(she/her)

Bio

I'm a Louisiana attorney working to end systemic poverty with judicial justice, progressive legislative policy, and community advocacy.

Since living in New Orleans for almost ten years, I graduated from Loyola University with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology and a Juris Doctorate. I have experience working with law firms and social justice nonprofits throughout the city. My lifelong career aspirations are to protect disadvantaged communities from poverty disparities, cultural eradication, and incarceration.

New Orleans City Council hearing, 2022 healthy homes ordinance

work

Visions Treatment Centers

for at Risk Youth

I began my career as a Behavioral Therapist Aid for adolescents with mental illness and drug addiction. I worked with youth at risk for incarceration. At Visions, I was a team leader in providing specialized therapies and trauma informed care. When our communities lack mental health care and structural supports for families, the risk of incarceration becomes prevalent. We must strive to care for mental health crises to provide our communities with safety.

Policy Analyst, law clerk

Louisiana Appleseed solves our State’s toughest problems at the root cause by advocating for access to justice, opportunity, and education.

At Appleseed, I implemented research that influenced the State legislation to protect post incarcerated persons from drivers’ license revocation from non-moving violations (bipartisan bill passed unanimously (2022 La. Act. No. 436)). My research demonstrated that (1) Louisiana disproportionately revokes licenses, and (2) these punitive responses keep people in a cycle of poverty and incarceration.

Additionally, I presented to the Louisiana State Legislature the need for civil legal aid in each of the 64 parishes. Working with civil legal aid nonprofits, I designed a one-page guide that highlights each parish’s need for civil legal aid, how much is used, and how much more funding is needed. This 2022 legislative session allocated the most funds ever for civil legal aid in Louisiana.

Lastly, working with the Louisiana Law Institute, I wrote extensive legal research on how to protect Black land ownership from persistent land-loss (now a published research article at Mississippi State University).

policy analyst, law clerk

New Orleans City Council hearing, 2022 healthy homes ordinance

At the LAFHAC, I successfully managed the Healthy Homes ordinance campaign to give tenants in New Orleans safer housing. I created strategic campaign priorities, kept track of legislation and news, presented findings to City Council, facilitated meetings, and was the social media curator. Working alongside of community advocates, we got the ordinance passed, and in effect since July 2023.

Additionally, I created a housing educational program at Angola Prison to help people re-enter communities. I designed handouts and presentations for educational outreach events. These presentations help people understand their housing rights, helps people in applying for government funded housing, and has lists of local shelters.

law & policy research assistant

As a research assistant to MacArthur Scholar and Professor Andrea Armstrong, I was part of her Incarceration Transparency team. This website collects and analyzes data on deaths behind bars, to shed light on conditions in prisons and jails. Specifically, I investigated Evangeline Parish Jail and uncovered the deaths that occurred from 2016-2022. Using the data I found, I wrote research articles and presented my findings; which are now used on the project’s website.

defense attorney

As an eviction attorney for South East Louisiana Legal Services, I provide tenants with eviction defense. Having of upwards of 80+ clients, I am highly skilled at case and time management, public speaking, negotiations, social work interventions, and judicial movement litigation. Defending our right for housing, I protect my clients from unstable and unhabitable housing. Also, I often work with the New Orleans Public Defenders to ensure that my incarcerated clients receive the utmost care and due process. No client of mine has ever received a 24 hour eviction.

Below Sea Level Aid supports our unhoused neighbors in New Orleans, Louisiana. Under the guise of harm reduction, we supply the community with basic needed services and break down barriers they face in their day to day lives.

As the Policy Director, I direct the organization’s policies and objectives involving local, state, and federal government affairs. I lead the analysis of proposed legislative actions, determining the potential impact on the organization and the community.

Publications

Graphic Design

“I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.”

-Audre Lorde