Submitted by La Raza Law Students Association
Three executive board members of La Raza Law Students Association recently attended the 10th annual National Latina/o Law Students Association Conference in Seattle. The conference was hosted by Seattle University School of Law and University of Washington School of law. 2L Victor Elias, 2L Ruby Mejia, and 3L Andrea Maldonado joined hundreds of students who gathered from law schools across the country to discuss legal issues facing Latino communities today.
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| Andrea Maldonado, Victor Elias, Ruby Mejia |
“It was flattering to see so many students approaching USC La Raza for guidance in their effort to become more active in their communities,” Elias said. “Our organization strives every year to fulfill an obligation to Latino high school students. In Seattle, we were fortunate to have the opportunity to teach other students how they can do the same.”
“I was happy that we all interacted with other students at the Conference and that we were able to bounce ideas off of each other,” Maldonado said. “I admire Ruby for her ability to show emotion and for being so brave in deciding to run for a position on the NLLSA board. I saw how Victor took charge, made an effort to meet people, and sought connections for USC La Raza. Basically, Victor is one of the best networkers I have seen in action!”
The majority of law school representatives indicated they would return home to establish Teen Court at their own school.
“Finally, a community project that speaks to us, as students of color, who want to affect the lives of youth,” said Angeles Zaragoza, co-chair of UCLA La Raza. “We are now motivated to implement the USC model of Teen Court at our own law school.”
In order to help other law student groups implement Teen Court at schools in their own communities, USC La Raza will distribute template letters to send to judges, law firms, and school districts.
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| No rivalries here: USC and UCLA La Raza stand together committed to serving L.A.'s Latino community. |
“Attending the NLLSA Conference allowed me to step outside of the law school bubble and once again recognize that the fundamental aspect of law school is its ability to empower students by providing them with the ability to affect change in the world around them.”
For over 10 years, the NLLSA Conference has served as a forum for Latino law students to connect with other students, learn about issues facing their communities, and effectuate plans of action to achieve common goals. The conference usually attracts 250 to 450 attendees, and includes a national community service project and a career fair.
The Office of Student Affairs and the Office of Public service worked together to support the La Raza board members in their attendance at the conference.
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