The Impact Of Language by Rachel

The Impact Of Language by Rachel - March 2025 Scholarship Essay

My parents are first-generation, Kenyan immigrants; my mother emigrated to the U.S at 17 and my father at 19. Alongside the movement of Kenyan immigration in the 90s, they built careers specifically in healthcare. My father attended Worcester State University, paying his way through, while my mother initially attended a two-year community college, but due to issues with her immigration status, she had to put her education on hold but has since returned to school. I am the second generation in my family to attend university, and my chance for an education in this country began with them. The belief that education is a powerful privilege to have in my culture motivated my parents to work themselves into the middle class, affording my siblings and I with those opportunities.

I am the first-born of my parents. My relationship to education holds an understanding of its privilege and the use of my education has always been focused on law and policy. The impact of language; it quite literally plays into how we deal with human nature and the structure of society. We utilize the law to protect, defend, and stand impartial in a civil or criminal sense.

I was enrolled at Westfield State University as a college freshman pursuing Political Science in the fall semester. Driven by a deep passion for social sciences and community engagement, my interest in politics and law stems from personal experience—my parents are Kenyan immigrants, and the immigration process demonstrated to me at a young age how personal politics and policy are to our lives. My education allowed me to explore this aspect of my life; and eventually motivated me to pursue this career. In high school, I led a Diversity and Inclusion Group, and we did initiatives that intend to strengthen JEDI values in our community. We connected with middle schools in our district to strengthen Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) values through after-school seminars. I also worked politically as a member of the JEDI E-Board for the Massachusetts High School Democrats, a sub-organization of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, where I collaborated with other high school students across Massachusetts to hold a lobby day, connecting with state politicians regarding youth civic engagement policy. At Westfield State, I continued my commitment to public service and began working at the Northampton office of MA State Representative Lindsay Sabadosa of the First Hampshire District. In the classroom I learned the importance of municipal government; and working in this area has allowed me to deepen my understanding of legislative work, community outreach, and the policymaking process. Due to the costs of school, I had to withdraw during the second semester, and I am now working to enroll in community college to receive my degree. However, my pursuit given my education has remained.

This influence that language of the law maintains; the way the words articulate in the text showcases how well individuals are protected, or better yet, put others at an immediate disadvantage.
I work in a State Representative's office, learning how certain legislation, if passed in session, could impact various demographics. Observing cases at the Worcester District Court House show me another aspect of how without assistance with legal language, some were unable to be given the proper protection. A man, without a public defender, or proper knowledge. tried to argue against his abusive employer, who knew the case would get thrown out. Unfortunately, the man received no compensation, and the case was dismissed. If he had the privilege to understand and be given guidance of his legal rights, he may have had a different outcome.

I want to interpret the law because I’ve seen the impact of language within my own family. The language towards immigrants in this country has my mother still working to receive citizenship, after multiple decades and thousands of dollars given to this country. I want to advocate with this language because I’ve learned how without proper advocacy, individuals cannot navigate the structural barriers that will remain for as long as we have to deal with them. Dissecting the law is a career that came through my interests in literature and history. I realized how the impact of language throughout literature conveys themes - messages that are reflective of people or society. Within history, language drives the progression of societal change - the language reflective of the access or denial of certain privileges. The law is an honor to interpret because of what it reflects for the underprivileged in this country- and it would be an honor to work towards understanding it to enact great help for others.

Through my education, I am allowed the privilege to pursue this career - and my education has guided me towards this purpose.