IMPACT! Results and Recognition

The following email was sent to the IMPACT! Program Manager in the summer of 2006. It is one student’s account about how the IMPACT! program had an impact on her.

-----Original Message-----
From: Mary
Sent: Friday, July 28, 2006 4:11 PM
To: Shuli Arieh Archer
Subject: lawyers' committee for civil rights

Hey Shuli -
I'm at work right now, and taking a quick break from writing a summary of a deposition. I'm not sure if I already told you, but I'm working with the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights under law of the Boston Bar Association this summer.

I met with Judge Reginald Lindsay of the Federal District Court of Massachusetts a few days ago. He is the first wheelchair-bound Federal judge. He told us (myself and the other Lawyers' Committee interns) about what it was like to grow up in Birmingham, Alabama, and to go to law school during the 60s.

The civil rights movement seems like it was such a long time ago, but it wasn't even a full fifty years ago. It's absolutely shocking to put it into perspective. Judge Lindsay talked about what it was like to grow up afraid of white people. He also pointed out the demographics of our group, comprised of four law students who are interns, the executive director of the Lawyers' Committee and myself. Two of the interns are African American, as is my boss, the executive director. One intern is Asian. Four of us are women. Looking around this room, he said, people would believe that racial discrimination is no longer a problem in our world. That is the most dangerous assumption to fall prey to. It is certainly better in a good deal of ways, but discrimination is still a widespread issue.

Before IMPACT, and before this summer's internship (which has opened my eyes immeasurably), I fell into the category of people who couldn't see discrimination. I have to confess, there were days in IMPACT when I was frustrated or irritated with what we were learning because I had never really encountered it in my own life, and didn't think that it was such a widespread problem.

This summer, I've realized how wrong I was.

I just wanted to thank you, Shuli - you can pass along my thanks to Katja, too. IMPACT prepared me for this job in ways that I couldn't possibly understand while I was part of the community. In practical application, the depth of information we covered and the sensitivity you instilled at us has proved invaluable.

When school starts up again, you can be sure I'm going to come bombard you one afternoon to tell you all about my internship. It's really been one of the most amazing and enlightening experiences I've had thus far. Not only that... it's encouraging. If I left class frustrated some days because I couldn't do much to change what we were learning, working with the Lawyers' Committee is the release for that frustration because... well, frankly put, if we see someone being a racist jerk, we sue them. It's awesome.

I miss you and I hope your summer is going well!
-Mary