#waotm

[wellesleyunderground]

January #WAOTM is Michelle Lapointe ‘01 (@michlapointe)

Michelle Lapointe ’01 was busy in 2018. The Associated Press, the Miami Herald, Univisión, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, NBC News and Yahoo News all featured her work on behalf of immigrant families and children for the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Immigrant Justice Project, based in Atlanta, Ga. 

She officially became a rock star attorney when Rolling Stone got in on the act in January 2019. Although Travis Scott beat her out for the cover, they do have one other thing in common besides being in the same issue of Rolling Stone. They both spend a lot of time on planes. Travis’ Yosemite video—viewed on YouTube over 12 million times—features him in a private jet. Michelle also spent most of last year, and the beginning of this year, flying around the country from Tennessee to Florida (not the nice part) to Mississippi to Louisiana (Jena not NOLA) to San Francisco to rural Georgia to El Salvador. Unlike Travis, Michelle is partial to Delta economy flights and long car drives.

More important than her recognition by the mainstream media last year, Michelle made a difference in the lives individuals and entire classes (aka class actions) of immigrants who came to the United States to work, go to school, and escape persecution. Most of this time was spent meeting with clients in immigration detention centers, trailer parks, and staying up past her bedtime to prepare federal court filings and get ready for depositions. She helped reunite families, protect journalists facing deportation, and ensuring that immigrant children have the right to their education.

She also made a difference in the lives of her family at home in Georgia. Her 5-year-old daughter knows that her mommy is a “community helper,” just like the firefighters she hears about in pre-kindergarten, or like RBG depicted in her children’s book that Michelle frequently reads to her. Like the firefighters, her mommy rescues people too. Her almost 3-year-old son is beginning to understand what mommy does on her frequent work trips. He loves firefighters, so we’re working on that analogy with him too. Meanwhile, her dog just continues to eat socks, so she finds time to take him to the emergency vet on occasion between her work travels. Her husband reads all her news clippings and thanks her for helping rescue the country one family at a time.

Thank you to Michelle's husband Seth Kroop for this month’s submission.

[wellesleyunderground]

November 2018 #WAOTM: Malina Dumas ‘10

Thank you to EB Bartels ‘10 (@eb_bartels) for this month’s submission!

Malina Dumas is definitely the most badass lawyer in the state of Maine, perhaps in all of New England, maybe even in the entire United States of America, and possibly the whole world?! 

Malina graduated with her J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law in spring 2018, and passed the Maine bar exam in the fall to become a 100% official real lawyer. (Her swearing in ceremony was on October 12, 2018!) That by itself is pretty impressive, but Malina is more than pretty impressive. She is outright amazing. During her time in law school, Malina chose to focus on legal issues that impact Indigenous groups in the U.S. and Canada, particularly in the Arctic region. She was a Hazleton Fellow at the University of Washington, assisting with researching and drafting the 2016 and 2017 Arctic Law and Policy Year and Review, plus she worked on the Washington International Law Review. Malina was a summer law clerk at the Navajo Nation Department of Justice, she was an Arctic Fellow in the International Policy Institute at the Jackson School, and she also volunteered with the Refugee Assistance Program. She speaks English, Russian, German, French, Romanian, and, in law school, she got a grant to study Inuktitut. DO YOU KNOW ANYONE ELSE WHO SPEAKS INUKTITUT???? Oh, and, casual, she also has a Masters from Georgetown in Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies, she did a Fulbright in Moldova, and she was an Albright Institute Fellow. NO BIG DEAL.

So, clearly Malina's LinkedIn profile is out of control, and I feel smarter by my association with her alone (we were two of three Russian language and literature majors in the class of 2010 -- shout out to Joan Buck who was number three!) but more than that, in addition to all her crazy impressive credentials and the fact that she is super smart (did you SEE how many languages she speaks???), Malina is kind, extraordinarily empathetic, and has an unwavering sense of right and wrong. She uses her skills to help marginalized groups and people in need. She truly embodies the Wellesley motto Non Ministrari sed Ministrare. 

