Four distinguished alum share challenges, emphasize the importance of staying purpose-driven, and highlight the meaningful change you can make with a CUNY Law degree.
Over five thousand CUNY Law alumni have gone on to make an extraordinary impact.
A few of them returned to orientation this year as part of the “Rooted in Justice” alumni panel that welcomed 1Ls into a vibrant, supportive community united by shared values. Moderated by Hon. Tracey A. Bing ’96, Director of the First Impressions Youth Legal Collaborative, the panel featured Lenina Trinidad ’00, Richard Celestin ’06, Lisa Zayas ’11, and Bobbie Brown ’22. These four graduates’ work embodies their commitment to using the law as a tool for meaningful change.
“Our alumni are leading from the front lines, advocating for survivors, taking on complex litigation, reforming youth justice, and expanding access to the courts. They even use art to transform the criminal legal system,” said Interim Dean Natalie Gomez-Velez during her opening remarks.
The panel shared some of their challenges, emphasized the importance of staying purpose-driven, encouraged students to seek out support from the CUNY Law community, and highlighted the meaningful change you can make, at every level of justice, with a CUNY Law degree.
Finding Your Why
Every panelist, along with Hon. Tracey A. Bing ’96 and Interim Dean Gomez Velez, acknowledged the honest fact that law school is hard. Richard Celestin ’06, Founder of Richard Celestin Consulting Group, LLC, and Attorney at Law, stressed the importance of staying focused and not losing “track of what it is that you’re here to do, which is to graduate law school, get that law degree, get licensed to practice law.”
The panelists discussed the different goals and reasons for becoming a lawyer that helped them get through the tough times. Lenina Trinidad ’00, Senior Staff Attorney at Manhattan Legal Services, inspired students to find their deeper motivation. As she explained to the incoming class, “I tried to think of it as my ‘why’ a lot of times. Like, if I can do this, then everybody coming behind me can do it. And that makes it more attainable.” Proving her point, Lenina Trinidad ’00 shared that after she graduated CUNY Law, several other members of her family became lawyers, many of them in public interest law.
Lenina Trinidad ’00 expanded on how students can “stay grounded in your why,” by remembering the reasons they came to CUNY Law and all the things they want to do going forward. She advised that even when things get hard and students might find it hard to see the connection between what they are doing in school and their goals for the future, that “You’re sitting in these seats for a reason.”
For Bobbie Brown ’22, Executive Director of Young New Yorkers, that driving force was justice itself. She described how “everything for me is justice-oriented” and encouraged students to develop deep self-awareness as the foundation for advocacy. Brown emphasized that “you have to have some knowledge of yourself in order to even fight for justice for others. If you don’t know who you are and you don’t understand how you come to this story and the role that you play here, you cannot possibly fight for others.”
Beyond law school, this purpose-driven mindset not only kept the panelists grounded, it also guided them into more fulfilling work. Several of the panelists discussed how their education at CUNY Law, which provided a deep appreciation for how the law impacts real people and communities, is what gives them the knowledge that their efforts are making a tangible difference in people’s lives today.
Building Your Network
In addition to staying focused, the other advice that all the panelists shared was to find support in the form of classmates, faculty, staff, and mentors. Bobbie Brown ’22 urged students to “surround yourself with people who are justice oriented” and to define what justice means for themselves, grounded in equity, authenticity, and community care.
CUNY Law provides deep connections to the diverse community of NYC. Lisa Zayas ’11, Director of the Access to Justice Division at NYS Unified Courts Office for Justice Initiatives, shared how she has encountered CUNY Law alums working at every level of the justice system. She told the students, “I have traveled to all corners of this state. CUNY law alums are everywhere. They’re everywhere, in counties across New York that you have probably never heard of, and they are at every level of the court system.”
The panelists also urged students to seek support from CUNY Law faculty, who are engaged in cutting-edge advocacy and scholarship. Richard Celestin ’06 shared a personal anecdote about how the connection he formed as a student with Director of Career Planning, Sam Sue, helped him find the perfect post-graduation opportunity. His advice to students was clear: “let people in the law school know what you’re trying to do, what your interests are.”
CUNY Law alums are also enthusiastic to support students and recent graduates, as the panelists highlighted. The overall takeaway was that the alumni, who are committed to movement lawyering, are invested in the success of students because they know better than anyone that the world needs more outstanding public interest lawyers. As Lisa Zayas ’11 promised the incoming class, “when you graduate, we are out there rallying for you.”
Leading the Fight
A CUNY Law degree provides the skills and mindset to innovate and drive systemic change. The alumni on the panel during orientation are examples of how CUNY Law alums are shaping a more just and equitable future for all. Lisa Zayas ’11 offered perspective on the career possibilities, noting that “I work for the deputy chief administrative judge for justice initiatives… That is one tier below our chief judge of the New York State Unified Court System. That is how far a CUNY law degree will take you.”
It’s not just about how far you can go, but the impact you can make. As part of a network of passionate advocates working together for justice, CUNY Law alums span interconnected communities that are committed to transformation. Richard Celestin ’06 captured this spirit of collective action when he told the students, “Behind every amazing and awesome and fierce fight that’s happening in the city, there is a CUNY law graduate that is part of that fight. I can guarantee it.”