Schools of
Law
Voice Up invites law schools to partner in advancing purpose-centered, culturally responsive approaches that support student wellbeing, enhance professional identity formation, and strengthen the legal profession's commitment to justice and equity.
Voice Up strengthens pre-law and legal education through culturally responsive principles:
Cultural Humility
Tervalon & Murray-García, 1998
Law students learn to acknowledge the limits of their own perspectives and seek understanding of clients' lived experiences
Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy
Paris & Alim, 2017
Voice Up encourages students to draw on cultural identity and community roots when clarifying their purpose, values, and motivations
Funds of Knowledge Framework
Moll et al., 1992
Students recognize the strengths embedded in their cultural and community backgrounds, which enrich their professional formation
Reflective Judgment & Narrative Awareness
Essential for Practice
Critical for ethical decision-making, effective advocacy, and trauma-informed lawyering
Voice Up supports:
Pre-law pipeline programs
First-generation and non-traditional student support
Culturally responsive recruitment and advising initiatives
Leadership tracks for historically marginalized communities
Purpose-driven motivation development in aspiring law students
Student success and persistence programs
Research shows that culturally responsive frameworks improve:
Student belonging and identity integration
Ethical reasoning and empathy in professional contexts
Retention of historically underrepresented students in law
Client trust and communication in clinical settings
Motivation and confidence in professional pathways
By centering purpose and voice within a culturally responsive structure, Voice Up supports the formation of lawyers who lead with empathy, cultural humility, and justice as their north star.