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PRESS RELEASE: Two Los Angeles Students Explore Careers in the Legal Profession Through Innovative Law Library Internship Partnership

LAEP and Southern California legal partners are expanding career pathways—and inviting local businesses to help inspire the next generation.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Los Angeles, CA, August 7, 2026 – LAEP and Southern California legal partners are expanding career pathways—and inviting local businesses to help inspire the next generation. As students across Los Angeles prepare to return to school, two local young leaders are beginning the academic year with something many of their peers don’t have: firsthand professional experience inside California’s legal community.

Selected from nearly 20 applicants, Chris, a rising senior at Augustus F Hawkins High School, and Azia, a recent Hawkins graduate and incoming UCLA freshman, completed an immersive summer internship through a partnership between the Los Angeles Education Partnership (LAEP), the Southern California Association of Law Libraries (SCALL), Loyola Law School Library, and the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District Library.

The internship introduced students to careers within the legal profession while providing mentorship, workplace experience, and professional development opportunities that extended far beyond the classroom.

“Programs like this demonstrate what’s possible when education and industry come together,” said Austin Williams, M.Ed., Director of Teaching & Learning at LAEP.“Career exposure has the power to change a student’s trajectory. When young people can see themselves in professional spaces, ask questions, build relationships, and gain real-world experience, they begin to understand that opportunity isn’t something reserved for others—it’s something they can pursue for themselves.”

Chris, has interest in Morehouse College, entered the internship with a passion for social justice. Azia, who will attend UCLA this fall with aspirations of becoming an anesthesiologist, sought a deeper understanding of the legal system so she can better advocate for herself, her future patients, and her community.

Throughout the internship, both students participated in hands-on learning experiences while receiving weekly coaching through LAEP’s Expose. Inspire. Support. model. Guided by College & Career Coordinator Sylvia Leiva, they strengthened their professional communication, networking, workplace readiness, and leadership skills while building meaningful relationships with legal professionals.

The internship concluded with a recognition ceremony attended by legal leaders and educators, including Sangeeta Pal (UCLA Law Library), Diana C. Jaque (USC Gould School of Law), and Robert Rosas (Sidley Austin LLP), who celebrated the students’ accomplishments and encouraged them as they continue their educational journeys.

Helping More Students Explore Career Pathways

While internships provide transformative experiences for a small group of students, LAEP’s Teaching & Learning program is expanding that same philosophy through Exposure Trips—an initiative connecting hundreds of elementary and middle school students each year with workplaces, professionals, and careers throughout Los Angeles County.

By introducing students to real-world learning experiences early, Exposure Trips help bridge classroom learning with future opportunities and expand students’ understanding of what’s possible.

LAEP is inviting businesses, organizations, and community leaders to partner in this effort by:

  • Funding an Exposure Trip
  • Hosting students at their workplace
  • Serving as a career speaker

Together, these partnerships help expose more students to new possibilities, inspire future aspirations, and support their journey toward college and career success.

Community partners interested in participating can complete LAEP’s interest form here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=n1xDCfPTDkaqnozBhTE28QK9HJv6byhLm0ax3_yWOHtUOEw4QTRXVllVSU9ZM0FMTTdXR1hDTVpNNS4u

“Every student deserves access to experiences that broaden their perspective and help them discover new pathways to success,” said Dr. Dawn A. Kurtz, CEO of LAEP.“When schools, businesses, and community partners invest in young people, we’re not only preparing students for college and careers—we’re strengthening our communities and building a brighter future for Los Angeles.”

For more information about LAEP’s Teaching & Learning: College & Career initiatives, visit www.laep.org.

Media Contact: LaCora Stephens, lstephens@laep.org, (213) 622-5237 ext. 233

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About Los Angeles Education Partnership

The Los Angeles Education Partnership (LAEP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance educational equity. Together with families, schools, and the community, LAEP facilitates access to and opportunities for quality educational and wellness practices so that children thrive from diapers to diplomas. For more information about Los Angeles Education Partnership, please visit www.laep.org.

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Melissa Peña

Chief Program Officer

Melissa Peña serves as the Chief Program Officer at the Los Angeles Education Partnership (LAEP), bringing more than two decades of experience advancing educational equity, youth development, and community-centered systems change. A mission-driven and strategic leader, she has dedicated her career to eliminating barriers to learning and seeking equitable outcomes for historically underserved youth. Prior to joining LAEP, Melissa spent over 14 years at Green Dot Public Schools where she launched and scaled high-impact initiatives that reduced chronic absenteeism by 27%, expanded access to wellness services, and built network-wide support systems for more than 600 homeless and foster youth across 18 schools. Her leadership is rooted in both entrepreneurial vision and disciplined execution—designing programs, teams, and infrastructure that strengthen outcomes for students while supporting the adults who serve them. 

Melissa’s commitment to equity has shaped her work across roles in education, youth development, and human services, including senior leadership positions at The Door in New York City and national diversity recruitment efforts at Teach For America. She began her career as a fourth-grade teacher in Newark, New Jersey, a formative experience that continues to ground her belief that the key to ensuring every young person meets their full potential lies in the power of family–school–community partnerships. At LAEP, Melissa leads program strategy with empathy, clarity, and a deep belief that children thrive when systems work together from “diapers to diplomas.” She holds a Master’s in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a B.A. in Sociology from UC Santa Barbara. Outside of work, she enjoys researching her family history, exploring nature, and family movie nights with her husband and two children. 

LaCora Stephens

Marketing and Communications

LaCora is a seasoned communications professional with a passion for using multimedia storytelling to empower movements for social justice and equality. For over 13 years, she has honed her skills as a versatile multimedia director, overseeing media operations across diverse organizations, including the NAACP Beverly Hills-Hollywood Branch and The Shirley Chisholm Education Foundation. Her deep understanding of the education and equity landscape fuels her creative vision, allowing her to craft impactful narratives that resonate with audiences.

With strategic communication​ and collaboration, LaCora excels in developing and executing compelling​ multimedia campaigns that not only raise​ awareness of critical issues but also​ inspire action and drive meaningful change. Her proficiency in concept​ development, production execution, and​ team leadership ensures projects are​ delivered with exceptional quality. Furthermore, LaCora fosters strong​ relationships with internal and external​ stakeholders, cultivating partnerships​ that maximize campaign reach and impact.

LaCora's educational foundation began with a Bachelor of Science in Theatre Education from Florida A&M University. She then pursued a master’s degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from Alliant University of San Diego. This passion for storytelling, fueled by her background in education, translates to her belief in the power of shared narratives. Her work in this area was recognized through her selection as a Women in Film Mentee and film director for Viola Davis’ sponsored film showcase, Diversity in Cannes. Now, LaCora leverages her love of storytelling and commitment to educational equity in her role leading marketing and communications for Los Angeles Education Partnership, while also serving on the board of the Pasadena African American Film Foundation.

Eric Barela, Ph.D.

Senior Consultant, Raya Cooper Impact Consulting

Dr. Eric Barela has worked as a measurement & evaluation professional for over 2 decades, helping organizations to better understand and act on their social impact. He’s currently a Senior Consultant with Raya Cooper Impact Consulting and previously worked at Salesforce, where he led efforts to measure the social impact of the company’s work with nonprofits and educational institutions across the globe. He began his career working with the Los Angeles Unified School District and with the nonprofit, Partners in School Innovation. Eric previously served on the Board of the American Evaluation Association and currently serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of the American Journal of Evaluation.

Eric grew up in East LA and was educated in the Montebello Unified School District. He holds a Ph.D. in education from UCLA. He loves a good road trip, with his husband serving as trusty navigator.