Tell us about your community growing up. Looking back, how did they shape who you are now?

I grew up as a proud “Army brat”: my mom served in the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps, and my dad was a career soldier.  They raised my siblings and me on military bases in El Paso, Texas; in Schweinfurt, Germany; and in Seoul, South Korea.  Our community was the military community wherever we were stationed, and home base was Washington, D.C., where my paternal grandparents lived.  That way of life had a lasting impact on me, and my parents’ commitment to service shaped my own strong commitment to public service.

Describe your journey to law school. What motivated you to enroll?

Looking back on my past, I see that my experiences growing up and my parents’ commitment to service have been a North Star for me.  This North Star has guided me throughout my life and shown me that anything is possible when I apply my intellect, work ethic, and good judgment in service to helping others.  Although I began my formal education in a Head Start program, I later graduated from college alongside the granddaughter of a former United States President.  I went on to study law so that I could use my legal education to help people solve problems that they couldn’t solve on their own.

What was your law school experience like?

I admit that I was pretty nervous as a 1L, and at times I felt intimidated.  I was fresh out of college, and my fellow students seemed so worldly and connected.  Many were from families of lawyers.  Others had worked, or were currently working, for law firms, U.S. Representatives and Senators in Washington, D.C.  There were definitely times when I felt out of my league.  Nevertheless, I benefited from great professors and I thrived through hard work, writing onto law review and having my Note published.

Did you know about appellate work in law school? If not, when and how did it first get on your radar and why were you drawn to it?

My writing instructor, who also taught my Constitutional Law class, offered me a position as a Research Assistant.  I really enjoyed the research, writing, and cite-checking assignments he gave me, and he strongly encouraged me to pursue a clerkship as a way to learn more about the many dimensions of the practice of law.   

When I graduated from law school, I clerked in a state trial court and subsequently went to work as a trial lawyer; my experiences in the trial court taught me so much about the importance of building a record for purposes of appellate advocacy.  When I later had the opportunity to work in the appellate unit for the Rhode Island Public Defender, I was thrilled to be able to use my research, writing and oral advocacy skills, and I felt well-equipped to do so. 

Tell us about one of your appellate/Supreme Court cases that you found particularly meaningful.

In re Robert S., 762 A.2d 1199 (R.I. 2000), was the first case that I argued in the Rhode Island Supreme Court.  It is meaningful because it was the first appellate case assigned to me and my first time arguing on behalf of a parent in a termination of parental rights (TPR) appeal.  I had prior experience handling TPR cases in another jurisdiction – at the trial level, and on behalf of the government – and as a result, arguing on behalf of the father of Robert S. felt like an accomplishment: I could be a zealous advocate for clients, whether at the trial level or the appellate level, because I had developed the necessary advocacy skills and could represent my clients to the best of my abilities.

How often do you encounter Black people in the appellate field? Why do you think that representation is important?

It is important to our democracy that people see themselves reflected in our institutions, including our courts, because it promotes greater confidence in those institutions and, ultimately, greater confidence in our democracy.  It also facilitates better decision-making: judges, lawyers, and jurors – we all benefit from having a broader and deeper understanding of any issue we may face.  As Justice Sandra Day O’Connor reportedly said about her interactions with Justice Thurgood Marshall: “Occasionally, at Conference meetings, I still catch myself looking expectantly for his raised brow and twinkling eye, hoping to hear, just once more, another story that would, by and by, perhaps change the way I see the world.”

What advice would you give to a law student of color who aspires to be where you are now?

Based on the lessons I’ve learned through my own life experiences, I offer the following suggestions for students to consider:

(1) Face your obstacles and challenges head on and learn from them;

(2) Build and nurture your community of supporters, mentors and advisors; and

(3) Believe in yourself.

What’s one thing law schools and/or the appellate bar can do to ensure our highest courts are representative of all our communities?

Be intentional about seeking opportunities to engage with people (including lawyers and law students) who are different from you.  We must all be more purposeful about building communities that include people who have different experiences from us so that we better appreciate our shared humanity.