My name is Lihán Harris. I’m the single parent of a beautiful little girl, a Hispanic immigrant, a U.S. Army veteran, and a first-generation college senior. And I will be a lawyer.
Amena Kheshtchin-Kamel has always been good at telling stories. As a first-generation American, she says she was always drawn to “expressing my voice, and also helping others find their voices.” That was part of what led her to pursue a legal education, and while the kind of storytelling she’s doing now might surprise you, it’s a reminder that a law degree can open doors just about anywhere.
Victoria Esparza saw her life upended by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a senior studying political science and Spanish at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Esparza hoped to enter law school the fall after graduation. But financial hardships related to the pandemic, and needing to care for her younger sister while their mother worked, forced her to delay her plans.
Kristen Juhan crunched the numbers and found her career wasn’t adding up. She’d majored in business economics in college and was working as a certified public accountant, but it wasn’t as fulfilling as she’d hoped it would be.
Haley Moss knows that for our legal system to function the way it should, it needs to look like the people it represents — including people with disabilities.
June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month, a yearly celebration recognizing the profound impact that LGBTQ+ individuals have had on history, art, politics, and culture. This year is particularly significant.
On Memorial Day, we honor and give gratitude to the brave and selfless individuals who have proudly served our country.
This month, as we at LSAC celebrate diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession, we wanted to share Laura’s story as an example of a legal professional who embodies a commitment to those values — and demonstrates the importance of making sure the doors of the legal system are open to all who seek justice.
Luisa Hernandez came to the United States from Venezuela with her family when she was 13. She didn’t speak English, lived in a low-income neighborhood, and attended a school that was struggling to meet its students’ needs. But a family role model helped her decide what she wanted to do with her life.
Derrick Sawyer made the decision to pursue a legal education later in life than most students do. For him, though, the desire to be a lifelong learner just comes naturally.
