Help KyMara overcome bar exam hurdles
Donation protected
Greetings family and friends,
On May 9, 2020 I received my Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law despite COVID preventing our class from having a ceremony to celebrate that milestone. While every degree is a milestone, mine is a direct representation of the love, prayers, and encouragement my elders poured into me and my life to make sure the little fiery, passionate girl I was from an early age could one day see this reality, this dream come true. In order for me to be a practicing attorney, I must take and pass the bar exam; that’s the hurdle I’m currently facing.
The process for taking the bar exam is a difficult one. Naturally, it requires full time studying, but before I can even begin studying, I have to pass the character and fitness screening to be considered eligible to take the exam. What that means for me is, I have to clear any outstanding debt (not including student loans) I have on my credit report in order to be allowed to take the bar exam. The truth is, I lost my car my second year of law school because life is rough and capitalism doesn’t care if you’re a broke law student pursuing your dreams or not; bills must be paid, or they come back to haunt you. I pressed on and finished my second year of law school despite the car repossession being a huge blow to my finances, stability, and mental state. Thanks to the angels around me, I never missed any school obligations due to not having a car.
Having my vehicle repossessed nearly 2 years ago has come back to haunt me in a new way. In order to be deemed eligible to take the bar exam in February, I have to pay off the amount owed ($6,000) to the finance company. The amount I’m attempting to raise would cover the settlement amount I negotiated to clear the debt. This request that I’m making is difficult for me and not because I’m ashamed. It’s because I fully realize that my situation is not unique nor unlike a lot of other Black people and is a result of systemic barriers. Consequently, I know our families and communities have so many other needs beyond me sitting for the bar exam. However, this is my last shot at trying to pay off this settlement, so I can become licensed to continue advocating for our most vulnerable youth in the K-12 school system. I don’t need a dime above the $6,000 to pay off the settlement and fully commit to continue working for our community moving forward; I mean it when I say that’s the only reason I went to law school.
I appreciate you for taking the time to read this portion of my story and considering donating. I know the decisions we have to make around where we spend our money is never really easy. I’ll do my best to not let you down.
All my love and appreciation,
KyMara/Myrie/Kay/KG
***Other information****
My settlement agreement expires on July 28. If I haven’t met my goal by then, I will renegotiate for another settlement amount. The state bar requires that by December 15 I show: 1) all of my debt is paid in full -or- 2) proof of 6 months of consecutive payments to be eligible to take the February 2021 bar exam.
On May 9, 2020 I received my Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law despite COVID preventing our class from having a ceremony to celebrate that milestone. While every degree is a milestone, mine is a direct representation of the love, prayers, and encouragement my elders poured into me and my life to make sure the little fiery, passionate girl I was from an early age could one day see this reality, this dream come true. In order for me to be a practicing attorney, I must take and pass the bar exam; that’s the hurdle I’m currently facing.
The process for taking the bar exam is a difficult one. Naturally, it requires full time studying, but before I can even begin studying, I have to pass the character and fitness screening to be considered eligible to take the exam. What that means for me is, I have to clear any outstanding debt (not including student loans) I have on my credit report in order to be allowed to take the bar exam. The truth is, I lost my car my second year of law school because life is rough and capitalism doesn’t care if you’re a broke law student pursuing your dreams or not; bills must be paid, or they come back to haunt you. I pressed on and finished my second year of law school despite the car repossession being a huge blow to my finances, stability, and mental state. Thanks to the angels around me, I never missed any school obligations due to not having a car.
Having my vehicle repossessed nearly 2 years ago has come back to haunt me in a new way. In order to be deemed eligible to take the bar exam in February, I have to pay off the amount owed ($6,000) to the finance company. The amount I’m attempting to raise would cover the settlement amount I negotiated to clear the debt. This request that I’m making is difficult for me and not because I’m ashamed. It’s because I fully realize that my situation is not unique nor unlike a lot of other Black people and is a result of systemic barriers. Consequently, I know our families and communities have so many other needs beyond me sitting for the bar exam. However, this is my last shot at trying to pay off this settlement, so I can become licensed to continue advocating for our most vulnerable youth in the K-12 school system. I don’t need a dime above the $6,000 to pay off the settlement and fully commit to continue working for our community moving forward; I mean it when I say that’s the only reason I went to law school.
I appreciate you for taking the time to read this portion of my story and considering donating. I know the decisions we have to make around where we spend our money is never really easy. I’ll do my best to not let you down.
All my love and appreciation,
KyMara/Myrie/Kay/KG
***Other information****
My settlement agreement expires on July 28. If I haven’t met my goal by then, I will renegotiate for another settlement amount. The state bar requires that by December 15 I show: 1) all of my debt is paid in full -or- 2) proof of 6 months of consecutive payments to be eligible to take the February 2021 bar exam.
Organizer
KyMara G.
Organizer
Fairburn, GA