Attorney Career Chat with Victims Rights Attorney, Rachel W. Robinson, Esq.

14:01:33 So good morning, good afternoon.
14:01:43 Good evening Keys family I'm excited I've been excited a lot, but I'm absolutely excited about today's guest.
14:01:53 She's a victims rights attorney but she's so much more than that, and has such a and impactful and critical story to tell as someone who is in this legal space.
14:02:05 So join me in a welcome being Miss Rachel to the podcast. Hi.
14:02:12 Thank you, Christina. it's so great to be here see I'm excited.
14:02:17 Y'all we've already. chatted and y'all are in for just an awesome call.
14:02:22 There are no limits. We are going to discuss everything.
14:02:25 We are going to get into the Nitty gritty because there's so much for you all to learn.
14:02:30 So I hope you have your no pads and your pins ready.
14:02:35 So first tell us who you are. I said victim rights attorney, but I'll let you introduce yourself.
14:02:39 Tell us who you are. Tell us what you do. Yes, I am primarily a victim.
14:02:44 Rights Attorney. This is a new venture for me.
14:02:47 In April I did resign from being a prosecutor.
14:02:48 After 4 years, and moved into the victim rights attorney space, because I seen how there's the need for it.
14:02:55 There's not a lot of those attorneys I also create music.
14:02:59 I'm a lyricist I'm an author a poet, a ritualistic gardener, I've taught women different gardening courses, and so one of the things that was kind of a blessing in disguise and leaving
14:03:11 my previous career, and becoming this entrepreneur in the past 4 months.
14:03:15 As I've completely expanded into fully. expressing myself, in all these different areas, and getting a clearer zoomed out picture of all that I can be, and just being it so, Yeah, with the limit to no limits right I have a friend
14:03:30 who coined the term. Her name's nicola vince.
14:03:33 She coined the term multi-hythenic talent.
14:03:35 Hmm. And I think all of us have that we all have these different aspects of ourselves, that that Wanna.
14:03:41 Be expressed and and it's just allowing us to say yes to that, and making it happen.
14:03:46 Yeah, that's so awesome, so victim rights. attorney I guess let's back up for a second
14:03:55 Is this what you want it to be when you grew up like little girl, you know Elementary Junior High High School.
14:04:02 What did you see yourself doing so? I absolutely knew that I wanted to be an attorney since I was 7 years old.
14:04:08 Wow! Yeah, I am from Jamaica. I was visiting home, and my uncle, Robert Fletcher.
14:04:13 He's an attorney out there he was a defense attorney at the time, and and I really liked him, and when he explained, when an attorney is because you know I'm 7 I don't know he
14:04:25 explained. it is, he excluded as I'm a voice for those who don't have one, and it was very impactful to me, because the first thing I thought of was like that man or some type of superhero I love
14:04:35 it, and so I said I'm gonna be just like him plus he always got me ice cream whenever I want it. I'm like, Okay, that'll do it.
14:04:43 I'm 7 and so I always now wanted to be an attorney, and because I'm an international background, I thought that I would go into international law, and I even did some international type internships and externships while I was in law
14:04:54 school, and studied abroad a few times in undergrad, in law school.
14:04:58 But my final semester of law school I ended up interning with Kim Gardner at the Circuit Attorney's office in St.
14:05:05 Louis, where I was attending law school at Washington University, and she was the first black woman, black and woman, like person and woman, to be elected to their elected prosecutor in that city.
14:05:19 And so I worked directly with her in her executive office, and a addition in another division in the office.
14:05:26 But working directly with her and getting the opportunity to do research for her, and get close to her and be mentored by her and her tight crew, really showed me what type of power a prosecutor has to bring about change when
14:05:41 the discretion is used the correctly. When the right people are in power and understand the actual community, they're serving and see it as a service rather than a militaristic operation.
14:05:56 And she absolutely looks at her job as serving and and recognizes the community.
14:06:00 And so it's an uphill battle it's been an uphill battle for her.
14:06:06 And I've watched her you know but it's still ignited something in me, and walking into court as an intern handling different hearings.
14:06:13 I just felt the sense of pride that I was not only working for Kim Gardner, but I was able to go into these situations and and do what I thought was fair, and so I got bit by the bug is what they say and I decided that
14:06:25 I would at least start my career as a prosecutor and so that's That's how that's how I decided to be that type of lawyer.
14:06:32 But always wanted to be an attorney for sure So how did you get that internship right There's someone out there.
14:06:40 It's like Yeah, I wanna get into law I don't even know where to start with.
14:06:43 Finding an internship. How did you find that one? absolutely so?
14:06:48 Going to Washington University in St. Louis. They have really good relationships in that city for those opportunities.
14:06:56 And so one of the things that if anyone wants to go into law, you know, go to a law school that has a thriving legal community around it, because chances are they're going to have a relationship to all those law firms the
14:07:08 Federal courts, the judges there's going to be alum that are now judges and attorneys in the area that are more than happy to kind of reach back and bring the students along with them.
14:07:19 And so Washington University's world were down school they just have these connections, and and they had a regular clinic every every year at the circuit attorney's office. and so I signed up for that and and I got in it
14:07:32 was about. I think it was 5 or 6 of us that actually were selected, and and we got class credit, and we also just got to be in court and be lawyers for that semester.
