A Letter from the Co-Editor-in-Chief, Mariley Melo
When I first arrived at Columbia University, and after I had decided I wanted to pursue law, one of the first things I noticed was the absence of a Hispanic Pre-Law Society. This gap was striking, especially considering how much importance we place on diverse perspectives and the contributions of marginalized groups within academia and broadly, the law sector. When the founding E-Board for the Columbia Hispanic Pre-Law Society (HPLS) was created, I knew I wanted to get involved. What started as a desire for a community quickly grew into a vision of a legacy: a space where Latine students could showcase our passions for law, politics, and identity while engaging deeply with Latin American affairs both in the U.S. and in our motherlands.
Throughout my time at Columbia, I’ve written countless papers on subjects relating to law, politics, and human rights. In doing so, I came across academic journals from other schools that highlighted the voices of Hispanic/Latine scholars and their perspectives on issues in Latin America. It struck me that we didn’t have something like that here. I dreamed of creating a platform where not only would we have the chance to share our work, but we could also demonstrate that we, Latine students, bring powerful ideas and critical insights to the table. My dream is for our journal to eventually be cited in academic papers, for our words to reach further and resonate beyond College Walk and 116th gates.
More than that, I want us to go to law school – or pursue any other endeavors we set our minds to – with the knowledge that we’ve used our writing as a tool of liberation. We will have spoken for those who cannot speak for themselves – whether it be for the voiceless in our home countries suffering under censorship, authoritarianism, or a broken democracy, or for those enduring decaying human rights and educational systems. Every article, every paper, every editorial published by this journal is an act of resistance – forward. It is an act of showing that we have arrived at this institution not only to succeed but to represent our countries and provide them with a platform.
This is something I’ve been doing since I first arrived here from the Dominican Republic. I have always wanted my country to come with me wherever I go. From hosting virtual events that featured Dominican figures to hosting on-campus events about Dominican baseball, this journal is an extension of that: this is my concrete contribution to that dream. I can now, peacefully, say that I have done my part.
My hopes for the Review is to continue to grow, inspire, and serve as a platform for future generations of Latine students to express themselves and make their voices heard. It is with great enthusiasm that I serve as the first Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Columbia Hispanic Law Review. And it is with open arms, y con mucho amor, that I welcome you to this journey. Thank you for being part of it. Let’s continue to explore, learn, and share.
Sincerely,
Mariley Afé Melo Cabral
Co-Editor-in-Chief, The Hispanic Law Review