 In summary: Malina better be Secretary of State one day. 

[wellesleyunderground]

October 2018 #WAOTM is Hannah Ellenson ‘08

Shelly Anand ‘08 and Hannah Ellenson ‘08 in Jerusalem in 2009.

I’m nominating my best friend Hannah Ellenson ‘08 for Wellesley Alum of the Month (WAOTM) because she is one of the best things I got out of my time at Wellesley. We met at orientation during our first week at Wellesley -- playing SHEpardy (remember the Sexual Health Educators?). Hannah was the leader of one team, I was the leader of the other, and she knew way more than I did about sexual health. We became instant friends and have built over 14 years of powerful friendship.

Hannah has dedicated her life’s work to social justice and finding peace in the Middle East, literally. She focuses on finding ways to support Palestinians and build relationships between Palestinians and Israelis. She is definitely no PEP (another term I learned from her, Progressive Except for Palestine). She has difficult conversations in the Jewish community about the rights of Palestinians and how the Jewish community needs to work towards a resolution with their Palestinian brothers and sisters.

She is also just a wonderful person. If anything, Hannah has taught me the importance of learning to say “no,” of knowing my limits, and while recognizing that there are many atrocities in the world, telling me it is not my job to solve them all.  She has taught me the importance of self-care and is always there to tell me that I’m enough, that there is nothing about me that I need to change, and that is ok to stop and rest.

Hannah and her amazing wife Becca are expecting their first child this winter (Becca should be awarded best Wellesley spouse of the year-- just don’t tell my husband Eric because he is in competition for this coveted title). I am so excited for Hannah and Becca to start this next chapter. Hannah is already an amazing caregiver to everyone in her life (as her mother Jackie said when we noticed this in her our first year at Wellesley, “it’s her way”). This little baby couldn’t ask for more amazing parents.

I”m so proud of Hannah and the amazing woman that she is --- she is changing the world not just through her advocacy and commitment to finding a democratic resolution for Israelis and Palestinians, but also in her advocacy and commitment to those that she cares about and loves --- telling us that we are amazing just the way we are. I love you Hannue. --- Shelly 

Hannah and Meagan [Froemming] Harmon ‘08 in Jerusalem in 2006. 

Hannah, Meagan and Shelly in 2010.

Sitting down to write this, I thought it would be easy to put into words exactly what Hannah means to me and why she is such an incredibly deserving Wellesley Alum of the Month. But, like you’d expect from a friendship of 14 years (I think Shelly actually introduced me to Hannah the day after they met), there are so many moments to choose from and so many ways I’ve seen Hannah influence the lives of those around her that it is basically impossible to decide where to begin. I could write about how hearing Hannah talk Middle East politics our first year at Wellesley opened my eyes to traditions that I’ve come to fiercely love and to corners of the world I’d never imagined I’d see, but that now feel as much like home to me as Shabbat dinner at Hannah’s house did that first Fall Break. Or I could go on and on about Hannah’s sense of humor or her charm, or the hours we spent laughing together at Wellesley and beyond, often to the point of tears, which are some of my most precious memories.

But what I think is most important that you know about Hannah is her ability to bring out the best in those she loves. She inspires me and everyone around her to be the best versions of ourselves: to be interested and engaged and open to the world with all its possibilities, its joys. and its losses. She isn’t afraid to get real or share hard truths, but she does it with gentleness and, above all else, with empathy.

I was so excited when Hannah told me she and Becca are expecting. Having just had a baby myself, I knew Hannah was going to be amazing at the motherhood thing and I couldn’t wait to see her in action...the baby isn’t here yet, but, man, amazing doesn’t even come close to describing her as a mama. Seeing Hannah’s love for her family grow exponentially as she enters this new season of life is beautiful. She has navigated each change, each new feeling (and they’re all new with a first pregnancy!), each tough moment and each celebratory one, with a calmness and grace that is not at all surprising coming from her, but which is inspiring all the same.

