Darresa’s career goal developed after witnessing the difficulties her daughter faced when they were forced to transition to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Darresa was compelled to advocate for her daughter when she began to experience emotional distress, eventually conducting research on educational policy and federal law to address the unsettling issues she encountered with school administrators. Deeply concerned about New York City’s educational disparities, Darresa became determined to become a lawyer and continue her advocacy for students facing challenges dealing with administrative red tape. Ultimately, she wants to serve special needs’ students and their families from underserved communities in need of legal representation facing the Department of Education.
“I believe that the law should be used as both a sword and a shield to protect and serve the people, which I aspire to do. I want to make substantial political changes to address the neglectful educational system and help families trust the system again.” – Darresa Rodriguez