Maine Law Class of 2007

Age: 28

Home: Portland

Where are you from and where did you go to high school?

I grew up in Readfield, Maine and I graduated from Kents Hill School.

Where did you go on to college?

Cornell University.

Did you return to Maine directly after college?

No. I moved to New York. I'm originally from Brooklyn. I worked for the ACLU and then I came back to Maine in the fall of 2004 to go to law school.

Why did you decide to attend Maine Law? Has it been a good fit for your goals?

I decided to attend in part because I didn't want to go to law school in a vacuum. The Portland area is my community and I wanted to be able to apply what I was learning to my community as I was learning it. I also went to Maine Law because it was affordable, which is an important consideration, especially since more people are looking to get a graduate degree.

It has been a good fit for me. We have a small class size and a wide range of life experience represented in our class. So, I think for me that means getting more out of my education.

How do you like Portland?

I love Portland. It's a comfortable place to live. It has a lot of variation and you can still walk to most places. In the past few years, it has become a destination for more than just tourists. We have a pretty lively arts scene and lot of people doing things that make it interesting to live here.

You are currently a board officer of the Portland Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). What are some of the current issues or activities the Portland chapter is undertaking?

We're about to host our annual excellence in education event. It recognizes graduates of color from college and graduate school and it is very well attended. The Governor hands out a certificate to each student that attends. The event is a recognition that it's challenging to be a student (of color) in Maine and graduates are wanted and celebrated here.

We're also continually responding to racial issues across the state. We are often the first contact people make when reporting discrimination, a hate crime, or bias incident, because theyíre familiar with our organization. The way we respond depends on the situation. We often do public education through forums and press conferences, and sometimes we are able to link someone with an attorney, although we donít provide legal services.