14:07:42 But it's really the relationships that your school has so Yeah, I figured that.
14:07:48 And it's important to raise your hand. right and say you know I'm interested in this. So I'm interested in that
14:07:54 What obstacles did you face along the way specifically in your educational journey?
14:07:59 Right, and we'll get to the work stuff which I know runs deep.
14:08:03 But were there any hurdles? Was there anything or referrals?
14:08:08 Was there any moment where you said, You know what this is not for me.
14:08:12 This is too overwhelming. I don't have the support what challenges existed during your educational journey.
14:08:18 If any right, it may have been smooth sailing. so we wanna hear those stories too definitely not smooth sailing.
14:08:27 Before going to my secondary, or whatever like college education. My biggest obstacle happened during the last 2 years year and a half of high school.
14:08:39 I had been a gifted and talented students in second grade, meaning I'm doing like 2 grade levels ahead of everyone else in a smaller cohort.
14:08:47 But they keep us with kids our age, because maturity levels so gifted and talented program. I played soccer.
14:08:51 I did drill team, I classically trained in piano music.
14:08:56 I was one of the only students to study French and Spanish, and become very fluent in those By time. I was a sophomore in high school, and I was living in a nice affluent suburban, area, where it
14:09:07 was safe, and and should have been protected. at a certain point.
14:09:10 I made friends with someone who come from sort of another side of town, and she was getting picked on, and the it innate attorney and me, you know, mediator and me defended her and and got the mean girls to stop picking on
14:09:23 her, and then we became friends, and but not long after that, maybe a year.
14:09:27 Into that she started kind of diverging into a path that I couldn't follow because I knew i'm doing high school athletics.
14:09:35 I want to be a lawyer. I can't kind of be out with these people smoking and drink it.
14:09:41 All the things that teenagers do like It's not wrong.
14:09:43 It just didn't fit what? I thought I was supposed to be doing So I ended our friendship and and she didn't take too kindly to that. and she ended up sort of destroying the rest of my relationships in
14:09:54 high school bullying me. nobody for protected me not the principles of the school, not the admirators, not my parents.
14:10:05 I guess they just didn't understand I mean I think institutions. We know they they think the way to protect themselves is to do nothing and shush everything which is terrible and my parents just just didn't understand I guess what was going on and how much
14:10:21 I really just needed to go to a different school, even though I thought I had to express that right.
14:10:25 So I end up going I ended up not going I I ended up not going.
14:10:31 It's only been very recent. Then I've been able to use the phrase high school dropout to describe myself.
14:10:38 Yeah, because that has such a connotation. But the bottom line is
14:10:43 I I relate to students and children who drop out because that's exactly what I did, and and I'm not.
14:10:52 And so I think it diminishes or devalues them by me, not even being willing to acknowledge myself that way.
14:10:58 And so I am a high school dropout,
14:11:02 The next several years after that I spiraled into exactly the path that I was trying to avoid going with her.
14:11:06 The irony of it all, and ended up in very compromising and difficult situations.
14:11:15 Anything bad a woman could go through. I went through abuse, whatever everything that can happen, homelessness, all these things and all of a sudden.
14:11:25 So, anyway, eventually I just looked myself in the mirror one day and I was like I'm gonna get you out of this, and you're never gonna feel this way again.
14:11:35 And so I did some research. I found an alternative high school to graduate from and and I did that.
14:11:42 And then, right after that, the only school that I'd apply to Bowling Green State University.
14:11:47 Somehow found my dad. he had the family had since split up I they didn't even live in the same place.
14:11:53 I don't know how they found him, but they reached out and they said, we have a full ride for your daughter.
14:11:58 Does she still want to come to our school I that's God like?
14:12:06 So, of course I said of course I said yes, cause I had been heartbroken, thinking i'm never going to be a lawyer after all, like I'm a mess. and and so I did it and I arrived at
14:12:19 Bowling Green State University, with a pillow, with no case I should pay her sheets and a few clothes, a few items of clothing.
14:12:29 I had been working as like a really like a mortgage broker person briefly before that.
14:12:33 So I had like suits, but you don't wear those at college.
14:12:36 I didn't have any yeah I escape the abusive relationship.
14:12:40 I went to Bowling Green with barely anything, and I never look back.
14:12:44 And once I was there it was just like being at home again, because I loved school so much growing up that that I just immersed myself in that world, and I never looked back.
14:12:58 Yeah, that was a huge struggle. yeah, so you look to yourself in the mirror, and so like we got this we can fix this.
14:13:08 You can't do it. I had to yeah got to someone somewhere, and and I'll think of I think about people in my own life.
14:13:18 Needs to hear that right you'll know when you're ready to stop the spiral and take control because I want a victim righteously.
14:13:30 So, and I was angry, and I was I was hurt, and I kept living in this world of like.
14:13:37 Well, if there was any student or any child they would have protected, it should have been me.
14:13:41 I was doing everything right, and it was and I was in a particularly abusive relationship when I had that conversation with myself in the mirror, and I'm looking at a bruised-up face.
14:13:53 And I'm like, Why are these people doing this to me and I said doesn't matter why anymore?
14:13:58 It doesn't matter Why, anymore, it's just not going to happen anymore, it didn't sitting. It ends today. and so I like that ritual of looking in the mirror even now there have been times and
14:14:10 I'll just pause and look in the mirror and I will just thank me.