Hannah advocates for causes she is passionate about in her professional life, she advocates for her friends and their happiness in her personal life, and now, seeing her advocate for her family in this new role of mother, I feel even luckier to have her on my side. Hans, thank you for all you do.

Thank you to Shelly and Meagan for this month’s WAOTM nomination.

Want to nominate your Wellesley Bestie for WAOTM? You can do it here or email us at [email protected].

[wellesleyunderground]

September 2018 #WAOTM: Emily Randall ‘08 (@EmilyRandallWA)

I have been friends with Emily for over 14 years now. We really connected our senior year at Wellesley. She was House President of Claflin and often threw fetes for us involving large turkeys or roasted chickens. She was always making sure we were fed and cared for.  She was always very vocal about our rights as women, the rights of LGBTQ people, and the rights of people of color. One of our mantras went something like “la raza, las mujeres, la gente, el sangre, la lucha.” The race, the women, the people, the blood, the struggle. These were merely ideas for us as young 20 somethings getting ready to graduate from college.

10 years later Emily is putting these words and concepts in critical race theory and Latinx/Chicanx studies to action as she runs for Washington State Senate as the first Chicanx LGBTQ candidate. This race for political office is very personal for Em. She is running in her home state and in the county she grew up in. She is fighting to ensure that all Washingtonians have access to critical healthcare, quality public education, and that the rights of people of color, immigrants, LGBTQ individuals, women, blue collar workers, and the disabled are augmented, not erased by the current state of the country.

I am so proud of my dear friend. Una mujer de la lucha.

Thank you to our WU’s Editor in Chief Shelly Anand ‘08 for this month’s submission. You can submit your WAOTM nominations here.

[wellesleyunderground]

August 2018 #WAOTM -- Kiersten Kelley ‘11 (@kay_kelley)

Kiersten’s a project manager in Denver for Habitat for Humanity (HofH)and is probably the coolest human I know! She just got a promotion and is in charge of multiple construction projects at Denver HofH where she’s worked for almost 4 years as a construction site manager and before that at DC Habitat as an Americorps for 2 years. 

After Americorps, Habitat offered her a job to work there full time. She graduated from Wellesley as a sociology major and moved to California to be with her friends and didn’t really know what she wanted. After a year, Kiersten needed to move on and randomly applied to a bunch of jobs, desperate for a new start. DC Habitat got back to her and Kiersten fell in love with the work happening at Habitat. 

Now, 6 years later, Kiersten notices every detail of every house and building we walk into and by and is in charge of an amazing project (CAPABLE) where she is a part of a team of professionals who help keep elderly in their homes and comfortable. Her passion and knowledge about her work is overwhelming and wonderful to listen to. Her badass construction personality blows me away and I’m so proud to share an alma mater with her. As a woman working on site, she totally rules every project, encouraging everyone involved to trust her (even the old white men). Her close connections with each homeowner impressed me when I volunteered with her last fall. One homeowner refused to speak with anyone but her. Her commitment to her community shows in her Spanish which she’s worked hard to learn since leaving Wellesley.

Kiersten also has room to love her cat Frankie and her two younger sisters who have learned and grown so much because of her! Kiersten inspires trust and love with her humility, compassion and overall badassness. Looking back, Kiersten never bought that she’d be in construction but she’s found that it’s the perfect place for her! 

I think she’s the perfect alum for WAOTM. I think her story will inspire alum, especially young alum who are scared or might not know what they’re doing. Kiersten left Wellesley not sure if she was living up to the Wellesley name which I think a lot of young alum feel (including myself) and her story gives me so much hope! She totally lives up to it because she’s happy and doing what she loves! Kiersten is a crossword doing, House building, cat loving,social justice minded amazing lady who inspires every person she encounters. I’m so proud and impressed by her, it’s incredible. Go Kiersten! 

Thank you to Meghan Kelley ‘17 for this months submission! Know an awesome W alum? Nominate them for Wellesley Alum of the Month here!

[wellesleyunderground]

The July 2017 #WAOTM is Kayla M. Patrick ‘10 (@kaylamichele26)

Thank you to Makkah Ali ‘10 (@MsMakkah) for this month’s submission. 

