Over the summer, Emily Amezcua-Bravo, a current senior at CRSM, seized a remarkable opportunity by participating in a mock trial held in the Nation’s Capital, Washington, D.C. Despite this being her first time attending such a program, Emily demonstrated exceptional skill and determination, earning her a closing statement award.
The summer program that hosted Emily and her fellow students was called the ‘Future Latino Leaders Summer Law Institute.’ During this program, law school students from the Hispanic National Bar Foundation acted as mentors, guiding and preparing the students for their mock trial.
The case assigned to the students revolved around a 16-year-old high schooler who created an app, and was then sued and wrongly accused of security fraud by her investment company. Each student was responsible for presenting a distinct portion of the case to the mock court. In the end, the jury selected the most compelling statements from each portion of the trial, and Emily’s closing statement stood out among the participants, earning her an award in the category.
Since her participation in the mock trial, Emily has gained valuable insights into the workings of the justice system. She describes the experience as a driving force that “pushed [her] forward to achieve [her] goals” in the upcoming school year and beyond. Emily extends her gratitude to Cristo Rey St. Martin and its college counseling team for presenting her with this enriching opportunity.
Reflecting on her journey, Emily expresses, “Cristo Rey has opened up a lot of opportunities for me. It was through a college counseling program that I found out about this opportunity, and if it wasn’t for Cristo Rey, I would have never found out about this program”.
As Emily embarks on her senior year, she continues her exploration of whether Artificial Intelligence (AI) can exhibit bias within the justice system. As the founder and President of the AI club at CRSM, AI is a subject of great interest to her. In combination with the invaluable skills she learned this past summer, this club promises to be engaging and timely.