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"Embracing My Experience"
Experience is a prerequisite to understanding the world around us. Without experience, one will find it increasingly difficult to understand, empathize or relate to another’s experience. Although, I have not always held this view, I pride myself on experiencing a life, albeit short, that has encompassed many perspectives and outlooks that have grounded me and shaped the worldview that I hold today.
It is very simple to embrace the perspective that our differences place us in a weakened position against those who lead lives which appear to be much more suitable. I entertain no such chasms. I wholeheartedly believe that I have been uniquely blessed by the life that I have lived and the man that I am today.
I have the distinct privilege of representing several groups with challenging experiences. I believe my background uniquely prepares me for the study of law because I understand how the formulation and implementation of law and public policy affects the lives of everyone. I am an African-American man. I am a gay man. I come from a lower-middle class family. I will be a first generation college graduate. Each one of these experiences is shared by many. But, the key to my life has been to fully embrace my experience. My experience in leading a life that at times is compartmentalized and other times conjoined in what is called “vulnerable groups” in our society have enabled me to find my purpose in life.
I can unequivocally state that my purpose is to advocate and protect those most vulnerable to the ills of society. My journey has started with my active participation in advocacy on behalf of causes such as HIV/AIDS prevention in black community at my full-time job as Community Relations Coordinator for a non-profit prevention agency; securing equality rights for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender individuals through my internship with a legal non-profit which advocates for LGBT civil rights and my lobbying efforts in the Illinois State Legislature for increased education funding in my role as Student Government Association President at Roosevelt University. It is my firm belief that the application of law, its formulation and implementation is the best tool that we have to correct any injustice that threatens our society.
As an African-American man, I know very well the affect that the criminalization of men of color has done to both individuals and communities. Not only has it ruined lives because of imprisonment, but it has curtailed dreams of being anything other than the stereotype of a criminal. I also am aware of my very own great-grandfather’s story of being denied a home after serving in the armed forces in the 1940s. But, it is through the law that these injustices are enforced and it is through the law that they can and will be rectified.
As a gay man, I battle with whether to disclose who I am because it can be grounds for many to discriminate. I can only speculate that my openness has been punished by those who were made aware; similar to those individuals who risk their lives in uniform but can not disclose their sexual orientation for fear of retribution by our military. But, it is through the law that these injustices are enforced and it is through the law that they can and will be rectified.
My family has suffered from stagnate wages, unequal pay for equal work, lack of quality education in their urban and rural communities, denial of coverage because of pre-existing conditions and devastation due to the financial collapse of 2008. But, it was through the law that these injustices were allowed to occur and it is through the law that they can and will be rectified.
This is not a “rage against the machine” soliloquy. It is, in fact, an embrace of my experience and differences that I believe will enable me to understand law better thus preparing me for law school and a career in law. I am hopeful about for the progressive direction that application of law has the ability to take. And it is my hope that I will be fully participate, armed with a quality legal education from your institution. I can contribute to the dialogue about how to make our world a better place by instituting laws and protections that help the most vulnerable Americans. And the truth is we are all “vulnerable” in some way or another. We must choose to embrace it and protect ourselves as well as our brethren. This is my mission.
Please let me know what you think? It is my first draft. I am open to critique, changes, etc. Thanks guys!
