Prep Alum Awarded Prestigious Law Fellowship

Jessica's story reflects the struggles and triumphs of many of our Prep families. The daughter of Dominican immigrants, she did not learn English until she started public school. Her father was a factory worker and custodian. Jessica applied to PREP 9 while at Harlem's Mott Hall School and attended Andover. 

“Prep for Prep has been one of the biggest influences on my development and where I am today,” Jessica said. “Prep provided me with the opportunities and support that I would never have had otherwise, and cemented in me the desire to use my talents and gifts to continue to pave the way for other students of color.” She came back to Prep as an Invictus instructor while pursuing a graduate degree at Fordham. 

Stints at Court TV, the Associated Press, and the Peace Corps strengthened Jessica's resolve to advocate for others through the law. She applied to law school while overseas in Azerbaijan and completed a Human Rights Internship while at Columbia. As a Skadden Fellow, Jessica will return to former internship provider Advancement Project, a multiracial civil rights organization, to assist black and Latino communities facing school closures and help English Language Learners access education resources. She plans to invoke Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination in programs that receive federal funds, among other litigation tactics. You can read more about Jessica in this Columbia article. 

All of us are incredibly proud of and humbled by Jessica's journey. We look forward to seeing what she will accomplish in the near future.