Diversity, Equality + Inclusion Committee

My first year of law school has definitely been one of the toughest years, and I'm glad that Farella became one of the highlights of it. After a very emotionally draining year, receiving the Farella Braun + Martel Diversity Scholarship gave me hope again, because it made me feel like others truly believed in me and believed in what I could accomplish.

As a low-income, first generation college student, and the daughter of Cambodian and Chinese immigrants, navigating the mechanics and finances of both a legal education and profession are very tough without the support of outside resources. That is why I am definitely proud and grateful that Farella works towards promoting diversity – a concept much needed today if our goal is to create a more just and equitable society. Law is a powerful tool to effect social change, and thus diversity in the legal profession is more important than ever.  I am truly thankful for their support and belief, especially because it will support me in my work this summer with the United Nations Assistance to the Khmer Rouge Trials.

I am truly honored, blessed, and grateful to be a recipient of the Farella Braun + Martel Diversity Scholarship. Receiving this award has been the apex of my 1L year. The financial support that this award provided was crucial in helping me fund my legal education. But more importantly, this prestigious award also opened the door to a network of top attorneys at Farella Braun + Martel. As a first-generation student, the guidance, advice, and availability they provided was invaluable.

Farella Braun + Martel’s commitment to diversity is inspiring. Because of its efforts, many individuals like myself have an opportunity to succeed in this profession. I look forward to making the most of this opportunity and proudly representing Farella Braun + Martel as a Diversity Scholar.

The Farella Braun + Martel Diversity Scholarship has been the most rewarding gift I have thus far received in law school. The scholarship enabled me to spend my 1L summer working with the National Indian Education Association, supporting my own and other Native communities through the avenue about which I am most passionate - education. I was only able to pursue this dream internship because I was bringing my own summer funding with me. More than the financial support, I was blown away by the community that came with the scholarship. Starting at the reception and continuing through numerous emails, meals, and other events, I am thankful for the Farella friends and mentors who so proactively seek to support me in any way that they can. Those personal relationships have been remarkable. Furthermore, the excitement that Farella shared about Native issues inspired me in my work as co-president of my school's Native American Law Students Association. Seeing accomplished professionals who do not traditionally work in Indian Law sympathize to such a degree with my career goals, which are totally Native-centric, led to the vision for our conference this year which seeks to illuminate the Native perspective within legals fields that are not traditionally considered Native-related. The Farella Diversity Scholarship is an amazing, truly supportive, and far-reaching gift.