As I enter my senior year at Fordham University, being a Political Science major with a minor in Latin American and Latino Studies has shaped not only my academic path but also who I am becoming. As the end of this journey approaches, I find myself reflecting on how far I have come as a student, as a daughter of immigrants, and as a first-generation college student navigating spaces my parents once could only dream about.

After graduating from Fordham, I plan to attend law school and pursue a career in immigration law or, perhaps, criminal law. My goals are deeply personal. Growing up in an immigrant Mexican household shaped my understanding of opportunity, vulnerability, and the importance of legal protection.

I am a sophomore with a double major in Political Science and Latino Studies. After my four years at Fordham, I plan to attend law school to become an immigration attorney. Being the daughter of two immigrant parents who came here from Guatemala with nothing, I had high goals for myself from a young age.

I always knew I wanted to go into law, but my interest has always been in fighting for justice for minority communities and using my privilege to help the underprivileged.

As a Legal Intern at the Ark Immigration Clinic at CBST, my responsibilities involve both paperwork and forming deep human connections. I assist with asylum applications (I-589), work permit applications, motions for WebEx hearings, affidavits, and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) cases. Part of my role is to make follow-up calls, help clients gather documentation, and serve as a translator between attorneys and our “friends,” the individuals and families we serve.

On Wednesday legal clinic nights, I often serve as an interpreter, ensuring that language is not a barrier to understanding legal rights or accessing protection. This is a struggle many of our friends fear and face as Spanish-speaking people in the legal world. Being able to speak Spanish and serve as an interpreter is me using my privileged language skills to provide clarity and comfort for our friends. Through this internship, I was able to learn more about immigration legal work, legal writing, professional communication, and how to form a sense of empathy with professionalism.

My primary responsibilities are very similar. In the office, I use my bilingual skills to conduct follow-up, outreach and translation for our friends. I have assisted with I-589 [asylum applications], work permit applications, motions for WebExs, and drafting affidavits. We are currently learning and working on SIJS [Special Immigrant Juvenile Status] visas for people we can help. On Wednesday nights, we hold our legal clinics, where we spend most of our time translating between friends, attorneys, and volunteers.

During my internship at the Ark, working face-to-face with asylum seekers deepened the empathy I have always had. It helped me listen more carefully, understand clients’ experiences, and communicate with compassion, skills that feel essential in legal and humanitarian work. I value the trust clients put in us and seeing how even small things like translating or explaining paperwork can make someone feel more secure and supported; our remedial protection and presence is a small piece of home for them in a new environment. This experience has reinforced my desire to become an immigration attorney and reminded me of the importance of patience and compassion in this work.

What I value most about this experience is the trust our friends place in us. Many of them arrive carrying trauma and uncertainty, yet they allow us into their lives at vulnerable moments. Which is something I admire and value greatly through the help our organization provides. As I finish my last semester at Fordham, experiencing hands-on work with asylum seekers has reinforced why I am choosing law. It has taught me that legal work is not just about cases and paperwork but also about people. Being able to use my education to serve my community and those in need is exactly what I aspire to do as a first-generation Latina student.