A first-generation college student raised by a single mother, Shaunita’s experiences growing us as a black woman in a low-income community, provided her with countless lessons in empathy and resilience. As a child she never viewed her section eight apartment complex with embarrassment, and instead saw it as a place of life and excitement. However, it is also in this space that she witnessed members of her communities struggle with the realities of urban poverty; their quality of life was impacted by food insecurity, substandard housing conditions, and aggressive policing. These lived and learned experiences inspired Shaunita to become a legal advocate, and upon graduating from UC Santa Cruz with a Major in Legal Studies, she began working at the East Bay Children’s Law Office (EBCLO), a nonprofit organization that provides legal representation to youth involved in the Alameda County juvenile justice and child welfare system. 

Most of her clients were children of color from low income neighborhoods. Many of them were raised in single parent households, and often times they had also dealt with the incarceration of a parent. In her meetings with clients, Shaunita saw parallels between their lives and her own; and this only further solidified her desire to serve low income communities through legal advocacy. After law school, she wants to become a community lawyer, one who can serve low income communities of color affected by systemic issues such as housing instability and youth justice.She is pursuing her JD at UCLA School of Law as a member of the David J. Epstein Program in Public Interest.