Stacy Cammarano

I am extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to work with the Human Rights Clinic over three semesters—first as a volunteer, then as a student, and continuing as an advanced student. Throughout my time I worked with other students on projects that illuminated different aspects of human rights advocacy. I wrote an amicus curiae brief before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and submitted two reports to international human rights bodies; one affected the system in which we practice, and the other affected the substance of the rights we’re trying to protect. Throughout these different experiences, Ariel taught us to constantly consider the theory and broader implications of our work: What methods work best? How can we create channels for people to advocate for their own rights? What unintended consequences could our work have, and how can we avoid them? In considering these questions, the Clinic has given me both the practical experience and the theoretical understanding to be a conscientious human rights advocate.