Michael Aiello, 2L
International
Justice Mission
Human
Trafficking
I am excited and blessed to be working with International
Justice Mission Thailand as a legal intern this summer. I am not sure which is
going to be the greater adventure, being in Thailand or writing a blog entry,
seeing how both are firsts for me.
The logical
place to start is how did I get here and why International Justice Mission
(IJM). Well, I took a few planes via DC, Paris (€3 for a bottle of water−not cool), and Bangkok and IJM is
downright awesome. But seriously you probably know that I have a heart for
serving others, especially those who have been oppressed by violent crimes such
as human trafficking. This passion and calling is the reason I am at Regent
University School of Law and thus Thailand. To learn more about the violent
reality of oppression, I invite you to read any of Gary Haugen's books, founder
and CEO of IJM, IJM's story web page[1], or click on the
YouTube Link[2] (see footnotes below). The tragic truth that people
violate children dozens of times a day has
called me to action.
I first
learned about human trafficking during Thanksgiving weekend 2011 in a sermon by
my former youth pastor. It clenched my heart and demanded I do something. To
make a long story short I changed my undergraduate focus from European Union's
bilateral relationship with the United States to combating human trafficking.
While writing my senior theses on trafficking I kept coming across an
organization that not only raised awareness, but went to the darkest parts of
the world and made a real difference in people's lives. As you can probably
guess that organization is IJM.
After
graduating from James Madison (Go Dukes!), I was blessed to intern with IJM HQ
in 2012. That internship was amazing, but the pertinent thing is that it lead
me to law school. One of the Vice Presidents told me that if I really wanted to
make a difference in the oppressed lives I need to use the law.
Back then
when you googled "law school human trafficking" there were only two
schools that popped up: University of Michigan School of Law and Regent
University School of Law. I'm sorry to say when I just googled it Regent was
not even in the first few pages. We need to change that ASAP. Anyway, Regent,
largely due to the Center of Global Justice located on campus, was the clear
choice for me. For the sake of brevity I'll talk more about the Center in
future posts.
Somehow I
recently completed my first year of law school. Which in itself is no small
task (feel free to ask any law student for confirmation). Something about the
eighty hour workweeks and perpetual fear of being called on . . . especially on
the rules against perpetuity. Let's just say it wasn't easement. Oh law puns!
Traditionally
a law student does an internship between his/her first and second year as well
as in between their second and third year. For those of you who do not know a
law degree is called a Juirs Doctor (J.D.). It is ninety credit hours. Lawyers
are technically doctors, but go by esquire if anything in the states (feel free
to Wikipedia it, I may just have). Since the reason I am at law school is to
equip myself to serve the oppressed, I want my first internship experience to
focus on exactly that.
Which
leads me to where I am now, Thailand. Once again I find myself blessed to be
able to work with IJM and am thankful for the Center of Global Justice making
it financially possible.
For those of
you who don't know, International Justice Mission is a global organization of
investigators, lawyers, and other professionals who work with the local
community and judicial system to protect the poor from violent oppression
throughout the developing world. IJM Thailand is one of eighteen field offices.
Each office has their own focus of oppressions ranging from human trafficking
to minority groups citizenship rights. Thailand casework includes child sexual
assault and minority groups citizenship rights. I'll be lending a hand in both
of these as well as brewing the coffee. Which I must say is amazing. There is a
coffee shop on almost every block and 95% of them are not Starbucks.
That about
sums up the first post. There will be more to come!
P.S. I had
a gecko tail fall on me during my first day at the office. I wonder if that is
a sign for good luck?
I enjoyed your first post and look forward to more! God has blessed you with finding the passion to know what you want to do with your life.....and you WILL succeed and help make our world a better place!!! I wish you A L L...T H E....B E S T...this summer and in your future path of goals!!! Cindy Wei
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Mrs. Wei! I sincerely all of your support!
ReplyDelete