This summer, I have the opportunity to work as a volunteer legal assistant for the Alameda County Public Defender’s Office. I look forward to providing legal services to disenfranchised members of society while simultaneously upholding the most basic and fundamental rights guaranteed under our constitution. As a first generation Syrian woman, Alameda County Public Defender’s Office will provide me with a workplace in which I can utilize both my academic and cultural experiences to change the status quo. I am impressed by Alameda’s holistic approach when representing its clients and I am grateful to be working with such a committed team. As of now, I am not currently placed in a specific office location in Alameda, but I will be assisting public defenders in court and preparing motions and briefs as necessary. It is a great honor to be dedicating my time and efforts at Alameda County Public Defender’s Office this summer.