Dear Reader,

As we enter the final few hours of 2025, I wanted to share a brief update — and a story that shows what your support makes possible.

Thanks to this community, we are nearly 85% of the way to our end-of-year giving goal. We are so close to the finish line — and with your help, we can close the remaining gap and start the new year strong for the students who are counting on us.

I want you to meet Hannah, a Barrier Breakers Scholar.

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Hannah is a first-generation college graduate and an autistic student who discovered her calling to law through hands-on work with a forensic neuropsychologist, supporting complex civil cases involving elder abuse, fraud, and neuropsychological vulnerability. Her passion for law is rooted in empathy and a desire to advocate for people who are often overlooked or exploited.

Despite her impressive experience, the law school admissions process felt overwhelming. Hannah had no lawyers in her family, no close legal mentors, and found it especially difficult to write personal statements after years of scientific writing. She worried about how to sound genuine and whether admissions committees would truly see her.

That context matters — because only about 6% of lawyers identify as having a disability. Representation in the legal profession remains deeply limited, and students like Hannah too often navigate this path without guidance.

Through the Barrier Breakers Scholars Program, Hannah received personalized advising, essay coaching, and ongoing mentorship — support designed not just to get students in, but to stay with them.

Here’s how Hannah describes that experience, in her own words:

And I’m thrilled to share the outcome of that support:

Hannah has been accepted to NYU Law.

Hannah’s story is why this work matters — and why closing this final funding gap is so important.

If you’re able to give before year’s end, your support will help ensure that first-generation and disabled students don’t have to navigate this journey alone.

👉🏽 Give here to help us reach 100%:​
https://givebutter.com/firstgen

Thank you for believing in students like Hannah — and for helping us build a legal profession that better reflects the world it serves.

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