14:14:14 I will thank past me and then I'll look and I'll say, Well, I won't future me to thank me.
14:14:22 So I'm gonna make this type of choice today, or I'm gonna do this type of thing so that I can look back and and always be thanking myself for for fighting for finding myself and holding myself and being there for myself also being
14:14:34 resourceful enough to find the resources people supports to get me through it.
14:14:39 We don't do this on our own but it's about looking up and looking around and gravitating to work the light gravitating to the ones who can help us figure this out because there's always someone to panic always
14:14:50 Yeah, yeah, this is awesome like this is awesome, because I I know for a fact.
14:15:03 There are so many people who we need to hear this story.
14:15:08 This is awesome, so we make It through law school right we're committed to education.
14:15:18 We're committed to doing better making an impact in our community.
14:15:23 Then what happened right first roll out of law school was what
14:15:30 So the first role was like, I said, being a prosecutor.
14:15:33 I did work briefly for Kim Garner as a full-on, licensed attorney for a few months.
14:15:39 Okay. That was just while I was waiting for my bar license in Colorado to be approved, because Beth Mccann, the first woman to be elected.
14:15:46 Da in in Denver, in Colorado. had hired me so straight out of law school.
14:15:54 Basically, I mean, they were just waiting for me to get to pass the bar and get those results.
14:15:58 And then they had hired me so that I would say was my official real job.
14:16:06 Up until this past April and again I hadn't I had come across a woman in this space that I believed what she said in her in her candidacy I believed that she was in a city.
14:16:20 That would give her less resistance because there were a lot of articles about how you know Denver is generally progressive, right?
14:16:28 It doesn't have a lot of resistance in implementing the things she wants to implement.
14:16:32 It's also a pretty rich city, and so they desate a lot of resources to law enforcement, which prosecutors are law enforcement.
14:16:41 But then the da has the choice, and she made this choice to delegate a lot of those funds to alternative sentencing schemes to resources for homeless people, to just approaching criminal justice in a more
14:16:56 humane way. at least I believed those were her true. you know, values at the time.
14:17:04 Unfortunately and January I was ordered to a lawfully prosecute someone.
14:17:09 I was ordered to keep a case open knowing that I couldn't prove the case. We're not allowed to do that as prosecutors, and we also have to turn that information over to the defense attorneys under the us
14:17:21 Constitution under any State statute under the Colorado Constitution.
14:17:26 Under our rules of ethics that's what we're supposed to do in that situation.
14:17:29 But this particular senior attorney decided to order me to go on the correct and the complete opposite direction.
14:17:36 And so when I resisted and reported that that order
14:17:42 Shockingly. I got retaliated against for that and I, and it was very, very.
14:17:51 It will take the twilight zone to me. My role in my job seems so clear in that moment.
14:17:57 And the easy answer is like you Yes, Rachel's right.
14:18:00 Turn over the evidence dismissed the case I don't want to work.
14:18:02 And then all I ask is not to have me work with this person anymore or near this person anymore.
14:18:06 And and instead they allow for a bunch of retaliation, and and then they ignore my request for an investigation.
14:18:14 When it just got too much a couple weeks into the retaliation.
14:18:19 So it was particularly hurtful for me because only maybe 6 weeks earlier. That's mccanner's South, who had had me sitting on different committees and going to fundraisers to represent the office.
14:18:32 I was teaching probation officer is how to do revocation hearings, and I'm like the attorney who's appointed to talk to the juveniles when they're about to fail out of their
14:18:40 probation programs like I'm the face of all these little things so I'm clearly competent, and I'm clearly valuable.
14:18:48 She takes me to lunch, and I think she had found out that I had been looking for jobs. because I was trying to get away from this other senior attorney, and very much was disagreed with his philosophies.
14:18:58 And we see Why, you see what happened. She asked me to not leave the office without talking to her first.
14:19:03 At that lunch. and so when barely 6 weeks later, I'm: talking to you, this thing is going on like help me, and she completely, you know, doesn't do just goes in a complete opposite direction.
14:19:18 It was just very jarring, and and it was hurtful.
14:19:22 It was hurtful. So that was my most recent experience.
14:19:26 But for me the substance of what I did. There was a no-brainer for me.
14:19:33 Even even if I knew that they were going to retaliate, even if I knew what I know today, wouldn't change a thing.
14:19:39 Okay, wouldn't change a thing about upholding my oath. of office, even though I end up having to lose the office itself.
14:19:47 That's the oath I took as a prosecutor is to uphold the constitutions of the statutes, and I did it, and I will say just to add a bit of like a nice news that I got a couple weeks ago is that the
14:19:59 Colorado Department of Labor did agree with me in my unemployment adjudication that I have in order to do something illegal, and I am entitled to my unemployment benefit so that's one
14:20:11 agency. There's some other investigations. going on but getting that news has been extremely validating.
14:20:17 It's another reason why I feel a bit more Comfortable even talking more openly about it now with you, because there's always that doubt.
14:20:25 We will. Maybe we always question ourselves like, Did this really just happen right?
14:20:30 Am I exaggerating like? Did I do the right thing?
14:20:33 Does this matter in the bigger scheme of life like?
