Rrisc Intern

Why do you want to be a RRASC intern?

I am prepared to be an RRASC intern because I finally understand that advocacy is fluid. At first, I was mistaken to believe that my advocation for justice must be limited to the intersections I stand at in the world. I am black and I am woman, so naturally I fought for causes that benefited the communities I identified with. However, after an epiphany of sorts, I came to the reality that true advocacy must never be selfishly motivated and now I understand that the people’s freedom is tied in each oppressed individual recognizing that their freedom is tied to the freedom of their oppressed brothers and sisters. I believe that RRASC holds that same vision of a unified freedom because it encompasses reproductive
rights with that of immigrant rights, human rights, racial equality, etc. and I fervent to be apart of an organization that understands that unity and actively fights to see it come into fruition.

What social justice issues are you most passionate about and why?

Though I am willing to fight for the freedom of all oppressed people, I am particularly passionate about fighting to end poverty, racism, and sexism. The issue of poverty remains dear to me because, like millions of children, I inherited poverty and was forced to grow up a little too fast because of it. It pains me to know that my experiences of having an empty stomach, living in a neighborhood succumb to crime simply because people are trying to get their basic needs met, and the frustration I felt for daring to exist is also the story for so many others. My commitment to obliterate racism was first rooted in the deep respect I have for the elders of my community and the stories they have shared about them fighting for their humanity and their willingness to live and doing it all because they dare to exist. The kindle to keep fighting the “good fight” became a flame when I witnessed and experienced racism for my own eyes and swore that ridding America of this disease would be one of my raisons d’etre.
My dedication to eliminating sexism is fueled by my aspiration to become my greatest self.
I recognize that there are people who have put up tremendous roadblocks for me to do so because my gonosomes decided that being female would suit me best. Like many other women, I deal with sexism in all areas of my life whether that be in the home, religious institutions, work, school etc. and I grew tired of accommodating for a patriarchal system that would find flaw whatever I chose to do. I have made an indelible decision to never normalize sexism and to fight for a permanent end of it because every woman deserves the opportunity to reach her highest potential without the worry of someone trying to control her pay, her privacy, or her
body.

Why are reproductive rights so important?

Reproductive rights are necessary because women are the sole owners of their body and due to that fact we must vigorously fight and remind the world that our humanity is not something to be comprised in the Senate or House. The right for a woman to have access to contraception, abortion, quality sexual education in educational institutions, reproductive health services etc. is something that must be defended from decision makers who are more concerned with power than a woman’s right to live unabashedly.

Describe a time when you identified a social problem and took action to change it. What did you do and what did you learn from the experience? Howard University has a rich history of service to the local and global community which was one of the very reasons I decided to attend.
However, there remains an underlying tension between students and the surrounding community. From the student perspective, there are constant threats to the safety of the student body from “locals” who have the misconception that because the student attends an expensive university, they have assets that can be taken. From the DC native perspective, Howard University students are often haughty and bourgeois and their attempts to serve the community are not rooted in true concern for the community but are used to enhance their own profile for future employment and graduate school opportunities. Once I received a holistic view of this division I decided to use my platform as the NAACP president to focus on genuine community outreach. I secured a partnership between a local high school that had majority African American and Latino students and introduced a mentorship program that focused on breaking the stigmas that local youth have of Howard students and vice versa. In addition, I started a community book club that invites both Howard students and anyone from the Shaw/Howard community to come and discuss literature that is pertinent to civic engagement and political
awareness.
It was through these two initiatives that I learned that advocacy is more than just speaking for people but providing the platform for people to speak for themselves. My initiatives would have failed if I was the only voice for the Howard University student body because my experience with the local community is not truth for everyone. Likewise, it would have also been improper for me to relay the opinions of DC natives to the Howard University community. I created spaces for conversation to take place and that was more effective than any speech I could’ve made on the issue. What are your future academic and career plans?

My future plans consists of attending The University of California, Berkeley School of Law and obtaining a Juris Doctor in social justice/public interest and becoming a Human Rights lawyer. As of late, I have also been considering pursuing a PhD in sociology after a very successful and fulfilling Introduction into Sociology course. Nevertheless, as an officer of the Court I plan to advocate and protect the humanity of those who are often left out of the equation. After practicing law for a considerate amount of time, I have every intention of becoming a federal judge and using my position to safeguard the Constitution, restore hope, and ensure that our individual humanities are recognized and respected.