Program Spotlight | East Los Angeles College
Read more to find out how Dr. Kenneth Chaiprasert's Pathway to Law program at East Los Angeles College keeps students engaged and excited to enter the law field.
“Continuous outreach” and “creating intersections between the Pathway to Law School and other career and academic pathways”—these have been two strategies that the Pathway to Law School Program at East Los Angeles College (ELAC) has used throughout the pandemic to grow the program and reach as many diverse students as possible. ELAC Pathway to Law School students and their faculty champion, Dr. Kenneth Chaiprasert, continue to reach out to various stakeholders on campus and throughout the community. This includes navigating the ELAC campus shared governance structure to give presentations about the Pathway to Law School Program to various campus committees, especially committees involved with educational programming and transfer.
From these outreach efforts, the ELAC Pathway to Law School Program has created multiple intersections between the law pathway and other career and academic pathways on campus. These pathway intersections include recent partnerships between the ELAC Pathway to Law School Program and various units within ELAC’s Student Services Division, including the First Year Experience Program, the One Zone Center, and the Outreach and Recruitment Center. For example, over the course of the pandemic, the ELAC Pathway to Law School has partnered with the One Zone Center and the Education Justice, Rising Scholars Program to create a Pathway to Law option and curriculum for formerly incarcerated student scholars to join the Pathway to Law School. Another collaborative project was a joint venture between the First Year Experience Program, the College Promise Program, the LA College
Promise Works Program, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, and the ELAC Pathway to Law School Program to create a Pathway to Law School internship with the LA City Attorney’s Office specifically for Pathway to Law School students who are also College Promise scholars.
Alongside ELAC’s Outreach and Recruitment Center, the ELAC Pathway to Law School Program held recruitment events with local high schools, including a summer 2022 Pathway to Law School Summit for incoming ninth graders (recent middle school graduates) with Theodore Roosevelt High School’s Law and Public Service Magnet Program. The ELAC Pathway to Law School Program continues to plan for additional outreach efforts to other East Los Angeles K-12 schools and create more opportunities through dual enrollment programs.
Moreover, the recent statewide transformation of California Community Colleges under the Guided Pathways framework has afforded additional opportunities for creating more intersections with the ELAC Pathway to Law School Program. With the streamlining of educational program offerings into different Career and Academic Pathways (CAPs) on the ELAC campus, the ELAC Pathway to Law School Program worked with Guided Pathways facilitators to create a Pathway to Law School Academic Map and integrate this map with other related Career and Academic Pathways. Campus events related to Guided Pathways also have been important venues for the ELAC Pathway to Law School Program to publicize the Pathway to Law School Academic Map and its relevance to diverse CAPs.
Last, but not least, continuing both a virtual and in-person presence throughout the pandemic has been a top priority. ELAC Pathway to Law School Program students have held virtual and in-person forums to publicize the importance of the law and recent Supreme Court decisions to the campus and greater East Los Angeles Community. This includes a forum on the impact of the Court’s decisions in 2022 on the daily lives of ELAC students, events on how first-generation college students and persons with immigrant backgrounds have become successful lawyers and judges, as well as how non-traditional students have achieved success in law school. The greater ELAC community was also invited to watch virtual mock trial scrimmages held by ELAC Pathway to Law School students. The Pathway to Law School roadshow continues as both the faculty champion and students make
presentations about the Pathway to Law School to various classes, departments, programs, and units throughout the ELAC campus.
These efforts to do outreach and create intersections with the Pathway to Law School Program continue to make the program attractive and inspiring to diverse students at ELAC. This year, many of the ELAC Pathway to Law School graduates of 2022 are non-traditional students who have returned to college much later in life. These students are older, have families of their own, have experienced either the juvenile or adult carceral system, and have also worked for years in other jobs before joining the ELAC Pathway to Law School Program and beginning a new chapter in their lives. These non-traditional students mention how law school and a legal career—things which they have always dreamed about, but which had seemed so out of reach—are now realizable and obtainable thanks to the Pathway to Law School Program and the wonderful work of California LAW. These
non-traditional students are some of the most successful students in the ELAC Pathway to Law School Program, and they continue to give motivational speeches to the new cohort of Pathway to Law School students as well as to the rest of the campus to encourage more and more individuals from the awesome East LA community to aspire to become the champion lawyers, judges, and other professionals with law degrees that they are meant to be.
Student Highlight | Ricardo Gonzalez
East Los Angeles College
California LAW Pathways congratulates Ricardo Gonzalez on his acceptance to University of California, Irvine and his outstanding work as a Pathway Scholar! Hear a portion of Ricardo's story below and be sure to attend our 2023 Pathway to Law Summit to hear more from Ricardo.
"Growing up in South Los Angeles in the early 2000s were challenging and troublesome times. Social services in this area were in dire need but never seemed to get to those who needed them the most. Like many others, I had to endure adversity on many levels. However, overcoming the obstacles that come with living in South Los Angeles allowed me to mature into the person I am now. Throughout my teenage years, I did not know what I wanted to do in life. At this point, college wasn't even a thought, but I understood I needed to make an honest living. So, my older brother, being a union cement mason by trade, took me to his local union hall, Cement Masons' Local 600. But, again, being a young 18-year-old, I did not know what life had in store for me. So, I was indentured as an apprentice and began my career as a cement mason. As cement masons, we are involved in every aspect of the concrete industry. It is rigorous and physically demanding but rewarding at the same time. Eventually, I graduated from my apprenticeship program (received apprentice of the year) and became a journeymen-level cement mason. I had the privilege to work on many projects within my community. Such as in various projects in schools within LAUSD and all campuses within LACCD. Coming from a union home, I understood the value and importance of organized labor. Those values drove me to attend every union meeting since joining local 600. I just felt the solidarity and affection among the organization. After working with my tools for a few years, I was elected business representative. I am fond of helping others, which encourages me to better myself, which brings me to my current position.
