Ani Porter Pre-Law Scholarship

My local public defenders office has become my second home. During the formative years of my life I spent every summer interning for a judge at The Harry T and Harriett T Moore Justice Center. Since middle school I have had the opportunity to shadow and study some of the best public defenders in Florida. During my internships, the most interesting thing that I observed was how each moving part of the justice system interacted, especially how inmates are looked at and treated within the system. I realized how some of the nicest people hold so much pride in their hearts that they look down on the troubled. Alternatively, I have also been able to witness how meaningful positive connections are, and the impact of giving grace to individuals who have been repeatedly taught that they are undeserving. These moments of real nurturing between people have made the biggest impact on how I see my future. My pursuit of law is grounded and intrinsic. Public defense specifically is an act of service to the individual, the attorney and client. You gain the knowledge that every person is different to each person they meet, and you have to free yourself from the pride that you hold. The real empathy that I have been so fortunate to witness is not just held for the “wronged.” For the best lawyers, empathy is not selective. While maintaining their professionalism, they also treat each client with dignity and respect. As their careers progress, they are confronted with the scary reality that anyone is capable of ending up anywhere. They are relearning vulnerability and connecting with those who have been neglected by humanity. It is a pursuit that you need the stomach for, and that tolerance is not always innate. It is a lifelong pursuit of independent thinking and not buying into any supremacy complexes. I have continued to commit myself to the pursuit of free thinking, and, with all honesty, although a tedious process, it is equally necessary and simple. I continue to be gentle with myself, but I am simultaneously critical of my thought patterns. I observe where judgment is coming from and do my best to deconstruct it. This habit has resulted in my success within professional law settings and I cannot imagine myself doing anything else. I am receiving my AA degree with my high school diploma in May, and from there I have no specific school in mind. I would like to move to a city where I think I could do the most meaningful work. I intend to major in political science, and immediately go to law school. Throughout this time I will maintain my open internship at The Moore Justice Center. I hope that when all is said and done, I end up right back there. Working within my orginal muse and with the professionals that have supported me and inspired me to follow their path.