Three GW Law graduates were recognized at the Hispanic Bar Association of DC (HBA-DC) Foundation’s annual graduation event, PASOS. For over fifteen years, the HBA-DC Foundation has recognized graduating Latino/a law students from Washington, DC, metropolitan law schools at PASOS as a celebration for graduating law students, their families, friends, and members of the legal community. The event acknowledged the hard work and dedication the law students put in to earn their degree but also thanked the families for their sacrifices in helping them to this point.
Professorial Lecturer in Law and At Large Director of the HBA-DC Foundation Paulina Vera, JD ‘15, who attended her own PASOS event in 2015, said the event is always an emotional affair.
“I’ve never been able to not cry at PASOS,” Ms. Vera said. “The entire event is so touching but also very relatable. As a daughter of two immigrants, many of the stories told by students and their families are stories of an immigrant’s sacrifice. It’s clear the graduates shared their accomplishments with their families and understood how their support was instrumental in achieving their success.”
2019 GW Law graduates Alfredo De La Cruz, Navil Infante, and Allison Mateo were all recognized at PASOS and spoke about what their law degree meant to them and their families.
Mr. De La Cruz said his family came out early for graduation to attend the PASOS event.
“The graduation celebration is a recognition for the students who are graduating, but I wanted my family to be able to share in this experience with me,” Mr. De La Cruz said. “PASOS provided an amazing opportunity for me to get up in front of my peers in the community and thank my family for all they’ve done. It was an amazing moment.”
During his time at GW Law, Mr. De La Cruz served as President of the Latino Law Student Association. He was a summer associate with Arent Fox and did a legal externship with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
Mr. De La Cruz will be practicing corporate law at Arent Fox, an area of interest that drew him to GW Law. His advice to next year’s graduates is to build a community of supporters who can guide and encourage them during their legal studies.
“Get involved with alumni, professors, and community members have pursued an area you’re interested in or are currently doing it," Mr. De La Cruz said. "When I started law school, I didn’t have a large community of people to help me along during the application process, but once I got in and started classes I was able to surround myself with people who could guide and aid me in the process.”
The Hispanic Bar Association Foundation is the charitable arm of the Hispanic Bar Association of DC. The HBA-DC Foundation supports the law student community by providing monetary support in the form of fellowships for law students who will be working unpaid during the summer for public interest legal organizations serving the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. The HBA-DC Foundation also provides financial support for 3L/4L law JD students taking the bar exam.