Courtney L. Cooper
About
Courtney majored in Business Management for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Menlo College. They have worked in advocacy and organizing at the local and legislative levels in California. They are pursuing a career in advocacy at the intersection of disability, gender, class, and race. Currently, Courtney is a Plus Scholar through LSAC’s Plus, Guided Pathways. They are a law school candidate who plans to practice public interest law.
Courtney is also an author and artist who enjoys expanding people's views of disability and vulnerable communities through mediums such as photography, painting, and dance.After experiencing numerous challenges as a youth, they could have approached their life as a victim. Instead, they used a small phrase to drive their future: “Be the person you needed when you were younger.” With that, their struggles became their fuel. They realized that their desire to help others was not just something nice about their personality – it is core to Courtney. When they got out of their own way and embraced leadership roles, they realized that not only were they great at it, but that the most successful equity movements are driven by competent individuals with diverse experiences. The world needs people like them – Black queer, disabled, formerly unhoused, foster youth – at the table.They have built a strong foundation as an advocate – skilled in building coalitions, harnessing data, and mobilizing movements to create equity-based systemic change. They realized their passion and reached unequivocal success – without resources or a graduate degree. Their confidence and determination only grew stronger as they built powerful social capital, achieved legislative wins, cultivated lasting coalitions, and helped lead and include marginalized, unseen populations in policy victories.Now, they're on the precipice of stepping into their power and claiming their place in creating a more just society. While there are many options, law school will provide the experience needed to sharpen their skills and drive lasting change. They intend to practice public interest law, with a focus on disability rights in the fields of reproductive justice and immigration reform. Their goal is to leave a lasting impact on disability rights so people like them have an equitable path toward uncovering their own skills, confidence, and destinies. It's said that living well is the best revenge. Courtney's best revenge will be creating a more just world – the one they needed when they were younger.