Right before spring break, eight students from Newark High School took a class in real-world inspiration.  They participated in an online meeting with Adams Leclair associate, Aasiyah Ali, to ask questions about pursuing a legal career, with a focus on the experiences and perspective of a woman of color in the profession.

One of the first questions was whether Ali was actually a lawyer.

“I think the session Illuminated the fact that the profession is very different from what they may see in media or hear about from others,” reflected Ali. “I think young people sometimes have a narrow view of what the legal profession actually entails.”

Ali volunteered to participate in the zoom session as part of a program funded by Expeditions of Empowerment. The non-profit agency supports adolescents in the Greater Rochester Area by helping them strengthen social-emotional skills essential to personal and academic success.

According to the program facilitator, Janean Shedd, the girls were engaged and very attentive during the session.

“That is perhaps the quietest they have ever been! They were being intentional about hearing what Aasiyah had to share,” said Shedd.

The conversation touched on the practical side of attending law school and mitigating the financial burdens, as well as tackling ethical issues that could arise when representing certain clients and causes. Overall, the goal was to help the students envision themselves in a career they might not have previously seen as attainable.

“I think the most important thing was to present to the girls that they have options, no matter their personal circumstances,” concluded Ali. “It was important to me personally to demonstrate that if they are willing to rise to the challenge, apply themselves, and seek out the proper support, one of those resources being Expeditions for Empowerment, all options are available.”

Aasiyah Ali