Recently there has been some notice given to the fact that there’s not much diversity in the legal field. The Atlantic recently discussed how the Law is the least diverse profession in the U.S. Additionally, Cynthia Mares, HNBA President, wrote an excellent piece on Latinos’ representation in the law. This lack of Latino representation has serious, negative consequences because when people in power make decisions through litigation, legislation, or policy-making without understanding (or caring) about the experiences, needs, and rights of Latinos the results can end up being extremely unfavorable for us. An example of a major issue I see coming down the pike is the possible demise of Affirmative Action. And while Justice Sotomayor has been a great advocate on this issue that so positively affects Latinos (and has made no secret of what AA did for her); she is just one Justice and without more Latinos in power we are left with a status quo that will make decisions that affect us without caring about how it affects us. This is just one example of why we need Latinos in the law, and why one of Latinas Uprising’s goals is to help increase Latina representation in the law. Not just to have more attorneys, but to encourage Latina attorneys to seek out those positions of power. I believe one way to do this is to share what motivates us to be attorneys so that others who are not yet where we are can pull from similar sources of motivation. What gave us—or is giving us—the drive to push back against statistics that say we can’t, and instead say, si se puede. For me, being an attorney is a vocation and a calling. However, when I was younger, I made it my goal to become a lawyer simply because I knew being a lawyer would mean that I would be improving my station in life. I felt that if I were to become this kind of professional, I would be able to have a steady income and a stable life. That may seem like a myopic view of what being an attorney can mean, but when you’re living in poverty, like I often was, then a steady income and a stable life is a huge goal. Further, when I would read anti-immigrant stories (living in the Mid-West that happened a lot), or when I was confronted with bigoted statements against my ethnicity’s intelligence and worth (by classmates and teachers), I realized that it would be a huge political action to join the most powerful of professions. I know many other Latinas are fueled by the same motivation: a drive to succeed in life and to also support and empower our communities. By pushing back against these hateful stereotypes, we are declaring that we are as worthy as everyone else, and that our communities, and our families, deserve to be represented within the law. So let’s keep this motivation going–what called you to be an attorney? What allowed you to ignore the bias (both overt and unconscious) that said you couldn’t do it? What helps you keep going?
Recently there has been some notice given to the fact that there’s not much diversity in the legal field. The Atlantic recently discussed how the Law is the least diverse profession in the U.S. Additionally, Cynthia Mares, HNBA President, wrote an excellent piece on Latinos’ representation in the law. This lack of Latino representation has serious, negative consequences because when people in power make decisions through litigation, legislation, or policy-making without understanding (or caring) about the experiences, needs, and rights of Latinos the results can end up being extremely unfavorable for us. An example of a major issue I see coming down the pike is the possible demise of Affirmative Action. And while Justice Sotomayor has been a great advocate on this issue that so positively affects Latinos (and has made no secret of what AA did for her); she is just one Justice and without more Latinos in power we are left with a status quo that will make decisions that affect us without caring about how it affects us. This is just one example of why we need Latinos in the law, and why one of Latinas Uprising’s goals is to help increase Latina representation in the law. Not just to have more attorneys, but to encourage Latina attorneys to seek out those positions of power. I believe one way to do this is to share what motivates us to be attorneys so that others who are not yet where we are can pull from similar sources of motivation. What gave us—or is giving us—the drive to push back against statistics that say we can’t, and instead say, si se puede. For me, being an attorney is a vocation and a calling. However, when I was younger, I made it my goal to become a lawyer simply because I knew being a lawyer would mean that I would be improving my station in life. I felt that if I were to become this kind of professional, I would be able to have a steady income and a stable life. That may seem like a myopic view of what being an attorney can mean, but when you’re living in poverty, like I often was, then a steady income and a stable life is a huge goal. Further, when I would read anti-immigrant stories (living in the Mid-West that happened a lot), or when I was confronted with bigoted statements against my ethnicity’s intelligence and worth (by classmates and teachers), I realized that it would be a huge political action to join the most powerful of professions. I know many other Latinas are fueled by the same motivation: a drive to succeed in life and to also support and empower our communities. By pushing back against these hateful stereotypes, we are declaring that we are as worthy as everyone else, and that our communities, and our families, deserve to be represented within the law. So let’s keep this motivation going–what called you to be an attorney? What allowed you to ignore the bias (both overt and unconscious) that said you couldn’t do it? What helps you keep going?
When you’ve been involved in any kind of collision, consulting with an experienced attorney as soon as possible is one of the smartest decisions you can make.
Find your spark in Pixar's latest movie SOUL. SOUL features a mostly eBlack cast and some amazing jazz music!
