By Daniela Aizencang
Santana Kavanaugh is a junior at NYU studying for a dual degree: a B. A from Gallatin in Critical Race Theory, Human Rights and Minority Studies, and a Masters in Public Administration from the Wagner School of Public Service. As part of the 2022-2023 cohort of the Gallatin Global Fellowship in Human Rights, Santana worked with the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) in Washington D.C this past summer, participating in research and policy efforts related to several human rights issues facing the African American community within the US.
Daniela Aizencang (Graduate Assistant of Global Programs): What are you studying here at Gallatin?
Santana Kavanaugh: I started at NYU as a philosophy major in CAS, but transferred to Gallatin my sophomore year to have more autonomy over my plan of study. Even in studying philosophy, I always knew I wanted to work on topics related to African-American history and justice, but until Gallatin, I didn’t feel that any majors fully encapsulated everything I wanted to learn.
Once at Gallatin, I started taking a lot of critical race theory classes, and as the term has become more and more politicized, I’m more determined to dig into these studies and the way they are used. Complementing this, I always had an interest in international government but saw a tendency to mostly only refer to the Global South when working and discussing human rights. As an African American from the American South, knowing the political makeup and atmosphere at home and seeing our citizens killed and suffering from human rights violations, I wanted to bring this perspective closer to the American context by tying human rights studies into my concentration. Minority studies, then, tie all of this together, learning how these topics relate to other US minorities and the ways our experiences can strengthen this fight.
Daniela Aizencang: What drew you to apply to the fellowship?
Santana Kavanaugh: With human rights already at the center of my concentration, the fellowship was going to allow me to do exactly what I hoped to do with this degree: apply what I learn in the classroom to the topics I care about with organizations whose work I admire.
Specifically, I wanted to look into issues of police brutality and mass incarceration of African Americans through the lens of human rights. In discussing this with Prof. Sam Dinger, he encouraged me to apply for the fellowship for the connections and development it could offer.
Daniela Aizencang: Tell us a bit about your experience as a fellow
Santana Kavanaugh: When I first started the program I saw that while the other fellows were participating in organizations abroad, I was one of the only fellows staying in the US. However, I started feeling more and more confident in this plan, realizing that working in DC was the best thing I could do based on my interests, DC being so rich in African-American history and culture. During my summer in DC, I visited museums and monuments that helped with my research, attended conferences with amazing speakers like Equal Justice Initiative founder Bryan Stevenson, and met and connected with many law students from different HBCU law schools.
Specific to my time with the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), I had a great experience working with a great team and supervisor. I felt comfortable at NACDL because while other non-profits I had worked at before had similar missions based on justice for African Americans, NACDL stood out to me in that it used our language and was specific about its goals and how to get there, mentioning race and our human rights explicitly in both internal and external communications.
Daniela Aizencang: As people read about your experience, what is something you would want them to know?
Santana Kavanaugh: I would want them to know how important it is to take care of yourself, especially when engaging in this important but also personally related work. When it comes to African Americans focusing on the injustices we face in society, the work itself can already be mentally draining. When coupled with personal issues or any other po
ssible factors, it can get overwhelming. When doing this work, it is so important to take care of yourself, remember that you are not and do not need to be superhuman, and give yourself the time to be your very best.
Daniela Aizencang: Can you share a few memories from the fellowship that you will look back on fondly?
Santana Kavanaugh: One of the things I’m most grateful for was having the opportunity to help the NACDL write a clemency letter to the President. This was a great experience because while I had already been participating in other forms of cannabis legalization advocacy, being part of a petition that the US President might read was empowering.
Another great experience was attending a post-Dobbs conference held at the University of Tennessee Law School. Already having an interest in matters of reproductive justice, it was eye-opening to talk to lawyers with clients currently in jail for just making decisions over their bodies. Overall, it was a great opportunity to learn about more parts of the criminal justice field and be in that room with so many people who are working to defend our rights in these new, trying times.
Daniela Aizencang: What is something you are most proud of from your experience?
Santana Kavanaugh: Throughout the summer, my colleagues at NACDL often said to me, “I’m so glad your generation is taking this seriously, being advocates for our community and recognizing our situation as a human rights issue.” I am proud to be a part of that generation that is willing to go against the grain and challenge the status quo. A generation that has said enough is enough. We are going to get justice one way or another.
Daniela Aizencang: How has the GFHR enriched your undergraduate experience?
Santana Kavanaugh: This opportunity was exactly what I needed to feel more prepared and sure for law school. I’ve thought about it for years, but have often felt intimidated by the idea. Working at NACDL, however, I felt so comfortable that I knew this field could be and was for me. Connecting with so many lawyers, especially black lawyers, I was able to get a lot of advice for both applying to and eventually getting through law school.
Daniela Aizencang: Lastly, what is one piece of advice you would give someone interested in applying to or participating in this fellowship?
Santana Kavanaugh: Go in with a plan: know what questions you want to ask and what sort of information you are looking for. As you prepare for the summer, start building a framework of what you would like to gain from the experience and what you want the final product to look like.