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Get Gabby to L.A. and Law School

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Hello to all who come across this page!

Whether you are family, friends, or complete strangers, I want to thank you in advance for listening to my story because I really need your help.

Who Am I?

My name is Gabby Garcia and I'm originally from the Lower East Side in New York, NY. Currently, I am a third-year at Hampshire College concentrating on Critical Race and Political Theory with a focus on the African diaspora with big hopes to go to law school right after undergrad. I am budding organizer with Decolonize Media Collective and Black Lives Matter Springfield and lover of freedom.

I spent a large portion of my life in the foster care system in New York City so it is my dream to become a lawyer, and ultimately judge, for young people growing up in foster care or who are experiening the juvenile justice system. 

My Internship in L.A.

I'll begin my story, although my story begins so far before this, when the cofounders of Black Lives Matter, Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza, and Opal Tometi, came to speak at my college. After their talk, I spoke to Patrisse about her organization Dignity and Power Now, a grassroots organization "for all incarcerated people, their families, and communities." Considering my own personal history and my studies, I knew it would be a perfect fit for me. Luckily, Patrisse offered me an internship at her organization and I will be heading to L.A. in Summer 2015. 

The trick is I have no one in L.A. so I would need to find housing (and it's expensive), pay for transportation, cell phone, and have living expenses since my internship would be unpaid. I was able to find some funding through my school's grant process, however, so many people apply to those programs and there is only so much money to go around. There is no way I could survive on that money alone. This is why I'm asking for $3,000 to help me with airfare, housing, transportation, food, basic living expenses etc. for the summer! 

Journey to Law School

I want to become a lawyer for young people who are experiencing foster care. There are many well-intentioned people in the foster care system right now helping young people find their way through trauma, abuse, and displacement, and I'm grateful for their compassion.

With that said, I believe that it is important for those who have been affected by the child welfare system, to return to it and transform it. Being in foster care is an unexplainable experience, so I won't try to, but what I can say is it would have meant the world to me if I had an adult in my life who had experienced it to guide me. 

I want to be that someone for someone. 

I'm hoping to be prepared so I can enter Law School immediately after graduation but LSAT prep courses are expensive. I have a long way to go before I would comfortable enough to take the test. I am preparing to take a Kaplan Course at UMass Amherst. The course costs $1,500 and I would need it in order to reach my dreams. 

So Can You Help?

In short, I have big dreams and a little amount of money to work with. I have exhausted every resource possible at school or non-profits to help me achieve them and you all are my last way to make sure I can move ahead. 

Whatever you can contribute is beauftiul and helpful. If you can't contribute financially, I would love to talk anyone who can help. Whether you are a LSAT tutor or someone who can part with some pots and pans when I get to L.A., please contact me!

Most of all, no matter what you can or cannot contribute, please share this with you people you know. 

Thanks :)

And please contribute to my friend Dykee's campaign! He will be travelling to LA with me and will be my roommate!  http://www.gofundme.com/k100rw
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  • Anonymous
    • $250 
    • 9 yrs
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Organizer

Gabby Garcia
Organizer
Amherst, MA

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