This Bridge, This Back, This Baggage: Alumni Responsibilities Already?
By Ashley Mitchell • July 05, 2014
‘Geez, can I live?’ This was my immediate reaction when I received my first e-mail as an alumna from my law school, asking for cash. If they only knew that every time I calculate how much I will have to pay per month in order to eliminate my student loan debt in a reasonable time (you know - before the birth of my first grandchild; to provide context, I am currently unmarried and childless), I vow that my law school will never see a dime of my money until then, if ever. To be clear, I have no grudges against…
This Bridge, This Back, This Baggage: Pleading Humanity Part III
By Ashley Mitchell • July 05, 2014 •Writers in Residence
For the last two posts, I have been engaging in a conversation about the importance of considering the humanity of individuals in the pursuit of legal objectives, whether those pursuits are in the academic or professional environment. The first post discussed why I took up this issue; it is spiritually disturbing to live in this modern era and to still have to witness an individual plead their right to be treated like a human being – to be left alone when they are not harming anyone or anything, or argue that their life and existence has value. The second post attempted to explain…
This Bridge, This Back, This Baggage: Pleading Humanity Part II
By Ashley Mitchell • June 14, 2014 •Writers in Residence
This blog post is Part II in a series that attempts to explain why factoring in an argument about humanity in the practice of law is important? No, better yet, this post attempts to explain why considering arguments for the sake of humanity matters. It may go without saying that my response is certainly not a conclusive one. In fact, I encourage engagement in the “comments” section on this premise, as well as feel free to express similar anecdotes and thoughts about your own experiences. In her March blog post, fellow-Writer in Residence Valerie L'Herrou, had this to say: “We…
This Bridge, This Back, This Baggage: Pleading Humanity Part I
By Ashley Mitchell • May 06, 2014 •Writers in Residence
This blog post is the first in a two-part post related to recent events taking place primarily in law schools and undergraduate institutions around the country. College, graduate, and professional students are creating and broadcasting campaigns aimed at exposing their everyday treatment as students of color at some of our most elite educational institutions. Take a look at what is happening at UCLA Law, here. The following statement made in the linked video caught my attention: “I’m tired of having to plead my humanity, essentially to other students,” a UCLA law student stated in her on-camera appeal. The phrase, “pleading…
This Bridge, This Back, This Baggage: Channeling the Flo
By Ashley Mitchell • February 06, 2014 •Writers in Residence
“Like many people all over the country, I knew a little about the Flo Kennedy legend long before I met her in the flesh. In fact, the name “Flo” alone was enough to evoke images of outrageous and creative trouble-making in almost any area, from minority hiring to ban-the-bomb. Just as there was only one Eleanor or Winston, one Stokely or Marilyn or Mao, there was only one Flo.” – Gloria Steinem on Florynce “Flo” Kennedy, Ms. magazine (1973) The late Florynce Kennedy was indubitably a badass. Whether one agrees or disagrees with her political and social leanings, to…