Book Synopsis 2024 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Winner--Best Memoir in the Personal Struggles/Health Issues CategoryTwo-time 2023 NYC Big Book Award Winner--Memoir and Non-Fiction2023 International Latino Book Award Winner--Most Inspiring Non-Fiction, Honorable MentionDear Son, I'm going to tell you a story, the most difficult one to share. As a young Latina and Native American lawyer and former wife of California's attorney general and treasurer, Nadia Davis has long been subjected to public scrutiny. In this powerful homage to finding one's worth in the face of mental health struggles, addiction, and public shaming, Davis shares her remarkable story. She reveals the depths of the darkness she went through, while gracefully offering transformational healing and an end to the choking grasp of shame. Lyrical and captivating, Home Is Within You recounts the author's experience of trauma and addiction amid a highly publicized abusive relationship. Davis is brutally honest about her experiences and generous in revealing the paths she found to wholeness through spiritual advocacy, healthy co-parenting, and a dedication to preventing generational trauma. Home Is Within You shares one woman's courageous journey to recovery as a mother and as a woman, and her narrative is a defense of privacy, parenthood, and autonomy. Review Quotes "A powerful example of following our light within to break a cycle of trauma and consciously choose a life of happiness. Nadia is a true warrior spirit and champion for the fight against injustice." --Chris Gardner, author of The Pursuit of Happyness, also a major motion picture "Nadia Davis is a brilliant writer, attorney, and crusader for causes. Her book, Home Is Within You, encompasses her journey from crisis to redemption. It's truly a compelling read." --Leigh Steinberg, American sports agent and author "A memoir of healing from trauma and addiction from a well-known West Coast political figure . . . With admirable candor, she shares a story of resilience, delving into childhood and adult traumas, including a nearly fatal car accident and difficulties involving a stalker, and tells how she worked to overcome intense feelings of 'shame, fear, and resentment.' Davis is an open and unwavering narrator who presents readers with explicit descriptions of sexual assault, eating disorders, suicidal ideation, and substance abuse. The work touches on issues of privacy, motherhood, injustice, and mental health, including important criticisms of how addiction is criminalized and misunderstood. . . . A remembrance with a powerful message about strength and recovery . . ." --Kirkus Reviews "Methodical . . . powerful . . . Centering [on] motherhood, Home Is Within You is a delicate memoir about whole-person healing and its wider impact. The text is also powerful in addressing how Davis's public and private lives melded--though often, the two were in conflict. It muses [on] . . . a call for a healthier balance between the two, aspiring for a world in which, rather than shaming people for their struggles, communities can learn to help individuals find healing and health, all within supportive relationships. . . . Some struggles, she finds, are rooted within our family pasts; still, Davis manages to craft her personal identity [as one] distinct from these challenges." --Clarion Reviews "In these tender, urgent letters to her sons, Nadia Davis reveals her life, vulnerability, and journey toward healing. Home Is Within You is alive with Davis's honesty and vulnerability, threading both her pain and the hard work of recovery and healing into its pages. Her frank accounts of grief, loss, and assault are upsetting, but the memoir's hopeful trajectory sees Davis--'that little bright-eyed brown girl who simply wanted to save the world but sometimes hid in the closet'--building a thriving career, giving back to the community, and finding the strength to face trauma head on." --BookLife Reviews "Davis's prose is a perfect combination of direct, confident, unashamed, and sometimes snarky. She has a true eye for gorgeous descriptions and poetic interludes that always enhance the narrative in a meaningful way. A hybrid memoir that combines poetry, prose, and letters to her sons, Nadia Davis's Home Is Within You is a tour de force work of striking power about learning how to live, thrive, and survive the consequences of childhood trauma, abusive relationships, alcoholism, drug addiction, and severe mental illness." --BookLife Prize review "Home Is Within You captures the strength and struggles of Nadia Lockyer, which she so bravely shares to help others. "The courage of Ms. Lockyer to share her journey in her book is an incredible demonstration of selflessness. Ms. Lockyer has lived through challenges of addiction and recovery, and she has survived. By sharing her story, Ms. Lockyer has removed the shame and loneliness that plagued her and has plagued so many others. Her personal reflections and work are presented in her book and can give hope and success to others who find themselves in similar human conditions." --Nancy O'Malley, Alameda County district attorney, founder of Alameda County Family Justice Center "I have followed Nadia's journey from the time she was the wunderkind Santa Ana school board member doing courageous things such as supporting charter schools and have followed her successful effort to overturn a wrongful conviction of a defendant who was a convenient fall guy for a crime he didn't commit. Nadia's extraordinary book tells how she rose to great heights, took quite a hit, and successfully battled back. Inspiring story!" --Richard Reisman, publisher and CEO, Orange County Business Journal "Writing a book, any book, requires commitment, focus, and fortitude. To write a book like Home Is Within