14:20:37 Did I just give up Everything and no one's ever gonna care or know, and it's just it just hasn't borne out that way.
14:20:42 It's absolutely been a part of my story in a way that makes sense.
14:20:46 It's making me a stronger advocate for victims and understand them now that I'm technically a victim right understanding how intimidating that is, you know I don't know employment.
14:20:57 Law. So when my employment lawyers are saying something to me and I say to them like, I understand those words are in English, but like I don't know what you're saying. I'm now seeing what it
14:21:07 feels like for a victim to hear me explain a case or any attorney. explain a case, and and they know the words that they might be afraid to ask because they don't want to look stupid, or they don't want to
14:21:15 make a annoy the attorney and they put us on this pedestal, and I've always had an approach of like equal meet victims witnesses where they're at and be humane towards them.
14:21:26 But I think that this experience is even going to take that on a higher level of really understanding how to let them feel comfortable.
14:21:32 Ask any questions, how to explain things in a way that that is that is empowering and educational.
14:21:41 For them I mean giving them the vocabulary to advocate for themselves that David, if it's, even if they're disagreeing with something, I think we should do giving their power to say that overall it's just been
14:21:53 such a grow growth, a gross experience for me. And even though it parallels a lot of what happened in high school, the difference now is that I already had that conversation with myself in the mirror back then so I know
14:22:08 that going through this, I have the fortitude, the resourcefulness, and the intelligence to get through it.
14:22:13 To figure this out. Yeah, I also know how to gather the resources, the spiritual advisors, the therapist, the whoever I need very quickly hold me in that moment and take that pause for myself.
14:22:25 And wrap my brain around, which has happened because trauma changes our chemistry in our brain.
14:22:32 The only way to change it back is to is to have the right people around is helping us not let it completely fracture our brain, and it would have to acknowledge that it's trauma But I knew that from
14:22:43 the last time, and so I brought those tools with me as well.
14:22:50 Yeah, we'll see how it goes I think it's heading in a direction where I'll be validated.
14:22:55 The other thing that's beautiful and I'll just pause here is I'm, not too attached with the outcome with the da's office.
14:23:02 I'm gonna write about it, share what's happened in forums like this, so that everybody could know like, Do not be afraid to stand in your values, and you're in your integrity.
14:23:10 Ever Here's what's on the other side of that a clearer and more confident understanding of who you are.
14:23:20 A knowledge and a fortitude that's gonna carry me through turning this pain into my prosperity, and it gave me the opportunity to step back and be like, okay?
14:23:31 Well, who else am I? Because the lawyer? Identity right now is too painful to even right?
14:23:38 I was at that moment so I know that I'm an artist.
14:23:42 I I classically traded me I've I've created music in the past I'm.
14:23:46 A writer, and those things started coming to the foreground to get me through the situation.
14:23:52 And now those things could actually end up being more sources of prosperity, More sources of income that are going to help to subsidize my ability to provide the services accessible services to victims.
14:24:05 Now that I'm feeling strong enough to come back and hold space for being an attorney again, Yeah.
14:24:16 So I heard something in it, and I just want to be here for me to to contact deeper.
14:24:25 There are bound to be obstacles right I think that's just the shared nature of the industry, especially when you're talking about being a black women.
14:24:36 In the industry you are going to encounter. Stuff
14:24:42 And it sounds like based on previous life. experiences you had the tools I'm.
14:24:48 Hearing the tools, and of all focusing on your mental health.
14:24:53 Finding outlets finding your support system I don't think we talk enough about mental health right in any industry.
14:25:05 But I imagine specifically in the legal space. there are many people who look like us.
14:25:12 Who need that support? Who need that system? How did you find the support you needed?
14:25:20 Was it readily available? Did you find people that understood the the trials and struggles you were going through with your former employer?
14:25:32 Yeah. so I took 2 different avenues. One was I.
14:25:40 I looked specifically for a network of attorneys of therapist, of color, and it was connected to a young woman through that.
14:25:48 And then through my music journey, Through going and making music and and having that outlet, I met a drummer who was a previous police officer.
14:25:57 He's retired police officer who connected me to some resources that are specific to law enforcement and the trauma that we go through and the responses that we have to these very toxic
14:26:11 environments, and and so I don't know how much I want to say about how bottom line is they were helpful.
14:26:22 And what I will also say is in that situation.
14:26:24 I do want this also as a side thing sort of in the situation of dismissed in the case, the police completely supported it.
14:26:32 It was the detectives on the case. It was their higher-ups, like they supported my just my need to dismiss the case like we did not have the evidence anymore.
14:26:44 And so I had that support as well So when I'm going to people like the law enforcement.
14:26:47 I was like the first prosecutor that they had in their kind of support groups, and they attached me to a couple therapists in that realm.
14:26:56 And and different type of trauma touch massage. So within your profession, this is for you, for your audience.
14:27:04 Within your perfect shit profession. there tends to there's always a maybe like a employee assistance program.
14:27:11 Perhaps, my network was different. I ventured into the police thing.
14:27:14 But typically, if you're if your if your company, has that a subscription or a partnership with that those are going to end up being therapists that do understand your market, what you're working in that's what
14:27:26 I've seen, and it was actually that the employee assistance program. when I specifically requested therapists of color, she said, Oh, I got you.
14:27:34 We have a whole list, and they they do help match you up with what fits in that regard.
