What it Takes to Keep a Promise

By Brendan Wood, a 2019 Equal Justice Works Fellow hosted by the Legal Aid of West Virginia. Brendan’s Fellowship is supported by the Equal Justice Works Text-to-Give Campaign.

In October last year, I stood on a stage and shared how substance use disorder traumatized my family and continues to traumatize my community. I promised to help the people of my community who have been devastated by the opioid epidemic to survive, recover, and succeed.

The last five months have taught me what it takes to keep a promise.

The COVID-19 pandemic is causing several forms of grief, both in response to the deaths of loved ones and to the loss of our way of life, our sense of structure, routine, and the people and things that bring us comfort. The uncertainty of when life as we know it will return to normal, compounds that collective grief with socioeconomic stress and anxiety. Stress, anxiety, and grief are all well-known risk factors for individuals in recovery from substance use disorder. In addition, increased difficulty in obtaining employment and access to many crucial services this year have exacerbated the uphill battle of recovery.

For individuals in the most difficult stages of substance use disorder, the limitations on travel and the economy are causing in shortages of illegal substances in local markets, which incentivizes the deadly practice of increasing fentanyl levels in illegal substances, including methamphetamines and heroin. Individuals recovering from substance use disorder who relapse have to compensate with their reduced tolerance and the reality that illegal substances are much more dangerous than ever before. This collective socioeconomic environment during the pandemic has contributed to unprecedented homelessness, relapses, and overdoses. Only time will tell what the substance use disorder death count reaches by the time any level of normalcy returns.

For my clients at Legal Aid of West Virginia (Legal Aid), this pandemic has challenged my work in many ways. Social distancing guidelines and outreach limitations challenge me to build client trust and rapport in new ways. The nature of substance use disorder often means my clients have limited access to transportation and technology, so safe workarounds to the pandemic guidelines create delays in basic steps in legal advocacy, including:

• delayed court dates due to limitations and closures,
• greater difficulty communicating and exchanging documents, and
• scheduling appointments with state government services.

A big part of the work I do is fueled by my presence at the clinic, and several months of on-site visits to the clinic were lost outright. Once the clinic got situated with technological workarounds, I have been able to virtually attend, but I still don’t have the luxury of saying to a group of patients, “please come speak to me during the break if you need anything.” Thankfully, my growing relationships with the clinic providers, the talented attorneys in Legal Aid, and other recovery community organizations have continued to bring individuals in recovery to my virtual door.

With the constant support and resources from Legal Aid and Equal Justice Works, I was able to shift full-time to remote work. The training opportunities afforded to me, coupled with remote work capability, empowered me to rebound from what could have been a totally derailed Fellowship project, had I not been so fortunate to work where I do.

Above all, there have been some rewarding client victories in the areas of housing, child custody, and driver’s license reinstatements. Preventing homelessness, advocating for keeping families together, and removing socioeconomic barriers to employment and by extension, reducing relapse likelihood in my community has filled this very challenging year with moments that make me tremendously proud to be a member of the Legal Aid and Equal Justice Works family.

Last year, I left Morgantown to begin this work in Charleston, West Virginia to help the recovery community. I’d be lying if I said this year has been easy for me, but my deeply personal motivation is stronger than ever. At a telephonic court hearing last week, a judge told me my client has “turned the corner.” I’m not going to pretend that the recovery community is okay. We’ve buried too many good people this year. The world is not okay. But if we keep pushing on and help each other along the way, we’ll all turn the corner, too.

To learn more about Brendan’s Fellowship project, visit his profile.

My Impact is a conversation series from Equal Justice Works, using interviews with alumni to shine a light on what’s possible with an Equal Justice Works Fellowship. We recently spoke with Kyla Moore, a 2016 Fellow hosted by Start Small Think Big. Kyla currently works as the pro bono specialist at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP.

More than 45% of New Yorkers live at or near the poverty line, and that percentage is even higher among communities of color. Through her 2016 Fellowship at Start Small Think Big, a nonprofit organization that works with entrepreneurs to grow and sustain their businesses, Kyla Moore helped clients to achieve financial stability and become anchors for their communities through their businesses.

From the very beginning of her law school journey, Kyla was inspired to address economic rights issues by her own family members, many of whom pursued side businesses—“hustles”—that could have benefited greatly from formalized regulations in order to grow and scale. Like many Fellows, this personal connection to the legal need was a driving force behind Kyla’s work: “I was interested in public interest as a means to help my community,” she said.

