Help Dami Get to Howard Law

Hey Family,

My name is Oluwadamilola Animashaun, and I was born and groomed in Providence, Rhode Island. I am overjoyed to announce that I am heading to Howard Law School in fall of this year. For me, this is the culmination of a long-held dream that began in my years at Mount Pleasant High School. Mount Pleasant is a school which educates predominately African American and Latino/a students, replete with unearthed talent, formidable intellectual ability, and dynamic social skills. My time at this school truly represents some of the best years of my life—because of the life lessons that I learned along the way, the people who have challenged me to be the best that I could be, and the few school employees who demanded more than I saw in myself. At the same time, many of us who were cradled in Mount Pleasant’s arms came from neighborhoods filled with extreme poverty, strife, and crime. This often seeped into the school without any adequate systems for rehabilitation. Even more unfortunately, those who have attended Mount Pleasant can all readily recall the names of classmates or family members who have been the victims of gun or gang violence.

The nature of these incidents provoked me to take part in youth organizations like Youth In Action (YIA). YIA is a youth-run organization that develops youth leadership and prepares young people for service in their local communities. I learned to advocate for youth around the state, especially on issues concerning education and community violence. In addition to this, I gained a deeper understanding of the systematic difficulties affecting black communities, the history which engender these issues, and the subtle biases that reinforce institutional discrimination on a local and global level. In midst of researching, I learned about Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and the grand tradition of courageous black people securing institutions for themselves that unabashedly affirmed their humanity and trained them to be the best lawyers, doctors, and scholars possible: to be "social engineers instead of societal pariahs." This was the beginning of my advocacy, the cultivation of my voice, and where I began my life-long journey of activism.

 In college, I meticulously studied issues of race and political theory in American legal and political systems. This research prompted me to mine the rich archives of the Black Freedom Movement, also known as the Civil Rights Era. In my research, I learned about the impact of lawyers as powerful vehicles of social change, and how the law could be flexible and malleable in positive ways. Additionally, I found out that several lawyers who powerfully advocated during the Civil Rights Movement and aided in deconstructing the system of “Jim and Jane Crow” were Howard Law School alumnus. I decided to pursue law school, believing that Howard Law would be the institution I would call home. After college, I began working and studying for the LSAT. The studying process was long and painstaking. However, the goal was perceptible and palatable. When I earned admission, I was excited beyond expression to be joining a long and diverse history of leaders who challenge systems of inequity and demeaning racist policies.

Currently, I am preparing to leave Rhode Island to begin my journey at Howard Law. I find myself in dire need of financial assistance to move to DC and to cover apartment expenses for two months, with utilities, furniture, and emergencies. I need your help. Truly, every dollar and every share counts to manifest this long-held dream. Please support your friend, family member, and colleague Oluwadamilola Animashaun. Thank you beyond measure in advance!