Josephine E. Sloane Scholarship for Legal Studies

Passion is something that we all possess. It manifests itself differently in every individual, whether it be excelling in athletics, making scientific discoveries or any other field of interest. Regardless of how it is displayed, passion is a powerful force that can contribute to making the world a better place. For me, my passion,or my why, is to improve upon the adoption and foster care system. This is a personal passion, born from my own life experiences and the knowledge I gained from working in an orphanage in Honduras.My journey towards this passion began on the first day of my junior year of high school when I found out I was pregnant. I went through counseling and decided to share my daughter through adoption. The adoption process was a challenging and emotional journey, but I was grateful to have the opportunity to choose adoptive parents for my daughter. This experience changed my perspective on adoption and gave me a new lens through which to view life. My desire to pursue a career that allows me to serve those without a voice was further fueled by the year I spent in Honduras working at an orphanage. While there, I was responsible for taking care of several young girls who had been sexually abused and mistreated by someone, often a family member. I quickly learned that there were far greater opportunities for kids in the American foster care system than in Honduran orphanages. This realization led me to pursue a family law degree to protect the rights of children and ensure them a better future. The child advocate mindset I developed has shaped every aspect of my life. I realized that the government family services system was broken and corrupt nationwide. I couldn't just stand by and do nothing, so I decided to devote my life to changing these issues with the power of law. My plan is to become an adoption lawyer and work with DFACS. I have been able to get my foot in the door as a CASA where I volunteer weekly to assist a family case that includes five siblings in a volatile termination of parental rights case. My primary objective is to ensure that they are not forgotten in the system. Doing this has given me the opportunity to work directly with children and learn about childcare policy and hands-on experience in the courtroom. It has been five years since the life-altering event of teen pregnancy and the adoption of my daughter. I have now a recieved my undergraduate degree and am getting ready to move on to the next step of completing my law degree. As a dedicated and hardworking student, I bring a keen desire to learn more and contribute in the field of law.In conclusion, passion can lead to meaningful contributions in any field. For me, my passion for improving the adoption and foster care system comes from personal experiences and working with children in need. Through pursuing a career in law, I hope to create laws that protect the rights of children and ensure them a better future.

Why Law School? Why Now? I am a man on a mission to serve my community through advocacy. I understand the virtue of patience, but I have no time to lose. In the past 4-5 years I have witnessed a significant shift in the temperament of mainstream America. Now more than ever, people are interested in having the conversation about what “justice” looks like. The recent rise in videoed instances of police brutality, coupled with the polarizing campaign and election of former President Donald J. Trump, has inspired me to question what I can do to bring healing, dignity, and progress to my beloved community. Initially, I joined the wave of social media advocacy, hoping to spread awareness via retweets, hashtags, and comments on institutional racism in all its forms. In 2020 I began participating in demonstrations denouncing racism and advocating for the protection of black lives. Over the next year, I shifted my focus to the federal, state, and local ballot boxes. I even assisted with the campaign to “Turn GA Blue” in hopes that new governance would lead to more equitable outcomes. During this time, I realized that I cannot leave it up to others to create the change I hope for. That way of thinking is why less than 5% of all attorneys in America are black today. The fact that black people are 5 times more likely than whites to end up in state prisons, even though we comprise only 13.4% of the US population, speaks to a systemic problem that has run rampant for far too long. It seems black people are treated as expendable in the eyes of the law, and this is unacceptable. I see immense value in black life, whether privileged or impoverished, and I believe our people are worth fighting for! I have been called to make a difference, and now I boldly step up to the plate. My aim is to do everything I can to change the present narrative by pursuing a career in law and using it as a platform to encourage other people of color to follow suit. My lived experience has afforded me unique and nuanced insight into the cultural mindset and behaviors of oppressed populations in America, and I believe this will allow me to be more effective when defending them against prosecution. I’m determined to achieve my goal, and I welcome all the support I can get along the way!