As our summer at Legal Aid DC wraps up, we wanted to take the chance to reflect on the invaluable experiences we gained through Legal Aid DC’s meaningful work. Before we came this summer, we desired to pursue public interest work and legal advocacy. 

Though we all came from very different backgrounds, we united in our passion for social justice and systemic advocacy - contributing to Legal Aid’s mission of representing those who need it the most. We hoped to find an experience that would expose us to public interest as much as possible – and through the guidance of a dedicated team, and that’s exactly what we got. We are now more confident than ever about our decision to continue pursuing a legal career.

As intake interns, we worked directly with intake staff and connected with attorneys across the organization. From shadowing at courthouses to assisting with intakes and working phone lines, our time in the intake unit allowed us to develop an invaluable client facing skillset. Our supervisor, Yoliara Ramos, encouraged us to follow our specific interests, helping us connect with staff attorneys at courthouses and helping us to branch out to different departments. 

From our NW to our SE office, we connected with Legal Aid DC’s client base, understanding the complex systemic barriers to justice across the city. She took a personal interest in our education and future careers, offering advice and mentorship. We learned countless lessons about her own career trajectory and personal growth, admiring her efficiency, organization, and accomplishments. We collectively respect her dedication to her work.

This summer would not have been the same without Becca Gallahue’s eagerness to welcome us to the Reentry Justice Project and allow us to assist their projects. None of us had prior experience with reentry work, yet we leave this summer with a nuanced understanding of the record sealing process and an excitement to continue advocating for clients with criminal records. Through Becca’s guidance, we conducted extensive case searches on clients’ criminal records to gauge their sealing eligibility, wrote sample motions to seal for pro-bono attorneys to use as models for their own writing, and translated various informational letters and packets for Spanish-speaking clients. We are grateful for the feedback from Becca, as it has fueled our personal development.

We also assisted with the Housing Law Unit through the support of Josemanuel Tello. Legal Aid’s Right to Counsel Project that helps tenants living in subsidized housing receive legal representation. Josemanuel and Becca granted us the opportunity to not only help with the organization and consolidation of tenant information, but to also receive training in conducting our own intakes. We are now leaving this summer with a peaked interest in keeping residents and their families in their safe, affordable, and secure housing.

While we have focused much of this article on how the internship facilitated skill development, the Legal Aid DC community left the biggest impact on our experience. Legal Aid DC’s staff, across all departments, in all roles, feels like a close-knit family. As we walked the halls this summer, laughter flowed out of break rooms. Every staff member took a personal interest in our experience - offering advice and encouragement. 

Our internship will continue to define our college experience, as we walk away from this summer excited and prepared to continue studying law. We feel confident and driven in our passion for public benefit work, and we look forward to further engaging with legal advocacy work throughout our careers. Thank you, Legal Aid DC, for offering us this incredible opportunity.

Alex Guzman Caceres is a junior at Yale University studying Ethnicity, Race, and Migration with a focus on Central American communities. Emma Dower is a junior at Hamilton College studying Literature and Government.