In conversation with Equal Justice Works Communications Manager Heena Patel, Kyla discussed the law school externship that shaped her Fellowship proposal, her dedicated search for the right host organization, and the benefits afforded by a Fellowship.

Kyla also offered three specific pieces of guidance for Fellowship applicants and those currently in the field:

• Take the initiative. “Find an organization [that] matches your goals… Don’t stop when you [have found the right organization] and you build the project together. Once you’re at the organization, how can you help? Go to staff meetings if you’re able to; see how there are opportunities to merge and invest.”
• Persevere. “There will be roadblocks. Things will change. The plan you had at six months will not be the plan at twelve months.”
• Be adaptable. “You have new information, you have a new opportunity, what are you going to do now?”

Kyla also specifically discussed her transition from doing direct service as an Equal Justice Works Fellow to facilitating opportunities for other public servants as a pro bono specialist at Willkie, Farr & Gallagher LLP; and gave advice for law students entering the field amid a pandemic.

“Start local first… Everyone wants to make a big impact, and that’s really nice, but you can change lives daily around you. How are you affecting your community? There’s always a way to make change where you are, and those changes where you are, make the big changes. This is a time to be hopeful, because people are listening.”

To learn more about becoming a 2021 Equal Justice Works Fellow and kickstart your public interest law career, visit here.

My Impact is a conversation series from Equal Justice Works, using interviews with alumni to shine a light on what’s possible with an Equal Justice Works Fellowship. In the latest installment of My Impact, we spoke with Brook Hill, a 2016 Fellow hosted by the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs in Washington, D.C.

As an Equal Justice Works Fellow at the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, Brook Hill provided representation to tenants’ associations and community-based organizations working with buildings timing out of subsidy in gentrifying Washington, D.C., neighborhoods. The goal of this work was to ensure compliance with fair housing, relocation, and landlord/tenant laws; and to preserve affordability for the majority Black tenants who were at risk of being priced out of their homes by subsidized housing project owners capitalizing on a strong housing market.

In conversation with Brooke Meckler, program manager for Law School Engagement & Advocacy at Equal Justice Works, Brook spoke first about the beginnings of his career, and the personal experiences that inspired his public service.

Noting the struggles of others in his family and community, it was, “a passion for the pursuit of freedom, justice, and equality,” that led Brook to pursue law school, after serving for roughly six years as a housing organizer. “I’ve got this drive,” he said. “It’s two parts love and one part rage, and that is what drove me to do social justice work.”

Following his Fellowship, Brook remained on staff at the Washington Lawyers’ Committee, allowing him to continue working on projects that were, as he explained, “a lot more complex than I appreciated.”

In addition to discussing the specifics of his housing work, Brook spoke about transitioning from Fellow to staff attorney, and gave advice for law students and recent graduates preparing to enter the public interest workforce amid a pandemic.

To learn more about becoming a 2021 Equal Justice Works Fellow and kickstart your public interest law career, visit here.

Chantel Matikke, a law student at Lincoln Memorial University, Duncan School of Law and a member of the National Advisory Committee (NAC), recently chatted with Equal Justice Works about serving on her campus and in the community, and shares advice for students interested in becoming public interest leaders at their schools.

You have a clear passion for public interest law as shown by your many volunteer experiences in the city of Knoxville. What inspired you to become a public interest leader on campus and in the community? 

My passion for public service was first sparked as a young child and continued to grow throughout my upbringing. My parents often modeled their high values of serving others, and their examples have spurred me on to pursue public interest work on my law school campus and in my community.

Between participating in the Knoxville Bar Association’s Diversity in the Profession Event and Serving your law school’s Black Law Student Association, you have been a tireless advocate for increasing diversity in the legal community. What does it mean to be diverse (defined in the context of the work you’ve done within the community and law school community) and what steps can the public interest community take to better embrace diversity? 

I think diversity is a dynamic, multi-faceted concept. In my particular context, pursuing diversity has involved education, training, building authentic relationships, having poignant conversations, and holding individuals, institutions, and organizations that claim to prioritize diversity accountable. I think practicing intentionality is a critical component for the public interest community to embrace diversity.

One of the ways that you serve on your campus is through the Equal Justice Works National Advisory Committee. As a member representing the South region, what are some of your responsibilities?