14:27:38 So And just about the situation. I think the part that interests with my race, and gender is that in my 4 years working at the D's office like never seen a white man or woman be challenged on a dismissing a
14:27:56 case. that the police agreed with missing which you know, they don't want a business cases ever.
14:28:08 And And so there's a bit of a history with the way. I'd already been being treated, and I was trying to get away from that person for many, many months, and it culminated in this and this was his most aggressive
14:28:18 and over the Line Act to try and control me and violate my boundaries, that I had been trying to set with him.
14:28:25 In my cases and so it's intertwined in that regard as well.
14:28:30 And so one of the most difficult things for me to do Okay, I've only just now gotten able to talk about high school without crying.
14:28:38 I don't want to not talk about this I'm here, and we need to do.
14:28:47 I know feelings. We have to go through them is the only way through them.
14:28:53 One of the most difficult things for me to do because up until that point I hadn't I ever seen myself as less than, and for being a woman woman of color, it wasn't really an a situation of those obstacles
14:29:06 up until this point, because high School was, you know, friends, whatever Normal High School things my attorneys told me. they gave me a script.
14:29:15 They told me how to request an investigation internally because I have to do that first, and they gave me a whole paragraph to write it's like I am seeking an investigation, because I believe that I am being
14:29:29 retaliated against as my status as, and one of them is a whistleblower.
14:29:36 One of them is like first amendment rights at other statutes, different things that my attorney said that I need to ask him for an internal investigation, and then you list all that. and then you go to in the in the meantime.
14:29:46 of that investigation. I asked that we put on administrative leave. If you're not willing to do that please contact my attorneys Here's their contact information.
14:29:55 I skip over the middle there because I literally skipped over the middle.
14:29:58 The middle was me saying and writing that I thought I was being discriminated again because of my race and gender and it's not something that I had looked for wanted to.
14:30:13 Believe I thought the guy was just a jerk and my attorney is like when I told him what was going on.
14:30:18 They're like this is so blatantly, because of that, and so even writing it down and naming it, and allowing myself to see it
14:30:31 And I hate that. They always accuse us of pulling a card in this and this, and it's like you know how much things we ignore on a day-to-day basis.
14:30:40 You know It's like, you know what we ignore you know we tolerate just to be able to keep going to make our ancestors proud.
14:30:52 Yeah. Yeah. So so yes, the mental health support was needed. Yeah.
14:31:02 And I recognize that and one of the things I'll leave you with on this point, so that we can get through the rest of the interview without me sobbing I'm here.
14:31:15 I heard a saying I was in a professional development program.
14:31:17 Urgently Urban Leadership Foundation, Dr. Ryan Ross.
14:31:21 Here in Denver. he runs it Brilliant man!
14:31:24 One of the first things he taught us in that in that cohort in that in that container, Right?
14:31:29 I'm sure he got this brilliant quote elsewhere It's something he had learned is that therapy is the CEO's secret weapon.
14:31:38 Hmm! Well, your mind, you cannot succeed. We cannot be all that we are.
14:31:44 You need to be if our minds are not in the right place.
14:31:50 And so let go of the shame around it it's your secret, having a sharp mind and a way to be resilient and having those tools and having someone to hold you through that that actually knows how to do it.
14:32:03 versus just our friends and family and this and that is extremely important, and it's the only way I'm able to write.
14:32:11 Now launch 3 different businesses at the same time and expand into these different aspects of myself in a way that that feels good and healthy for me, and still take at least one napa day.
14:32:24 That's also something that's important next team that Oh, my goodness, .
14:32:36 Keep your mind It is so needed it is so needed for so many of us.
14:32:47 I'm a huge proponent and advocate of of therapy.
14:32:52 For myself for my kids. you know. I remember from my dad passed to tell my mom that she should go to therapy. So I'm gonna think about it as it Yeah, there's not really much to think about like I really think it would help to
14:33:05 talk to someone, because you still have the rest of your life to live.
14:33:09 And this is a hard, hard transition right you don't have to do it alone.
14:33:15 There are resources available, so I think the more we have these conversations, and we're open about our experiences with therapy.
14:33:24 I'm constantly, saying your first therapist might not be the one for you. but that doesn't mean you give up on therapy right, because there's a need so many of us experience trauma on various levels
14:33:37 so. so I commend you. I applaud you, and I appreciate
14:33:43 Your transparency about that because it's a conversation We don't have enough, so thank you for that
14:33:52 You mentioned something right? You know our ancestors and sort of you know.
14:33:57 Do we give up right? You know they fought for certain things and certain rights.
14:34:03 Talk to me a little bit more about that because again There are students who are are fully aware that these obstacles exist, and they're sort of faced with. that.
14:34:16 Do I give up, or do I keep pushing forward? Because, all right, do I like the job?
14:34:24 Go, or do I like the job? go, or do I keep pushing forward?
14:34:26 Talk to me about like how you make that decision. in this particular situation, because I went into being a prosecutor, knowing what my values are, and the purpose of me being there, and how I was going to use my discretion, my platform my
14:34:46 title my discret my power. Mmm! It was a no-brainer to me to use it to uphold the law, even though I'd never met that defendant.
14:34:56 She was a poor or the poor Latina woman Tv survivor, drug addict.
