous financial support of these incredible donors: Kathryn Abrams, Jonathan Blazer and Karen Gersten-Rothenberg, Tanya Broder & Ted Wang, Marc Chambers, DeYoe Wealth Management, Inc. (in honor of Helen Lawrence), Stefano DeZerega & Johanna Hartwig, Yuen & Sandra Gin, The Arturo & Rosa González Family Giving Fund, The Larry Hillblom Foundation, Christine Hoang & Paul Nakada, Barry Hovis, Elizabeth J. Kramer Charitable Fund, Francine J. Lipman, Michael A. Olivas & Augustina H. Reyes, Snehal Patel & Ami Sanghvi, Jorge Ramos, Christopher & Jeannie Rhee, Jay Sherwin, Stephen and Zorinne Schwartz Family Fund, Debra Taube, Margaret Wong, and Steve Yale-Loehr.
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