As a member representing the South region my responsibilities include championing the mission of Equal Justice Works to “create opportunities for lawyers to transform their passion for equal justice into a lifelong commitment to public service.” I primarily do this by promoting and sharing Equal Justice Works resources and events on my campus. I also encourage my colleagues to pursue public interest opportunities like one of Equal Justice Works law student programs and/or postgraduate programs. I hope to continue developing new ways to champion public service on my campus and throughout the region.

What are some of the biggest concerns that students have about pursuing a career in public interest law? What steps can law students and law schools take to remedy those concerns?

Some of the concerns that students have about pursuing a career in public interest law include earning adequate compensation to maintain a healthy lifestyle, achieving work-life balance, paying off school debt, and the emotional and physical burnout that can be associated with public interest careers. Students can begin cultivating the healthy internal practices necessary to cope with some of the challenges of public interest law. Law schools can also help remedy these concerns by providing scholarships and grant opportunities to students, particularly those who have greater barriers to procuring funds to attend school. Law schools can also partner with organizations like Equal Justice Works to educate students on the nuances of debt and loan forgiveness.

What are some upcoming projects and/or initiatives you are working on at your law school? 

I am working with my school’s Black Law School Association (BLSA) chapter on several initiatives. Some of these include creating a how-to (safely) protest guide, providing a pro bono expungement clinic in partnership with a local historically black organization, and volunteering at a local school. I am also joining in opportunities to make my school and the city more welcoming and equitable—which is especially pertinent given the growing disparities that have been compounded in the past several months.

Can you share some best practices for organizing and advocating for public interest initiatives on law school campuses? How about outside of campus? How can students become public interest leaders in their communities?

I’m still learning a lot about how to effectively organize and advocate for public interest initiatives on campus and beyond. I have found engaging individuals who are already working in public interest spaces helpful. I also think it is beneficial to communicate with individuals who have led initiatives in the past. Supporting, listening, and learning from leaders of existing initiatives, and then assessing the actual needs of the community can be beneficial steps to take before starting “new” initiatives. 

How have these opportunities—from serving on the National Advisory Committee to volunteering with legal services organizations in Knoxville—helped to set the foundation for your own public interest law career?

These opportunities have expanded my ideas of public interest law. I’ve also been able to meet individuals currently practicing in these areas, and think more critically about the current opportunities for positive transformation in the field of public interest law. Lastly, participating in these opportunities makes it feel more possible for me to overcome some of the barriers to pursuing public interest law and settle into a thriving career. 

Lastly, what advice would you give to incoming law students interested in becoming public interest leaders at their schools but don’t know where to start.

I would encourage incoming students interested in becoming public interest leaders on their campuses to keep their passion for public interest work at the forefront. Transitioning into law school can be difficult and the tedious 1-L workload can sometimes muffle students’ passions. I hope students allow their passion for public interest to spur them on to mastering the important concepts presented in their first year of law school. I would also encourage students to get involved with Equal Justice Works, utilize the resources available, and plan to attend the Conference and Career Fair. I would also encourage students to apply for one of Equal Justice Works law student programs and/or postgraduate programs. Lastly, I would encourage students to seek out mentors who practice public interest law and start serving as soon as possible.

My Impact is a conversation series from Equal Justice Works, using interviews with alumni to shine a light on what’s possible with an Equal Justice Works Fellowship. In the latest installment of My Impact, we spoke with Jean-Luc Adrien, a 2018 Fellow in the Disaster Recovery Legal Corps, whose work was hosted by the Community Justice Project in Miami, Florida.

Like many Fellows, Jean-Luc Adrien’s commitment to public service was born from very personal circumstances. Born in Haiti, where he lived for the first ten years of his life, Jean-Luc was struck by the pervasiveness of racial discrimination when he moved to Miami, Florida, as an eleven-year-old. “It was a privilege to grow up in a country where over 90% of the population was Black,” he said. “My race was never really something I had to think about [before moving to the United States].”

Following a stint as a civil public defender in the Bronx immediately after law school, Jean-Luc returned to Miami to serve those in the Black, Latino, and immigrant communities disproportionately affected by Hurricane Irma as a Fellow in the Disaster Recovery Legal Corps (DRLC).

Now, fresh off of his Fellowship, Jean-Luc spoke with Aoife Delargy Lowe, Director of Law School Engagement and Advocacy, about his path to public service, what he learned through the DRLC, and his plans for the future.

