Last Thursday, UK-based human rights lawyer Lucy Mair met with Tappan Zee High School’s Social Justice Club to share her experience in all areas of immigration and asylum law, and human rights advocacy.
Mair, who served as both an advocate for Human Rights Watch and as a barrister for the UK, discussed her work on cases involving gender-based violence — especially for victims of human-trafficking and migrant victims of domestic violence — over the past 25 years.
“Hearing about Ms. Mair’s path to becoming a human rights lawyer piqued my interest,” said Tia M., a senior and club vice president. “I’ve always been interested in this subject and hearing her speak about her experiences inspires me to follow a similar career path. I hope to be able to have an impact on people’s lives, like she has, one day.”
The TZHS Social Justice Club is a service organization composed of students, faculty and staff. Discussion topics include race and gender discrimination, economic inequality, human rights, and cultural and media stereotypes. Club members also serve as chapter members of Girls Learn International, Inc., which pairs American schools with partner schools in countries where girls have been traditionally denied access to education, aiming to train students to be leaders and advocates for positive change.
