This past summer, I walked through the doors of the Travis County Civil Courts not entirely sure what to expect. I’d always been curious about how the legal system works, not just from the headlines, but from the inside, where real people’s lives intersect with institutions. What I didn’t anticipate was how deeply this internship would shape the way I see my community, and how it would turn my curiosity into a commitment to better understand and want to improve the systems.
From my first day observing hearings, I was captivated by the rhythm of the courtroom. I would soak up each interaction, the way judges guided proceedings, attorneys crafted arguments, and everyday citizens stepped up to represent themselves. But beyond the formal language and legal procedures, I began to notice the way some people moved through the system with ease, while others faced invisible barriers. Individuals with limited English often relied on rushed translations. People with disabilities sometimes struggled to navigate the courthouse or understand the accommodations available to them. I found myself scribbling questions in my notebook between hearings: How does someone request an interpreter? What happens if they don’t know how? Why aren’t the signs clearer?
These questions eventually led to my capstone project of exploring accessibility in the courts for people with disabilities and language barriers. I observed interpreters, interviewed courthouse staff, and studied the resources/legal proceedings that were supposed to make the courts more accessible. While accommodations technically existed, they weren’t always easy to find or use. For someone unfamiliar with legal systems, these gaps could make the difference between being heard and being overlooked.
I didn’t want to stop noticing the problem. I wanted to learn more and contribute something meaningful. So I gathered what I’d learned and developed a set of practical recommendations such as clearer multilingual signage throughout the courthouse, a more streamlined interpreter request process, and greater training for staff on disability accommodations. Presenting these ideas to court administrators was both nerve-wracking and thrilling. I wasn’t a lawyer or policymaker, just a curious high school student. Seeing my ideas taken seriously made me realize that intellectual engagement isn’t just about absorbing information but more so redistributing it into my community.
Beyond my project, I spent hours talking with clerks, bailiffs, and interns, piecing together how each role fits into the larger court ecosystem. It isn’t lost on me that the roles of the justice system in our country today are the final gateway to protecting the rights of the most vulnerable populations. The integrity of the courts is under more pressure to uphold what is just and fair than ever before. The more I learned, the more I wanted to understand. I felt connected to the people these systems are meant to serve.
This internship showed me that curiosity can be a catalyst for change. It taught me that asking “why” and “how” isn’t just about finding answers for myself but for uncovering ways to support those who are often overlooked. My summer at the Travis County Civil Courts didn’t just satisfy my intellectual curiosity; it sparked a deeper passion for learning about my community and advocating for those who need it most.
My choice to go into public policy is a unique outcome of my background. Growing up in Texas as a Palestinian American woman, I feel comfortable saying I have witnessed injustice in this field in many forms. However, my understanding of said injustice has deepened further throughout my years of undergraduate studies. Learning about power dynamics and biases in court and law in general has made me more confident in my ability to work around them.
Being a woman in a Middle Eastern family has undoubtedly influenced me. First, it was witnessing female family friends who turned down full rides for no reason other than the shame of moving out single. Then, it was working two jobs in high school because my father was not willing to pay my application fees. I began to understand the importance of the independence that my mother told me she wished for. I became passionate about self-sustainability after seeing a dependent situation trap so many I love.
Public policy has failed me quite a few times. In Texas, that failure takes the form of decisions regarding welfare and bodily autonomy. In Palestine, it’s something I have to experience every time I drive up to the border and go through checkpoints, or have a 1 hour drive turned 3 because certain ethnicities are banned from certain roads, or when I watch all the men in my family get interrogated before prayer, or finally when I hear and see combat boots in my place of worship on what I thought was a regular day. It is for these countless witnesses and experiences growing up that I feel very passionate about public policy and the protections it’s meant to ensure, especially at the international level.
Going into undergrad for international studies, I noticed a recurring theme. Despite the countless conferences, conventions, discussions, declarations, policies, or protocols, it almost seems as though policies exist in an educated, yet isolated world that assumes a declaration of what should be done will change what occurs on a daily basis. Unfortunately, the most thought-provoking question that could be asked in most of my classes was: what measures have been taken to ensure this will be implemented? For that reason, I hope to be able to enter international law and be able to keep in mind the application of theories and laws when analyzing or criticizing them.
Finally, minoring in economics was something I was hesitant to do, but it has brought to my attention more aspects of public policy that are crucial to consider. For instance, behavioral economics taught me about how the biases of individuals can cascade down to the government, giving me a better understanding of how that might lead to injustice. This broader understanding of biases combined with my background of witnessing injustice has made me very passionate about public policy and its potential to improve.
From here, I only hope that I can put my foot in the world of public policy for the better.