My WAOTM is Kayla Patrick, a fierce and hard-working Wellesley Woman who has used her degrees from Wellesley and Columbia to ensure that every child, regardless of circumstance, has access to the opportunities, support, and resources that she had. Kayla does this in many ways. She does this when she counsels parents about how to advocate for their children's needs, when she writes articles breaking down education policy into digestible pieces, and when she conducts and shares months of research about the experiences of marginalized girls in schools across America. Professionally, she has served as a campaigner, teacher, school administrator, writer, researcher, and advocate. Personally, she has served as a confidant, cheerleader, and has gone the extra mile to make sure those around her have what they need to succeed. Kayla embodies everything that I aim to be: passionate, unrelenting, empathetic, and committed to the pursuit of justice, no matter what. She is both #BlackGirlMagic and a #WomanWhoWill. Kayla is a thoughtful friend, sister, daughter, and aunt and enriches the lives of everyone she knows through her humor, curiosity, and deep love. For all these reasons and more, she is my Wellesley Alum of the Month.

Have an alum you would like to see as WAOTM? You can submit your choice for WAOTM here.

[wellesleyunderground]

September 2019 #WAOTM is Cleo Hereford ‘09 (@cleo87), Editor of the Wellesley Underground #SelfCareSeries

Thanks to Shloka Ananthanarayanan ‘08 (@shlokes), Editor of the Wellesley Reviews, for this month’s submission! We love seeing the WU editor love!

Cleo is simply awesome. As the editor of Wellesley Underground’s Self-Care Series, she consistently produces articles brimming with excellent advice and tips and tricks that are invaluable to getting through your day. Recently, when a bunch of WU editors were discussing workplace struggles, she was able to point us to an article on how to take care of ourselves and not let a toxic work environment bring us down. As if consistently producing excellent articles for her own series wasn’t enough, Cleo never hesitates to help out her fellow editors with their series. She has cheerfully contributed to WU Reviews multiple times. 

Cleo embodies the best of Wellesley. Smart, kind, making time for self-care but still also going above and beyond to help others with her writing and advice. She may be a self-professed introvert, but through her work and kindness, Cleo helps more people than any extrovert I know. 

[wellesleyunderground]

August 2019 #WAOTM: Portia Allen-Kyle '07 (@ItsMsPortia)

Portia is an attorney and racial justice public policy advocate. Since her Wellesley days, and most likely even prior, Portia has been fighting for racial justice and equity for as long as we both have known her. Since graduation, She has been busy fighting for criminal justice reform across the United States through her work at the ACLU. Portia serves as the advocacy and policy counsel for the ACLU Campaign for Smart Justice. The Campaign for Smart Justice is working across all 50 states to end mass incarceration. Prior to joining the ACLU, Portia served as an instructor at St. Thomas Aquinas College and at Rutgers University, where she is pursuing a doctorate in sociology. She is currently on the Board of Trustees of the Urban Resource Institute, which provides comprehensive human services programs to empower individuals and families in the New York metropolitan area experiencing domestic violence and homelessness to improve their lives. Portia also served as an inaugural member of the Civilian Complaint Review Board of Newark, New Jersey. In 2013, Portia founded, whyracestillmatters blog that provides social commentary inspired by the everyday racism and racial misunderstandings exhibited in the context of the news, media, and regular social interactions. If you haven’t already, please do check it out! (Check out our interview with Portia and Bai Kamara ‘08 about the blog)

She has taken her fight for racial justice and equity to presidential race as policy advisor to Mayor Pete Buttigieg. She was a critical part of the team that put together the Douglass Plan which is a comprehensive plan for investment in Black America. She is a mother to her lovely daughter Cherie for whom she fights on a daily basis to leave a better America. 

 Thanks to Bai Kamara ‘08 and Shelly Anand ‘08 for nominating this month’s Wellesley Alum of the Month (WAOTM). You can nominate your favorite Wellesley alum here.