14:35:02 All these things that that maybe the rest of society would be like.
14:35:06 Why would you give up your career for this person? Well, because I became a prosecutor for that person?
14:35:14 Because I'm the one who can see myself in them, because I end up being a high school dropout and spiraling into the same situation.
14:35:20 She's in right now and I see her and it's the oath of office that I took when our ancestors fought for us to be free when they fought for whatever it was that they were fighting against
14:35:36 whether it's actually you know, participating in underground railroad or doing it through the court system.
14:35:45 Under existing laws and fighting was, It was through their writing their words
14:35:49 And getting a platform that way, Abolitionist in that way.
14:35:53 And then with Martin Luther King, and more recent, was just getting, you know, these these rights to drink water at fountains and etc.
14:36:02 They did that in the name of justice and so when I'm, confronted with a situation where I can choose to be unjust.
14:36:15 Keep the position that yes, they fought for me to be able to have, or I can do the right thing and risk losing that.
14:36:27 I think they would choose the latter because that's what they did.
14:36:30 They fought for the right thing and risks losing their lives.
14:36:33 Yeah, yeah. And so I don't even have to find losing my life.
14:36:38 It actually puts it more perspective of because of what they did.
14:36:42 Now my risk is now I leave. Ok. Look what ends up happening.
14:36:47 I still have my law Degrees I still have who I am.
14:36:50 My intelligence, my fortitude, I can recreate my life.
14:36:54 It might be scary At first it might be unstable.
14:36:56 I might, you know, not know how I might me therapy, but I I can rebuild this if I do the wrong thing, and I railroad this woman with nothing in the name of keeping a position that I only took on because
14:37:13 I didn't like how it was being done before not only would I be contradicting the reason why I was a prosecutor.
14:37:20 In the first place; but, as I already stated, it goes against fighting injustice, which is actually what our ancestors were fighting for.
14:37:29 And so don't worry about that they'll still be proud and they'll still swoop in and give you another option.
14:37:35 Something else will open up, and you will never have to doubt yourself.
14:37:41 What you stand for the other thing that's beautiful about the world that they help create for us.
14:37:48 We mentioned, you know, seat at the table so they fought for us to have a seat at the table.
14:37:55 Well keep in mind we live in a world now where we could build our own table. And so that's what I'm doing Now that's what you're doing now.
14:38:02 Yeah. And I think there's something that we said for traversing the corporate space, getting the keys to the office, learning that world, getting the skills.
14:38:10 What you need. understanding that do your best will be prepared to.
14:38:15 After that, take everything. What you've learned and known and build your own table and sit at it.
14:38:20 And have people come join you you can push things forward in a way that that these institutions are not doing right now.
14:38:29 They're not doing right now. Not until not until we have enough tables of us coming together and and strategizing on how to how to force that to happen.
14:38:38 So. Hmm! that's powerful So what are you doing now right phases through this you mentioned, you know, building 3 businesses right?
14:38:58 Talk to us about this light on the other side and this joy and this freedom that you're experiencing on the other side of the obstacles.
14:39:08 Yeah, So like I I sort of started to say earlier and we'll absolutely build on it for this without being redundant.
14:39:18 You know, creativity being a creator and an artist was, I was grained for that.
14:39:26 I was classically trained in music, etc.
14:39:28 So right. Before all this happened, I had started jumping into the the music scene.
14:39:34 Here the open mic seat, and I wanted to join a band or create a band to do different types of music. And so, when all this happened, a few weeks into that journey, I was so glad that that music I had already started building those relationships and
14:39:48 that outlet because it saw me through this traumatic time.
14:39:52 Yeah. Well, somehow I end up in studios where my cousins own a studio, and he has me put down some music.
14:40:00 I end up, you know, documenting this journey on, YouTube, and different musicians reach out to me to collaborate on things.
14:40:05 And I now have 2 singles that are out and like 5 more ready to go right.
14:40:14 So they're here and now, I've had to research like? What do I do when I have songs out?
14:40:19 And what is that? What is a music career? I didn't think? And so now I have to be a little more intentional, and I made my first little money on Spotify my first single drop in June, and I got my first little
14:40:28 money from all the streamings around the world. and so and the Spotify. streams are going up, and I'm not even promoting like.
14:40:37 I don't know how people are finding my music I'm not that they are.
14:40:42 And so I'm like I have to have a container to like you know.
14:40:47 Do this because the music isn't it's healing for me. but I obviously other people are resonating and that's what she find is when we are turning our pain into an outlet to artwork. it can also that's How It
14:41:00 becomes our prosperity because someone else grabs it and they're like.
14:41:03 This is exactly what I needed. So now I want to do that as an offering and and and like, I said, a way to even subsidize doing more accessible legal services.
14:41:11 So that happened with the music, the writing of always been a writer, and so obviously I'm working on my professional memoir.
14:41:18 The outline is almost done. I've been talking to literary agents and going to their courses on how to write a professional memoir, and through those courses they give us access to the agents to do like Q.
14:41:27 And a and all these things so I'm getting to know a few saying who who resonates with me, and I will be submitting that to have have the professional memoir and I say professional, not because it's like professionally written but
14:41:39 it's about my profession. Yeah, and and what you and I just talked about with my experience with that maybe down the road.
