Eight first-year students have been selected to participate in this year’s Calhoun Family Fellowship based on their passion for and dedication to racial justice advocacy and issues of equal justice.
The annual fellowship immerses law students in racial justice issues, advocacy, and experiential learning, providing them with a professional network of like-minded individuals and organizations committed to advancing equity.
It was established in 2018 by Jerry Calhoun, a 1967 graduate of Seattle University, and his wife, Andrea Wenet, who were inspired by their admiration for noted civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI).
Housed within the Center for Civil Rights and Critical Justice, the fellowship is overseen by Co-Assistant Directors Melissa Lee and Jessica Levin.
Fellows will take part in a host of racial justice advocacy efforts over the spring and summer, including:
- Engaging with lawyers, judges, community advocates, and those directly impacted by the legal system during the spring semester’s Racial Justice Speaker Series
- Traveling to Montgomery, Alabama, over spring break to explore the legacy of slavery and the many forms of racial disparity in the criminal legal system by visiting EJI’s Legacy Museum and Memorial, engaging in discussions about racial justice work with EJI staff, and attending the inaugural national symposium of the Fred D. Gray Institute for Human & Civil Rights, with a keynote by Stevenson
- Working a paid internship over the summer to get hands-on experience in racial justice advocacy
Meet the 2024-25 Calhoun Family Fellows:
Zain Almaliki
Almaliki emigrated from Iraq to the U.S., an experience that shaped his desire to work with other immigrants. Following his graduation from the University of Washington Bothell with a degree in health studies, he has worked as an interpreter for Arab immigrants throughout the Seattle metro area. This experience helped him understand the challenges faced by underrepresented communities and fueled his passion to advocate for them.
“The Calhoun Family Fellowship has been an instrumental part of my journey. I believe that every lawyer, regardless of their specialty, must approach the law with a diverse background and understanding of social justice issues,” Almaliki said. “This experience has deepened my commitment to advancing racial justice, not only within the criminal legal system, but across all areas of law.”
Vanessa Arias
With more than eight years of experience working as a bilingual advocate for immigrants and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault at organizations such as Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, Arias feels called to help empower survivors and fight for justice. Growing up with undocumented members of her family, she has witnessed the generational impact of domestic violence that has shaped her journey and sparked her desire to pursue a career in law.
“I’ve seen how transformative legal intervention can be, offering survivors the opportunity to reclaim their autonomy and begin their healing process,” she said. “While my work as an advocate has been rewarding, I believe the law has an even greater potential to create lasting change for marginalized communities.”
As a fellow, she is excited to continue this work, building on her experience and using the law as a tool to achieve justice and promote healing.
Jordan Casey
After studying law, societies, and justice at the University of Washington, Casey spent nearly three years working as a reentry specialist at the Seattle Clemency Project, which provides free legal aid for people seeking early release from prison and those facing deportation. There, Casey helped people serving life and long sentences to obtain relief and review of their sentences.
“I came to law school to fight for people who are treated unfairly by the criminal legal system and to gain the skills to push for more just outcomes,” she said. “I’m especially committed to challenging how historical injustices — like discriminatory sentencing laws, over-policing, and the criminalization of poverty — have led to the disproportionate incarceration of marginalized communities.”
Amy Diaz
By majoring in law, societies, and justice at the University of Washington, Diaz gained a deeper understanding “of the effects that legal systems and institutions have on marginalized communities, from both a racial equity and socio-economic standpoint.” Diaz’s legal studies are personal to her due to her family background.
“I am the proud daughter of two Venezuelan parents who sacrificed everything to immigrate to the U.S.,” she said. “My personal and professional experiences fuel my passion for advocacy and the process by which social and legal aid are given to our communities.”
After graduating from UW, she worked as a paralegal for a local civil rights firm that litigated cases on prison conditions and police brutality in Washington state, as well as for a nonprofit law firm representing survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
“The mission of the Calhoun Family Fellowship aligns with my goals both during and after law school,” she said. “It is an honor to be a part of such an incredible group.”
Cristina Espinoza
When she was a young girl, Espinoza witnessed firsthand what it meant to live in a ‘legal desert.’ Her sibling needed legal assistance, but in their small town, located between Yakima and Richland, the closest immigration lawyer was 45 minutes away.
“That was when I realized that my community lacked access to adequate legal resources,” Espinoza said. “Ever since then, I knew I wanted to go into law to one day to be that resource for my community.”
Through the fellowship, she hopes working with racial justice advocates in Seattle will help her become a more effective attorney in her hometown, where Espinoza plans to give back through pro bono work, either in immigration or in criminal defense.
Rafi Khan
Khan’s commitment to criminal defense is deeply rooted in his personal experiences and his hands-on work with public defenders.
“Witnessing the intersection of mental illness and the justice system strengthened my resolve to advocate for society’s most vulnerable,” he said. “As a Muslim-American growing up in a post-9/11 world, I learned early the importance of resilience, empathy, and standing up for the marginalized.”
Khan decided to become a criminal defense attorney after interning and working as an assistant and attorney’s representative at public defender offices and law firms advocating for incarcerated individuals seeking clemency across the country.
“I am driven by the belief that everyone deserves a strong defense and am committed to using my legal education to champion the rights of the underrepresented,” he said.
Alejandra Tinoco Bonilla
Tinoco Bonilla decided to attend law school to learn how to better advocate for and with her community. Before enrolling at Seattle U Law, Tinoco Bonilla worked as an immigration paralegal in St. Paul, Minnesota, for more than three years. She is a committed activist, having protested and demonstrated with the St. Paul community to demand justice for George Floyd, rights for immigrants, and the cancellation of an oil pipeline expansion.
“The many injustices I experienced and witnessed in my upbringing, such as facing housing and food instability and the violence faced by my loved ones due to their [immigration] status, drove me to this field,” she said. “I truly believe in learning the law to address systemic injustices and promote equitable access to justice, deserved by all.”
As a Calhoun Fellow, she looks forward to forming lasting relationships with her cohort and hearing Stevenson speak in Montgomery.
Brandyn Ulrich
Ulrich became interested in improving the criminal justice system long before enrolling at Seattle U Law. After majoring in government during his undergraduate studies at Harvard University, Ulrich worked as a criminal defense investigator for nearly three years with the Snohomish County Public Defender Association. There, he witnessed “endless forms of discrimination and other challenges” faced by many clients, especially people of color and those without financial resources.
“This exposure motivated me to pursue a legal degree so I can be the best possible advocate for vulnerable communities,” he said. “With the Calhoun Family Fellowship, I am most excited for the weekly discussions we'll have and the chance to hear stories from community members impacted by racial injustices and community members that are working every day to make the system better.”