Mabel Arellanes
New Mexico Law Offices of the Public Defender
Albuquerque, NM USA
"I didn’t go to law school for me; I went to law school for the people around me—for the people who face everyday injustices, and who don’t have a voice."
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Mabel's work combines: Government, Law, and Accomplishing Goals
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
I was really upset by this, but it made me more determined to go to college. I reached out to a nonprofit that helps advocate for the rights of undocumented immigrants and helped pass a Senate bill that would allow undocumented immigrants to go to college and get state financial aid.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
English Language and Literature, General
University of New Mexico-Main Campus
Graduate Degree
Law
University of New Mexico-Main Campus
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
She got pregnant at the age of 15 and decided to drop out of high school; in her community, that was the norm.
2.
By chance, she met an attorney who hired her as an assistant—she quickly fell in love with the law.
3.
She went back to high school and earned her diploma, but then found out that she’d be unable to attend college because she was an undocumented immigrant.
4.
Instead of giving up, she joined an advocacy group and successfully lobbied to pass Senate Bill 582, allowing undocumented students in New Mexico to go to college and receive financial aid.
5.
She got into the University of New Mexico and was so happy, she felt like she was “going to the moon.”
6.
By the time she finished college, she was in love with education and wanted to keep going, so she applied to law school.
7.
Only after completing law school did she find out that there was a New Mexico law that would block her from being sworn in—at that point, she almost gave up.
8.
However, with pro-bono help from a team of attorneys, she was allowed to take the bar exam; she passed, and was admitted to the State Bar of New Mexico.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Teachers:
You will never be able to go to college because you don't have a social security number.
How I responded:
I was really upset by this, but it made me more determined to go to college. I reached out to a nonprofit that helps advocate for the rights of undocumented immigrants and helped pass a Senate bill that would allow undocumented immigrants to go to college and get state financial aid.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I'm a high school dropout. I got pregnant when I was 15. Most of the people in my community, most of the people I knew, that's what happened.