Happy 16th week of the semester! Thank you all for your attendance and participation this year at our Aoki Events. Best wishes this finals period, we will see you in the Fall.
|| King Hall News & Events ||
Congratulations to Giselle Garcia '23 for being selected as the Aoki Center Legal Fellow for the 2023 - 2024 term. We are excited to see all the amazing things she will do!
Congratulations to Brenda Quintanilla Lopez (2L) who has been awarded the American Immigration Lawyers Association's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Scholarship. Her blogpost on AILA's website can be found here!
|| UC Davis News & Events ||
|| Podcasts, Posts & More ||
Last Tuesday, Professor Kim referenced the release of the Free Chol Soo Lee documentary on PBS. The documentary premieres on April 24, 2023 on PBS' Independent Lens, see here for more information.
New Proctor Institute Report Covers the Virtual Communities Built by the Latinx/o/a Scholars during the COVID-19 Pandemic

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 
Natalie Passov | natalie.passov@gse.rutgers.edu | 848-932-0728
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., April 6, 2023 – The Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute of Leadership, Equity, and Justice (Proctor Institute) is proud to announce the release of its latest report, “Survival Pláticas of Latinx/a/o Scholars During a Global Pandemic.” The report highlights the experiences of Latino/a/x scholars during the COVID-19 pandemic, the collective they were able to form, and how they were able to maintain communities of collaboration, support, and mentorship. 

“Authors shed light on how important it was, and still is, to find a community of people that encourage and lift each other up. The pandemic was an isolating time for everyone, especially those in academia, and it’s inspiring to see the creative ways that these scholars connected,” shared Marybeth Gasman, Executive Director of the Proctor Institute and Distinguished Professor at Rutgers University.

The report highlights the experiences of nine Latinx/a/o scholars during the pandemic, and how they were able to create a virtual collective through the use of Zoom calls, social media, and text message threads to support their academic endeavors and celebrate their identities. Authors detail individual and group reflections throughout the report to highlight the unique challenges that are faced by Latinx/a/o scholars, who are traditionally underrepresented in the academy. 

“Survival Pláticas came from our need to not only survive, but build comunídad and thrive,” shared Lazaro Camacho Jr., Assistant Professor at the University of Rhode Island and one of the authors of the report. “As a group, we were able to gather over a virtual space during life changing events, and now, as we all have returned in-person, we've been able to sustain the power of the collective, and hope this report will inspire others to develop a comunídad too!"

Findings describe how authors were faced with feelings of loss and disconnection because of the pandemic, how they sought out community, and how this shared time and space was used to resist challenges faced by them in academia. Through the community they built, the #ScholarHomies – as the report calls the collective – found ways to reject traditional narratives of academic solitude that can affect scholars of all backgrounds.The goal of their reflection is to inspire those that hold leadership positions in graduate programs to evaluate their services and ensure that all students receive the support they need to be successful. 
The report also features cover artwork from Gisselle Criollo, Programs and Marketing Coordinator for the Proctor Institute, that takes influence from the traditional game Lotería, a popular game that is meant to create community in many Latinx/a/o cultures.
The report is available freely on the Proctor Institute website. 
Congratulations Class of 2023!
The celebrations have begun! On February 25th, The Black Law Student Association held its 4th Annual Banquet in Downtown Sacramento on March 18th, the Latinx Law Student Association held its 41st Annual Lorenzo Patiño Banquet at the Tsakopoulos Library Galleria in Sacramento, and APALSA held its 12th Annual Asian Pacific American Law Students Association Banquet at the Museum of Science and Curiosity in Sacramento. Congratulations to the Class of 2023!
Pro Bono Opportunity for Law School Students

USCRI's PALS (Pro Bono Afghan Legal Services) is seeking pro bono attorneys and law students to assist with Special Immigrant Visas, Asylum, or Adjustment of Status. We are very interested in collaborating with your Immigration Clinic to take on some of these cases. I recognize how big the need is for all types of immigration assistance and how busy you and your students are, and I appreciate you taking the time to consider this work with us. There are three main ways that PALS can connect with your law students:

Direct case referrals to one of your law school’s clinical programs.
Unpaid Internships Summer Semester.
Intake volunteers who can dedicate 5-6 hours a month for pro bono client intakes, able to be remote and flexible scheduling.
 
For more information, please visit www.refugees.org or email Julissa Hernandez, jhernandez@uscrimail.org.
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