Speaking to law students and future Fellows, Jean-Luc encouraged stepping out of one’s comfort zone in service to others. “We’re immensely privileged as attorneys [to be able to do this work].”

To learn more about kickstarting your public interest law career as a 2021 Equal Justice Works Fellow, visit here.

The Disaster Recovery Legal Corps program is funded with support from the American Red Cross, the Bigglesworth Family Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Center for Disaster Philanthropy, the Florida Bar Foundation, Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative, Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund administered by the Greater Houston Community Foundation, Sharon and Ivan Fong Family Foundation, and the Texas Access to Justice Foundation.

My Impact is a conversation series from Equal Justice Works, using interviews with alumni to shine a light on what’s possible with an Equal Justice Works Fellowship. For our fourth installment, we spoke with Joshua Medina, 2016 Fellow hosted by the University of Alabama School of Law, staff attorney and pro bono coordinator at the National Crime Victim Law Institute, and current member of the Equal Justice Works Board of Directors.

In 2015, Alabama had the fastest-growing population of unaccompanied minor immigrants eligible for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), but no one to provide low- or no-cost legal services to them. As a 2016 Fellow at the University of Alabama School of Law, Joshua Medina provided direct immigration legal services to these children, building an extensive network of partner attorneys and organizations to assist along the way.

“After I arrived in Alabama [for my Fellowship], I looked around and quickly realized I was the only nonprofit immigration attorney in the state,” said Joshua. “I learned that, as Fellows, we need to create space for our marginalized clients.” He spoke with us about making that space, and expanding that vision into a full-fledged legal career.

Following his Fellowship, Joshua transitioned to his current position as a staff attorney and pro bono coordinator at the National Crime Victim Law Institute (NCVLI), which he called “a dream scenario.”

“I saw myself in NCVLI’s mission in a big way.” In fact, Joshua shared, NCVLI served as a major inspiration for the framework of his Fellowship project, drawing from their national model of empowering clients to shape his work at the state level.

In addition to his dual role at NCVLI, Joshua also serves as a member of the Equal Justice Works Board of Directors—the very first Fellow alum to do so. “It lets me serve alongside passionate and talented people to facilitate opportunities for students and for Fellows to learn and grow and thrive in a space where they’re serving others,” he said.

Acknowledging the unique and difficult circumstances in which 2020 law school graduates must begin their careers, Joshua offered one final piece of advice: “commit to understanding and seeking the justice your clients envision for themselves,” he said.

To learn more about becoming a 2021 Equal Justice Works Fellow and kickstart your public interest law career, visit here.

Jilisa Milton is a 2019 Equal Justice Works Fellow hosted by Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program. Her Fellowship is sponsored by the Alabama Civil Justice Foundation.

In celebration of the 30^th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, we caught up with 2019 Fellow Jilisa Milton to learn more about her work to protect the rights of children with disabilities in Alabama’s Black Belt.

You were the first University of Alabama student to earn a joint M.S.W,-J.D. degree. What inspired you to combine your social work background with a law degree?

I was born in New York in the 80s during a time where a lot of black families were affected by the War on Poverty and the War on Drugs, both policies that were extremely anti-black and anti-poor. A lot of my career choices have come from personal experiences as a directly impacted person. I often say, “I don’t want X to happen to anyone else/anyone else’s family.”

My mother had undiagnosed bipolar disorder and self-medicated with drug use at a time where access to mental health and other related health services was non-existent. My siblings and I were removed from her custody and ultimately placed with my grandparents, who ultimately brought us back to Alabama, where they grew up. Growing up with parents who grew up during the 50s and 60s gave me a firsthand understanding of what it felt like to go to a segregated school. I also dealt with high functioning anxiety, which I never knew how to explain until adulthood.

Many of these experiences were driving factors for why I decided to get my bachelor’s degree in social work. As a first-generation student, it was important for me to do work that addressed the needs of families affected by inadequate social systems.

While working as an AmeriCorps Volunteer, I attended a conference session with Michelle Alexander. Her work on the intersection of the war on drugs, mass incarceration, slavery, the criminalization of people of color, and the creation (or continuance) of a caste system inspired me. I decided I wanted to be a lawyer after I got home. I also decided that I still wanted to get my master in social work (M.S.W.), and I learned about the emerging trend of M.S.W./J.D. programs. I centered my law school search around schools that provided the option.