You requires all that along with a level of honesty, belief, and vulnerability that is nothing short of extraordinary. For anyone who knows Nadia, of course, it's not the least bit surprising, since she has always committed herself to those who need help or feel helpless. I first became aware of her when she was as an attorney tirelessly working for the release of a young man convicted of a crime he did not commit--a 'lost cause' she eventually won. That's the Nadia Davis her friends know, a woman of generosity and grace who readers can trust to help guide them home." --Steve Lowery, former editor, OC Weekly "I have known Nadia since she was a little girl. Inspired by her father, Wally Davis, a close mentor and friend who was a pillar in our community, she carried on his legacy of public service, improving the lives of others in more ways than one. Here in California Hispanic leadership circles, we never doubted her comeback story would strike the world with hope!" --Ruben A. Smith, Esq., attorney and former president, Hispanic Bar Association of Orange County "It takes courage to tell your story, and Nadia Davis has acted with such courage and transparency in telling her story in a creative and conscientious way. We who have experienced trauma can all learn from her bravery and raw honesty." --Casey Gwinn, Esq., president of Alliance for HOPE International "Nadia has been an inspiration to me and so many others for decades. Working alongside her for years, she is one of the few people I deeply believe in." --Armando de la Libertad, sustainable-development leader "This is a can't-put-it-down book that will keep readers engaged from the beginning to the very last word. Nadia has masterfully woven such beauty and grace into her first memoir. By exploring her family's cultural background, her passion for those in need, her legal advocacy, and a string of addiction-fueled choices that resulted in chaos and trauma for herself and her family, Nadia has woven together rigorous honesty and unrelenting grace in a way rarely seen in contemporary memoirs. Nadia tells her story with such passion while managing to tap into broader societal issues related to her Mexican and Native American roots, gender dynamics, and personal trauma that led to a promising young attorney spiraling down and ultimately crashing in a very public way. But that's only the beginning of her story. The real story is one of compassion, resilience, love, and eventually recovery. As a professor and clinical therapist, I plan to refer to this book often with students, clients, and friends." --Michelle Martin, PhD; MSW; therapist; associate professor, Department of Social Work, California State University, Fullerton "Nadia Davis's memoir is a deeply personal story of addiction and motherhood and the heart-wrenching, almost debilitating shame and stigma uniquely borne by women with addictive disorders. Nadia's resilience is a testament to the power of a mother's love and to her inner spirit, which fought to reclaim not just her personal dignity but also justice for anyone shamed in the middle of a mental health breakdown." --Ahbra Kaye Schiff, producer, REEL Recovery Film Festival, and director of operations, Writers in Treatment "Home Is Within You is a strong feminist memoir. The book is rich in many things but mainly in lionhearted Nadia's will to survive and to screw shame in the only manner that it can be done: by telling the truth of what was done to her and being honest about how difficult it is to heal from abuse. She survived the journey that unfortunately many women die trying to persevere on. Listen to and support her ideas on progressive structural change and her healing methodology. #screwshame." --Kristina Molina, student at University of California, Berkeley "Nadia is a testament to the power of trauma work and breaking through the bonds of our minds that separate us from our core true innocence and being." --Mariam Paul, MFT, trauma specialist "Arthur Carmona was my son. Nadia shares the fight for the truth in her book. Arthur and I were blessed to have her take on this monumental case. During that journey, Nadia's compassion
Stop fitting in at work and start embracing your authentic self. A Latinx lawyer shows how success begins with self-acceptance.
About the Book Describes the life and accomplishments of the United States Supreme Court justice. Book Synopsis The truly inspiring story of the first Latina Supreme Court Justice. Outspoken, energetic, and fun, Sonia Sotomayor has managed to turn every struggle in life into a triumph. Born in the Bronx to immigrant parents from Puerto Rico, Sonia found out at age nine that she had diabetes, a serious illness now but an even more dangerous one fifty years ago. How did young Sonia handle the devastating news? She learned to give herself her daily insulin shots and became determined to make the most out of her life. It was the popular sixties TV show Perry Mason that made Sonia want to become a lawyer. Not only a lawyer, but a judge! Her remarkable career was capped in 2009 when President Barack Obama nominated her to the Supreme Court, only the third woman and first Hispanic justice in the court's history. Stories of Sotomayor's career are hardly dry legal stuff--she once hopped on a motorcycle to chase down counterfeiters and was the judge whose ruling ended the Major League baseball strike in 1995. About The Author Megan Stine has written several books for young readers, including Where Is the White House?, Who Was Marie Curie?, Who Was Ulysses S. Grant?, Who Is Michelle Obama?, and Who Was Sally Ride? She lives in Clinton, Connecticut. With strong skills in art and years of experiences in many genres, Dede Putra has developed a career creating illustrations for books, video game development, filmmaking and fashion.
