$11,474 raised by 48 donors
82% complete
$14,000 Goal
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Be a part of diversity and inclusion by helping Judge Arguello's
LAW SCHOOL...Yes We Can develop tomorrow's leaders.
LSYWC is the first law school pipeline program of its kind in Colorado – a program that targets high-achieving college freshmen from diverse backgrounds and Mentors and trains them for four years. It takes Mentoring to a new level!
In addition to helping prospective legal professionals meet the challenges their predecessors faced, the program helps these students, identify the unique challenges they will face in the future; cultivate the skills and relationships they need to mitigate competitive disadvantages that can accompany those challenges; and perform at their peak academic, professional, and leadership levels while they are still in college. Through exposure programs, LSYWC will demystify the law school application process and give Fellows access to the legal profession.
Stories that matter...
Featured LSYWC Fellows.
Micheal Martinez/LSYWC Class of 2023
Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, growing up in the Westwood, Denver area. As a middle child with two brothers, he strived to set himself apart from the cyclic nature of previous generations. With the goal of pursuing secondary education, Michael became the first person in his family to attend college, making him a first-generation college student.
Michael is grateful to be a LAW SCHOOL…Yes We Can Fellow because of the opportunity and guidance that come with the fellowship, from the academic and morale support, to the connecting and networking, this fellowship will provide him with the necessary tools and resources to achieve his goal of being a successful lawyer and unity within the community.
Ellen Clark/LSYWC Class of 2022
Ellen was raised by her two parents, who went to college, and part of her inspiration for becoming a lawyer came from her mother, who works as a therapist. After reading “Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson, she decided she wanted to become a public defender to make it easier for people, especially those who cannot afford their lawyers, to receive accurate and fair representation in court. Her interest grew while participating in programs like mock trials, speech and debate classes, A.P. Government, and two college courses on Political Science and Criminal Justice. As her interest in social justice and resolving inequity grew, she became committed to learning more about marginalized groups and what she could do to help create a better, more just society. Her dream is to attend Yale Law School after graduating from college. She is beyond elated to have the opportunity to be a LAW SCHOOL...Yes We Can Fellow to continue to grow her interest in law and receive support as she works to achieve her dreams of helping people through law.
Isabelle Munsell/LSYWC Class of 2021
During Isabelle’s senior year of high school, she discovered her passion for the environment. She began to learn more about the earth’s environmental issues, resulting in the realization that she wanted to dedicate her life to helping the planet. Although she knew she wanted to do something related to the environment, it wasn’t until she took a law class at CSU and discovered the power of policy as it can influence the environment. She saw it as an opportunity to stimulate change for the environment and those who are impacted by environmental injustices. Since then, she has had her heart and head set on attending law school to become an environmental lawyer.
Being a part of LAW SCHOOL...Yes We Can, is important to her because it provides her with not only opportunities, but also the guidance she hopes to receive throughout the law school process. Isabelle does not have any family members or friends that are familiar with the law track, so it is important to her to have this program to aid in her journey of law school and serve others.
Josué Rodríguez/LSYWC Class of 2020
Raised in Denver, Colorado. He is a first-generation high school graduate and a first-generation college student. He will be entering his third year at the University of Denver with a double major in Political Science and International Business.
Josué is the president of the Latinx Student Alliance at his university and has also worked with the Gang and Rescue Support Project (GRASP) in the Denver-Aurora area. He is dedicated to making the change he would like to see in his own community and hopes to continue that in the LAW SCHOOL…Yes We Can program with his dream of being a civil rights lawyer.
IT TAKES A VILLAGE.
Dr. Kimberle Jackson-Butler, LSYWC Executive Director,
Phil Weiser, CO Attorney General,
Hon. Christine M. Arguello, LSYWC Founder
LSYWC Board of Directors, Building Futures 2023.
LSYWC Featured Fellow Speakers, Building Futures 2023
Gregory Abukar-Duru/LSYWC Class of 2021 Fellow
Malak Shawesh/LSYWC Class of 2019 Fellow
Because Together...Yes WE Can!
ARGUELLO DREAM CATCHERS | info@LawSchoolYesWeCan.org
www.lawschoolyeswecan.org
LAW SCHOOL…Yes We Can is the first law school program of its kind in Colorado! We target high-achieving college freshmen from diverse backgrounds by offering mentorships, professional training, resume writing, personal branding, study skills, opportunities for internships, and life-skill training. We take mentoring to a whole new level, identifying unique challenges, cultivating skills and relationships needed to mitigate competitive disadvantages. LAW SCHOOL…Yes We Can will demystify the law school application process and give fellows access to the legal profession.
MENTORING * COMMUNITY * SUPPORT AND OVERSIGHT ** EXPOSURE * SKILL BUILDING
"Mentors see something in us we don't see." - Judge Alfred Harrell
We are the Arguello Dream Catchers!
A passionate group of lawyers, judges, volunteers and donors - led by founder and dreamer - USDC Judge Arguello. By sharing her passion to diversify the Colorado judicial system - our team is determined to encourage interaction with young people, sparking their interest in the legal profession.
Judge Arguello's dream materialized after a 2013 legal diversity conference after her law clerk noted that despite conferences, the diversity gauge was not moving much. Judge Arguello agreed that legal diversity required sustained effort, and the organization has been drilling its own legal diversity pipeline ever since with the help of donors like YOU!
Judge Arguello wrote that a common challenge that motivated the creation of LSYWC was the need to drown out the delegitimizing “no” that many bright minds hear when they dare to dream big dreams, such as “I want to be a lawyer.” It is a “no” that is directed at them merely because they do not fit the mold of what someone thinks a lawyer should be. LSYWC first met this “no” with the resounding “YES WE CAN!" of almost 200 hundred lawyers who came together to dedicate time and treasure to making the dream of law school a reality for our Fellows. Now, there are over 250 legal mentors, including 30+ Judges and Colorado Supreme Court Justices as mentors.
Organization name
LAW SCHOOL...Yes We Can
other names
LSYWC, LSSSP, Law School Si Se Puede
2015
Tax id (EIN)
47-3260929
Category
Education
Organization Size
Medium Organization
Address
950 S Cherry St Suite 508Denver County, CO, US