I often feel a disconnect when I do direct social work practice because there is little I can do beyond casework to address systems. Conversely, I often feel that when doing impact work or policy work, there is a disconnect with what needs exist for people, service providers, and/or organizers. My MSW/JD has provided me with a way to see things from a birds-eye view.

Throughout your career, you have worked on a wide array of civil rights issues, including criminal justice reform and mental health treatment. What inspired you to focus your Fellowship on protecting the rights of children with disabilities?

In the Black community, especially, there is a stigma around mental health. This stigma manifests in either not believing that the issue is there to not trusting the government to provide anything other than harm when addressing needs. Having experienced this stigma in my own family, I know how difficult it is to break through these issues within a family unit, let alone a school or court.

Protecting the rights of children with disabilities is important because families from all backgrounds deserve to feel that they are not alone. It is tough to address the needs of families on top of dealing with the harmful effect of ableism and criminalization. My goal as a Fellow is to help families develop solutions and not feel that it is them against the world.

Alabama’s Black Belt has been a site of significant advances in the struggle for civil rights as well as high unemployment and a lack of access to education and medical care. What specific challenges do children with disabilities and their guardians face when trying to access mental health and behavioral services in this region?

There is a severe problem with a lack of resources for addressing the needs of children in Alabama’s Black Belt. Many schools and judges express that they wish they had more resources for service providers, diversion programming, wrap-around services, treatment, etc. for children with emotional disorders and autism.

Like many other communities, there is a lack of understanding about disabilities. The lack of knowledge causes many courts and schools to rely on their assumptions and create policies and responses that are unfair to children with disabilities. This issue might not be unique to the Black Belt but compounded with the lack of resources; it is more intense.

Now, with COVID-19 drastically changing the way social workers and lawyers are conducting their work, I have been presented with all new challenges. I have been limited to only email and phone communication. And, the work hasn’t slowed down either! As more school districts release their plans for the coming school year, I have seen a large influx of work.

Despite these challenges, I am still able to secure the appropriate mental health services for Medicaid-eligible children. In conjunction with my host organization, The Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program, we are currently monitoring a settlement in Alabama to provide at-home services for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Severe Emotional Disorders. The settlement is currently being rolled out, and service providers are being trained and placed.

To learn more about Jilisa’s Fellowship, visit her Fellow profile.

Michelle Mendez is a 2008 Fellow sponsored by DLA Piper LLP. She was hosted by Catholic Charities of Washington Immigration Legal Services. Michelle currently serves as the director of the Defending Vulnerable Populations unit at Catholic Legal Immigration Network.

On May 2, 2009, a Frederick County Sheriff’s Deputy in Maryland pulled over a mother for practicing driving in the parking lot of a church where her husband was teaching youth bible study. The officer was much more interested in her immigration status than the traffic violation. The mother was arrested for a minor traffic violation—which was later dismissed—and then directly handed over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

During Michelle Mendez’s first year as an Equal Justice Works Fellow, she received a call about the mother. She immediately knew she had to take on her case. Michelle’s Fellowship focused on providing representation to immigrants in removal proceedings on account of civil rights violations by local police and ICE agents.

“Equal Justice Works provided me with an inroad to a wonderful non-profit host organization, training opportunities, including a National Institute of Trial Advocacy training, a network of contacts, and prestige,” said Michelle.

She worked on the case throughout her entire two-year Fellowship. Following her Fellowship, she continued to advocate for the mother while working as a staff attorney at Catholic Charities of Washington Immigration Legal Services. She fought through multiple denials and appeals to keep her client in the United States with her family.

Her hard work led to the case being reopened in light of new evidence that her client’s daughter was exhibiting emotional issues—including a crippling fear of police officers after seeing her mother handcuffed and taken from her in a police vehicle—and learning disabilities at school. Unfortunately, the arguments were set to go before the Baltimore Immigration Court on November 2019—almost ten years after the mother’s initial arrest.

Since starting on the case, Michelle has become the director of the Defending Vulnerable Populations Program at Catholic Legal Immigration Network. When the court date neared, her busy schedule and heavy workload prevented her from giving this case the time and attention it needed and deserved. With a heavy heart, she asked Professor Maureen Sweeney of the University of Maryland Carey School of Law Immigration Clinic if she could take over the case. As a former student in the clinic, she knew the clinic would be the best legal representative for this case and this family who had endured so much.

