Most of the audience for Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s recent appearance at Roger Williams University School of Law consisted of current law students. But one young woman sitting among them – in rapt attention and at close proximity to the famed U.S. Supreme Court Justice – wasn’t even out of high school yet. Ashley Rodriguez, a 16-year old junior at Classical High School in Providence, attended Justice…, and, she knows what it feels like to be an outsider. “One of the things I struggled the most with, when I first came to the United States, was fitting in – especially because I didn’t know the language,” she said. “I knew I had to face up to these challenges and really get myself involved.” Youth in Action seemed like a perfect place to start. According to its mission statement, the organization zooms…, everyone, ’s biking. And we want to understand why; why is that? Why don’t we feel safe? And how can we fix those issues?” One evening while attending a session at YIA’s Broad Street headquarters in Providence, Rodriguez met Verdi, and the two hit it off. “I got involved with Youth In Action in part to make sure that I remained involved in the community and to try and make a difference,” Verdi explained. “…, alma mater, and a lunch panel with current law students, followed by meeting a Superior Court judge and then a networking event with law school alums and members of the Rhode Island Supreme Court. “It was a really exciting, successful day,” Verdi said, “and Ashley was one of the youths who participated. She came up to me later and told me how much she loved it, and how she was thinking of law school because…
Type: Article