This November 28—on Giving Tuesday, recognized throughout the country as a day devoted to charitable contributions, CUNY School of Law will participate in a university wide 24-hour giving challenge to support student success called #CUNYTuesday.
Giving Tuesday is a movement started in 2012 to create an international day of giving, on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, as a response to the commercialization and consumerism of the holiday season.
In the fall of 2017, all incoming students were asked to answer the question “Why Are You Here?.” Students’ responses are exhibited on the second floor of the CUNY Law building. The responses included reasons such as: “fight for those who are most vulnerable,” “chip away at systems of oppression,” “work towards making the law accessible and applicable to everyone” and much more.
On Giving Tuesday, CUNY Law’s goal is to show the world why public interest law matters. All members of the CUNY Law community are encouraged to share what brought them to CUNY Law on social media, on November 28. Those who participate should use the hashtag #WhyImHereCUNYLaw.
“CUNY Law stands as a testament to the power of the dreams and determination of students and graduates who believe in the power of the law to catalyze social change, promote equality and support individuals and communities in their efforts to assert their individual rights and create civil society,” said CUNY Law Dean Mary Lu Bilek.
Two students and two alumnae (Irene Castro ‘19, Geno Nettle ‘19, Bahar Ansari ‘06 and Talia Peleg ’10) have already shared their motivations for coming to CUNY Law in a video available here.
On CUNY Tuesday, CUNY Law aims to raise $20,000 to kick off the annual fundraising campaign. Thanks to a generous donor, Marnie Berk ’96, chair of the CUNY School of Law Foundation board, all gifts will be matched up to $5,000.
“I see Giving Tuesday as an opportunity for those of you who can to signal your support for training lawyers hell-bent on using law in service of human needs, and, for all of us, as an opportunity to show our commitment to and pride in the Law School that graduates a higher percentage of public interest lawyers than any other law school in the country,” said Dean Bilek.