Over a decade later, Professor Maureen Sweeney and the University of Maryland Carey School of Law Immigration Clinic were able to go before the Baltimore Immigration Court.

“When I learned that Professor Sweeney and her students won the case, I felt a huge sense of relief. I felt like I had been holding part of my breath for over 10 years and could finally breathe normally. Images went through my mind of the family celebrating milestones together, of the parents attending their children’s high school graduation, just as every family should,” said Michelle.

To learn more about Michelle and her Fellowship project, click here.

My Impact is a conversation series from Equal Justice Works, using interviews with alumni to shine a light on what’s possible with an Equal Justice Works Fellowship. In the latest installment of My Impact, we spoke with Lauren Blodgett, a 2016 Fellow and current staff attorney at the Safe Passage Project. Lauren is also founder and executive director at The Brave House, and a Forbes 30 Under 30 – Law & Policy recipient in 2019.

In response to an unprecedented surge of unaccompanied minors from Central America into the United States in 2016, Lauren Blodgett used her Equal Justice Works Fellowship at the Safe Passage Project to deliver specialized legal assistance—and a safe space to heal—to her young clients. Lauren stayed on with the Safe Passage Project following her Fellowship, where she remains committed to representing unaccompanied minors in immigration court. Lauren is also the founder of The Brave House, a nonprofit organization that holistically supports young immigrant women ages 16–24 in New York City with free legal services, peer mentorship, and events aimed at promoting wellness, life skills, and fun.

Lauren spoke with Equal Justice Works Marketing Manager Shani DeWindt about resiliency, honing your public service passion, finding the perfect host organization, making the most of the Fellow-sponsor relationship, and much more.

For those looking to enter public service, Lauren emphasized the importance of following your passions and thinking hard about the difference you want to make. The ultimate question to ask when designing your Fellowship, she notes, is, “What impact do you want to have on the world?”

“For me, it was about giving back and serving in a way that I felt connected to. Everything that I’m doing, I feel like it’s helping to strengthen my own community, my own roots, and the things I stand for and value and cherish,” she said.

Acknowledging the precariousness of the situation for those entering the field amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Lauren remains hopeful for Equal Justice Works Fellows to come:

“You’re at a juncture where there’s a lot of unknown, but also there’s a lot of opportunity,” said Lauren. “There’s a lot of people who need help! And there’s a lot of ways that you can help them. You have these rare skills—don’t forget that.”

To learn more about kickstarting your public interest law career as a 2021 Equal Justice Works Fellow, visit here.

By April Giancola, Director of Public Interest Advising at University of North Carolina School of Law

Throughout my career, I have been very fortunate to work in the public sector—in indigent defense, civil legal services, and now law school counseling. In my current role, I draw upon my 16 years of public interest legal experience to advise law students and alumni. I’m at my professional best when I can support others to be their most successful selves.

Without the help of the Department of Education’s (DOE) Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, my career in the public sector would not have been possible. PSLF supports public service professionals who took out loans to support their education. The PSLF program was designed so that after ten years of monthly loan repayment and full-time public service, public service professionals would earn forgiveness on their remaining federal student debt.

In the fall of 2019, I received word from the DOE that my application for PSLF was approved. A weight I had been carrying since 1993, when I earned my undergraduate degree, was finally lifted.

I took four years off between college and law school. When I made the choice to pursue a legal education, I did so with purpose—I knew that I wanted to serve others. I did not necessarily know that my path would lead me to become a career development professional, and I’m grateful to still be in a position of service.

From 2007 to 2019, my life was filled with meticulous paper trails, lots of phone calls with my current loan service provider, and consistently sending in employer verification forms. At times it was frustrating; I found that I would have to talk to people who sometimes did not know anything about PSLF or how to answer my questions. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it, and I would do it all over again.

PSLF must be sustained. I don’t know what I would have done without income-based repayment, and a light at the end of this very long tunnel. Having to pay more than $1,000 a month of education debt is demoralizing, if not impossible for many public service professionals. It certainly keeps out many smart, dedicated, and passionate students from pursuing careers in public interest—because they simply cannot take on the payments.

Without relief, high educational debt makes it nearly impossible to live a sustainable life. Public service professionals deliver critical health, education, and public safety services to those who need them the most, helping to uplift families across the nation. We must preserve PSLF for future generations of public service warriors.

Click here to learn more about how you can take action to preserve PSLF.