14:41:47 If it ever appears to be important to someone I'll write a personal memoir, I don't know, but for now it is important to someone I'm. I'm it is okay.
14:42:04 I I I'm telling you it is someone someone needs to hear the story of not just surviving the bullying not just surviving the violence, the thriving coming out on the other side and having a deeper story to share and being able to
14:42:26 impact. those who are thinking through it and don't see the light at the end of the tunnel.
14:42:34 Thank you. Alright, I'm gonna stop again, I know so and then I do.
14:42:41 Gardening, gardening is something that I've always done since forever.
14:42:46 And you know, since college, and all this and there are these 7 principles of gardening, that I these different principles of life that I have applied to my life, that have made me developed as resilient, they've kind of been
14:42:59 mantras here and there, and the things that I learned I'll give 2 quick examples.
14:43:03 One like Monroe number one, Do less plants a seed and have faith will have faith.
14:43:10 Is number 2: do less. People think they need to like mess with their plants, or do whatever with their plants.
14:43:16 Trust that your plant knows how to grow do my Translator. that's alive is, you know, the way I dedicate my time just like a plant, is very efficient.
14:43:29 I'm dedicating my time to things that are either gonna bring me growth, joy, or money.
14:43:34 Other than that I'm taking an app growth joy money.
14:43:43 There you go right, so there's that and then I think it's principal number 6 is no one to cut things. off.
14:43:49 So if you keep a disease leaf or a dying part of a plant, and least age 2 like, they have their own lifespans.
14:43:57 You keep them attached to a plant they start sucking nutrients because the plant keeps sending it there thinking it needs something, and you're really just feeding disease.
14:44:06 Do that in our lives be prepared to cut things out and cut people out, even when the dynamic is no longer healthy family included.
14:44:16 Honestly, I included family included. Sometimes the greatest lesson that our family teaches us is how to graciously release people who are not good for us anymore.
14:44:27 What gratitude and love, and over there please that's a whole podcast assumed that that is a whole entire.
14:44:36 And I need that to be a chapter in the personal L.
14:44:39 More, by the way, yes, and I'll stop there, because my family might listen.
14:44:49 Indeed, indeed! And you don't want to hurt people that's not the goal the goal of some release in gratitude and grace.
14:44:58 And sometimes, you know, I hope through me doing that they even model for them their right to let go of old toxicities, trauma, whatever and situations that don't work for them.
14:45:10 So that when and if we can reconcile they've done some work, they've also released some things that were being projected on their relationship with me that I won't take yeah taking on right now, ever maybe it gives them permission
14:45:25 to do the same. I love that perspective like that.
14:45:35 We've talked about so much. this has been so amazing and i'll just say this hopefully, you're okay with him, saying it.
14:45:49 I know you were nervous. I will say this is a very safe space when we're talking like I want to get to know you.
14:46:01 Your journey. free from judgment, right? We all have a story, and I think the more we share our stories, the more impactful our lives are, the more we impact our communities and future generations.
14:46:15 So again, I can thank you enough for your transparency.
14:46:20 Someone needed to hear every bit of this, every bit of it, cause someone is like in high school now, like I can't do it.
14:46:30 But I wanna do this down the book but I can't continue here, right?
14:46:36 Someone. Someone needs this more than one person. and and I again think about people in my life.
14:46:44 Who need this message, and so thank you so so much. for this.
14:46:54 Wow! recognizing we call this show the key to the office right and I know there's someone who wants to get into.
14:47:05 I want to be an attorney. what's one Major key you could share with a student.
14:47:11 High school college, traditional, non traditional student. one major key to their success.
14:47:18 Right. What do they need to be thinking about now? what do they need to do now?
14:47:23 What are your thoughts there I would say if you're if you're profession that you're choosing requires a higher degree after undergrad to be certified in it?
14:47:37 Like how mine is like undergrad, and then you have to do an additional school.
14:47:40 If you want to be a doctor, or something like that I would say while you're in college, have fun find your balance.
14:47:47 Don't not go crazy. definitely focus on grades right?
14:47:53 Because if you do that, then, and you get into those higher level schools that kind of speak for themselves.
14:48:01 Washington University in St. Louis, whatever and in particular for being an attorney.
14:48:06 I know a lot of my classmates focused on academics in law school, and I did it.
14:48:12 What I did I'm already there that school thinks for itself?
14:48:17 I then used that time to get a lot of internships and experiences that were going to teach me how to do the job and give me a list of people who would refer me and have work product to show for it So that's
14:48:29 what I would say if it requires that if you're an undergrad, and your your chosen profession does not necessarily require another degree.
14:48:37 Do your internships, then use your schools network to get you in front of the right people who can see your work ethic and hire you on whether it's straight from undergrad or B references for You grades
14:48:51 are important. But if you keep your head to focus, on the books and not enough on building relationships, especially being people of color, where people, no matter what your grades are apparently, and in my case, no matter that I'm like one of the most
14:49:10 educated, and There's only one attorney who went to a better law school than me in that entire office, and she doesn't even work there anymore.
14:49:15 They are still going to discredit my ability so what you want to have is people who can vote for what you're capable of doing and teach you the ropes of what you're trying to do.
14:49:27 So that's how that's what I would say and if you're nontraditional, or you dropped out of high school, and you and you don't have that yet?