After 13 years of leaving high school, I decided to attend ELAC College. I began my journey by pursuing a Political Science degree. I arrived at the ELAC campus in August 2019 and immediately felt a sense of hope, opportunity, and belonging. Joining the fantastic Pathway to Law School family only enhanced those feelings. I was intrigued by the club and ran for club delegate after joining. I held that position for two terms. The Pathway to Law School provides many resources and opportunities to reach your goals. I was fortunate enough to have been in the presence of some of the most influential people. Our great advisor, Dr. Ken, was an amazing asset when I was applying to the UC and Cal State systems. Without his great wisdom and guidance, I could not have been accepted to the University of California, Irvine. I will be majoring in Criminology, Law, & Society. I left ELAC with three AA degrees in Political Science, Law Public Policy & Society, and General Studies: Social and Behavioral Sciences. My business manager not only applauded and recognized this achievement, but he also appointed me as Political Officer for my local union. I'm beyond grateful to ELAC College and The Pathway to Law School for inspiring me to better myself and providing me with the foundation to be successful." - Ricardo Gonzalez
Congratulations, Ricardo!
“Constitution Day commemorates the signing of the U.S. Constitution on September 17, 1787 by the delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.”
Note that publicly funded educational institutions and federal agencies are
required to celebrate the day by providing educational programming
about the history of the Constitution.
Executive Corner| A message from Executive Director, Pamela C. Enslen
Greetings!
I hope you are excited about the start of a new school year and that you are happily settling in for the important work ahead. As always, we are here to support our pathway partners and would love to hear from you throughout the year. To get things started on an exciting note, we have invited you all to participate in our Constitution Day program. We think you will find the program to be a great way to start the new school year!
Constitution Day is the day we commemorate the signing of the United States Constitution in Philadelphia on September 17, 1787. The first ten amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791. The Constitution, as amended, puts limitations on government, assures that power is dispersed between different governmental bodies and individuals, and guarantees that personal liberties are protected. This cherished document establishes the framework for our current government and the basis for the rule of law in America.
Prior to joining California LAW, I had a privilege of litigating in federal court for many years. I learned much while practicing in federal court, particularly about the Constitution and its importance in our every day lives. I came away with the firm belief that any time a constitutional issue is before any court in this country, state or federal, no issue could possibly be more important. This fundamental law of the land is held dear by lawyers all around this nation, no matter their political or personal beliefs. And while interpretations of the Constitution and its Bill of Rights have been debated inside and outside of court, the wisdom of those first ten amendments has never seriously been questioned in this country or in any other. As an attorney, I have always been proud to stand before any court and fulfill my oath to defend the Constitution and to work every day to make sure that the sun continues to rise on the rule of law in America. I hope those of you working in the legal system, educating potential future lawyers, and students who hope one day to become attorneys will take some time to join us in celebrating Constitution Day this year.
The Cal LAW Constitution Day program will be presented on Friday, September 16, from 1-2pm. Our featured guest speaker is our own Advisory Board Member Professor Emily Quinlan. Professor Quinlan is a Professor of Business and Political Science at Saddleback College. The topic of this year’s program is a racial reckoning in Los Angeles County, which recently returned an ocean front parcel known a Bruce’s Beach to its rightful heirs. The property, owned by a Black family who purchased the property in 1912 and built a resort, had been seized by the government in 1924. The property was returned to the heirs of the property owners as part of an effort to bring justice to the family and to right a historical wrong. The program will be informative and inspiring, and we hope you will all participate.
As always, if any of you have questions or comments about the operation and impact of Cal LAW, please feel free to reach out to me directly at
pchapmanenslen@foundationccc.org.
Chair's Corner| Ruthe C. Ashley
It’s been a busy few months for California LAW. Our staff is growing, our board is growing and all leading to a productive focusing on the mission of Cal LAW as school starts again for this year. At my first board meeting, we finished the first phase of our Strategic Plan, setting our priorities and setting our Action Plan in place. Thanks to our facilitators who led us through the process, Karyn Linn and Sandra Yamate. Their guidance helped us to clarify the outcomes we wanted in the next few years and how we would get there.
We’ve grown our board and our committee structure. This new structure will help us do much needed outreach and collaboration with our partners, increase our communication and set an infrastructure to take us into the future. Added voices include liaisons from our law student population, our undergraduates, community colleges and high schools. Our newly-created Leadership Advisory Council (LAC) chaired by Dean Kevin Johnson, Cal LAW board member and Dean of UC Davis School of Law. Invited members are all our partner law school deans, the Chancellors of our partner 4-year institutions (University of California, Cal State Universities, California Community Colleges) California’s Superintendent of Education, and other leaders in the legal profession. The LAC will help guide us into the future and offer opportunities for our students as they journey through the diversity pipeline.
Our board meetings are open to the public and meeting dates will be published on our website. The next meeting is October 28 in Sacramento. For more information contact our staff or Executive Director. Our pipeline needs you as volunteers, board members, mentors. Every day our teachers are making a difference in their own classrooms. Join us in this important work to diversity the future of the legal profession.
Warm aloha,
Ruthe
Submit Your Photos and Student Stories
Have photos to share? Want to highlight your program or one of your students? We invite all Faculty Champions to submit any relevant photos and stories for an opportunity to be highlighted on the California LAW website and resource materials.
Best regards,
California LAW Pathways
1102 Q Street, Suite 4800
Sacramento, CA 95811
calawpathways.org
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