BPI Alumni Spotlight: Rebekah Newman

IMG_3300Enjoy the latest from our blog series highlighting former BPI staff, fellows, interns, and directors. Today we’re profiling Rebekah Newman.

Affiliation with BPI
2015 Summer Fellow for Juvenile Justice

Current Position
Rising 2-L at the University of Notre Dame Law School

Fun fact about yourself
I used to work in a barn for kids diagnosed with mental disorders. I found the interaction between individuals and horses to be really transformational. In the future, I would love to open up a barn that rehabilitates not only horses, but people as well. 


Why did you choose to work at BPI? 

I was very interested in BPI because I wanted to get a feel for the policy side of social justice issues.  Prior to starting law school, I volunteered for a year in the New Orleans Public Defenders office and was very hands-on with a lot of issues but didn’t understand the policy side of things.  

What unique skills and/or experiences do you bring to your work as a fellow at BPI?

I’ve found my New Orleans experience to be invaluable. I think incarceration issues, which I focused on in New Orleans, make a lot of people uncomfortable. My New Orleans work really opened my eyes. When I think about juvenile justice, I think about the kids I specifically worked with. I’m happy to bring some of the on-the-ground experiences I had in that office to BPI.  

Why do you think public interest law is a necessity for a fair and just society?

There is an enormous mismatch between the need for and availability of services. I think it’s critical to have people engage in different sorts of public interest work, both policy and legal. I think the legal aid non-profit side just begins to remedy the vast need for a legal focus on social justice issues, whether that’s for housing, criminal justice, or education. That’s why I enjoy being at BPI; they look at the intersection of issues. Being comprehensive is the only way to be productive and successful.

What are your professional goals as a public interest lawyer?

I want to help stem the incarceration of African American males. I’ve worked in New Orleans, I’m from Milwaukee, and I’ve lived in D.C. I’ve seen how incarceration plagues cities, and the system needs reform. That goal seems really lofty, but I’m excited to be engaged in such meaningful work and to find the balance between working on policy and on the ground.

What does social justice mean to you?

To me, social justice is being aware of what’s happening in the world and my role in it. It’s understanding social justice issues, even if I can’t dedicate time to all of them. I’ve traveled to Ghana and Ecuador, and while I may not devote my life to issues affecting those countries, those experiences contribute to my perspective. By being more informed, you can be a better collaborator in society and be more intentional in the choices you make.

What is one big lesson that you took away from working at BPI?

I learned a great deal about the progression of policy surrounding public housing and juvenile justice issues. I also learned how intertwined these and other social justice issues are, and subsequently how policy and other changes need to be comprehensive in nature and must involve those who are most affected by these issues. 

Back To Blog

Stay Informed

Join our newsletter and stay up-to-date with Impact for Equity.

"*" indicates required fields