Standing in Solidarity Against SB 1070

Had the opportunity to travel to Arizona and be part of the national day of action against SB 1070...









The most common question I was asked after the trip to Arizona was "Did you succeed?"

Succeed? At what?
Did a 5-mile march from Indian Steele Park to City Hall in Phoenix end the hate against immigrants in Arizona? Did the protest change the fact that SB 1070 was signed into law?

Well...no and no.

Then why? Why the drive? Why the march? The singing? The chanting?

Here's how I see it. If the presence of 100s of thousands of people marching in solidarity against racism and hate showed even one Arizona resident that immigrants (and non-immigrants given Arizona's fancy for racial profiling) were not alone.... if it gave even one person hope, then yes, we succeeded.

Regardless of what each side argued in the papers that day, shots of the crowd gave hope to those personally fighting SB 1070 and the hate it represents.

Arizona was told that day that the world would not accept government sanctioned racial profiling. Immigrants were told that they were not alone.

Did we succeed? Sure. Long long way to go. But Id call this..... A SUCCESS

Getting through a dinner back home while being "left of center"

At 23, after a year of law school, and four years of Ethnic Studies at Cal... I would have hoped that I would have gotten used to the....multiple perspectives present at our extended family dinner tables. Unfortunately, Im not as quick a learner as Id like to be.
This begs the question.. how does a person like me, "slightly" left of center (i guess) survive a dinner with X number of right of center folks? Should one keep quiet? Ignore the many expressions of covert(or overt) racism? OR... does one interject and try to "fix" the misconceptions running rampant at the table?

Firstly, I dont know many folks left of center that can idly sit by and listen to right of center commentary without some sort of comment. Secondly, if (when) you do interject be prepared for stares if your lucky, yelling if you arent.


Well--- today I sat across from someone who complained re: a trip to Jamaica because its just too underdeveloped and poor. Hmm... well perhaps if less damage was done by tourism and free trade zones, it would have been more developed for your vacationing pleasure.
The notion of how privileged this woman was for being able to vacation at all, never crossed her mind.*
*I should add in a DISCLAIMER: maybe she does recognize her privilege (doubt it) and Im just being just being judgmental (doubt it ;-) )

Although such dinners may be quiet painful, few other things work better to sharpen ones advocacy and debate skills.

Admittedly, nowadays I spend most dinners trying to steer the conversation away from anything that will lead to a migraine. But, thanks to my incredibly brilliant slightly (barely?) right of center, brother in law Ive learned the benefit of calm conversations with people whom you disagree with. After all, it is important to know your "enemy"

Conclusion? Its complicated
Advice? Respect the fact that the other side is just as passionate about their views as you are about yours. Avoid repeating the same fight over and over again with your family BUT--dont be afraid to articulate an argument if others at the table start proselytizing. ... we've all been there and will undoubtedly be there again.

Some photos to accompany yesterday's update

Second set of finals, end of first year, picnic with faculty and MAX! :-)






UCI, Spring Plant Sale and the TROSS!!!!!








Fun, PILF and more...








Law School exams... and the after-parties :-)







First Irvine Pre-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving....

First law school exam study sessions...

Its like they say, "if at first you dont succeed...."

...so this would be attempt number three at starting a blog. :-)
Today is a week short of a year since my law school adventure began. Today is also a week short of a year since the last time my life wasn't ridiculously busy. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. This past year has been an incredible adventure and one can't partake in an incredible adventure without being a little bit busy.

So...where to begin? Quiet a few things have happened since last October. For starters I took my first law school exam, got my first set of law school grades, applied for my first summer internship, got offered my first summer internship, helped plan our first PILF (Public Interest fundraiser), helped start one of group of first student organizations at UCI, uh... took my second set of law school exams, got my second set of law school grades, started my first summer internship, started my second summer internship, finished my first summer internship, started my third summer internship and here we are. Oh...an I luckily made the most incredible group of friends along the way.

I've been following the facebook chatter on the new classes fb page and....well... Ill be honest its pretty surreal thinking that what feels like 20 years has only (barely) been a year.

When people say that law school has a steep learning curve, they aren't kidding. Before this whole thing started, one of my (then future)classmates asked our "law mom" what we should expect from law school. Her response? Prepare to be humbled. It comes as no surprise that she was right (after all she is law mom), it is however, a little bit of a surprise just how right she was. As a 1L you are (I was) humbled over and over and over again --both as a student and a person. My classmates are absolutely unbelievable people. Learning their profiles (their accomplishments --personal, professional, academic etc) is not for the faint of heart. :-) Consider me humbled.

This past year has taught me about my limitations as well as the possibilities. If you can avoid the giant ego that comes with completing the first year of law school (especially the first summer internship) you really can grow tremendously as a person. Pretty sure that the first week of class of year two will cut me down to size -- consider me in the process of being humbled. Again.

So. Whats on the horizon for year two? New classrooms, new professors, new administration and (most exciting) NEW CLASSMATES!

What am I looking forward to most? Well, its not carrying casebooks (or reading them frankly) I anxiously await the summary that I will write the next time I get around to blogging :-)

I kid. I look forward to the amazing things 2Ls will do. I look forward to the amazing additions that the 1Ls will bring. And I shamelessly look forward to the amazing things that the underRepresented Student Alliance will bring.

Lets give this another go, shall we?
Dont they also say, "third times the charm"?

:-)