14:49:35 A lot of colleges do accept geds. But there are also all cities have alternative high schools to go to, So I don't know kind of what to call it into different states or cities in Columbus
14:49:48 it's called like where I grew up in Ohio It's
14:49:53 It was called Life Skill Center. at the time Now it's called Columbus College, prep.
14:49:57 Center So it doesn't say alternative high school in big letters.
14:50:02 But Google knows how to now you know, search for things and if they're, you know, and if you want to have that high school diploma, and that's important to you look for an alternative high school
14:50:13 in your area. They are absolutely prepared and expect to address whatever situation You're in.
14:50:22 They already have an enrollment. school. student body people like you whatever that means, and whoever is not finishing high school for the game of reasons that they don't. And so go there you'll not only finish but you'll do it in
14:50:37 an environment that understands you and you don't yeah, alone or ostracized.
14:50:44 And then and then yeah, go to college If if that works for you if that's what you wanna do fafsa the Federal, I forget what it's called the fafsa fafsa where you go to
14:50:57 apply for loans. If you are under a certain age, if you still live with your parents, they would go and put their incomes and apply for loans and different grants that the government offers.
14:51:07 So just start there when it comes to looking at funding and recognizing how accessible these things are.
14:51:13 Hmm, and if there's a particular school that you want to go to regardless if you think you have the grades or not, go visit that school and go and meet with the Dean of the college that in that's in the topic that you want
14:51:29 to study in I got into every school that I applied to for law school.
14:51:37 And I think it's because I drove around and I went to all of them, and they all offered me full rides, even though, like my LSAT score was high it was good.
14:51:48 But so you know some things weren't exactly where the and I had done a master's degree in between which they actually, oddly enough, don't really it's it's not weighted as much like they they're kind
14:52:02 of like. Wow, you're doing that do you really want to be a lawyer type of thing.
14:52:05 It actually makes them kind of thinking, Yeah, but going there and explaining them and talking to the Deans and them getting to know me and see who I am.
14:52:13 I got into every school I applied to for law school, just showing my face. Yeah.
14:52:18 So if you have that go because this life is about relationships and I know that sometimes we wanna hide behind because we're like everyone's gonna look at us weird, because we're a woman or of color, or this and that the other
14:52:29 thing that you end up seeing is like there's actually a lot of us out there doing thing. I mean some of the Deans in those law schools.
14:52:37 I want to are black. Wow! and I never would have even like if I hadn't gone and seen them, you know and there is more diversity out here doing big things than what we know what we're programmed to think or believe So show your face and
14:52:53 see if it even feels good for you you're also interviewing them.
14:52:57 You're also really is a school you'd wanna go to build those relationships to get into the schools and the jobs that you want you shared so much.
14:53:09 You'll have to come back when you are professional memoir is out, because we'll have to talk about it.
14:53:17 I mean that. So you know. What if Ily I know to find you yes. How can we find you?
14:53:29 Support you, follow you, feed off of your energy. is LinkedIn best.
14:53:36 Instagram website. You tell us that's the other part of the infrastructure I've been recently putting in a place on video. I'm very excited to let you know that in the past couple weeks I did finish I had it professionally done
14:53:50 I had professionally redone my version wasn't so great but it's the website for my law firm, and that will tell you what I'm doing there.
14:53:58 I do have a Spotify artist page that I finally claimed and wrote a little bio in there.
14:54:06 I can share those 2 links with you yup the website is easy.
14:54:11 It's just Rw Robinson ltd legal Okay, and then the Spotify on Spotify it's just my first name is just Rachel.
14:54:22 The 2 songs that I have out right now are on the edge is the second one that I just released is called on the edge by Rachel, and the first one is money.
14:54:31 Cars closed by Rachel. They are but and the names are a bit deceptive.
14:54:43 But it's you know it's gonna be it's it's gonna be a ride. So check it out.
14:54:48 They're very intellectual, very I just these are songs that I cried after during while they poured out They were very spiritual experiences for me.
14:54:59 All my I'm realizing all my writings all my music is like that.
14:55:02 So i'm hoping it resonates with people in a similar way.
14:55:06 It's not explicit I have some more rebellious songs coming down the line.
14:55:10 That do have some curse words. Okay, Okay, I'm grown I'm sure you are Sometimes Sometimes I'd be mad.
14:55:17 Let it out, let it out. But these songs are nice and so very smooth to listen to you, very easy to listen to, and I hope they resonate and empower people.
14:55:31 The way that the experience of creating them was so it's Rachel money cars, clothes are on the edge on spot and time.
14:55:38 I can Also, you know, text you a tiny url, or something.
14:55:41 If you put it under your podcast and then Rw.
14:55:46 Robinson, Ltd. Legal for the website for my law practice.
14:55:50 There you go awesome. I hate to end this like I I feel like in my head.
14:55:58 We have so much more to talk about. but I'll save some of that for another conversation.
14:56:05 Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate your presence. I appreciate your transparency.
14:56:10 I appreciate you sharing because I know it's not always easy.
14:56:14 I get it. So thank you I appreciate you holding this space for me, and and and reflecting back to me that what I'm saying is going to mean something to someone, because girl, if it doesn't and I went all through this for
14:56:29 nothing. I'm gonna go crazy because then then no amount of therapy could help me.
14:56:35 Yes, you're you're you're on the path you need to be on so.