34 Trial Lawyer • Spring 2024 extern at Portland Community College. A Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient at the beginning of law school, she was prevented from qualifying for federal loan programs. Instead, she used five years worth of retirement savings to attend law school while working three different jobs. These are the types of perspectives the law desperately needs and that the Roosevelt Robinson Scholarship seeks to foster in our community. This year’s recipient, Brian Aguilar, came to Oregon to study law from an entire ocean away. Aguilar vividly describes his memories of his home in Guam, “I could feel it tug on my heart when I would hear the roar of the waves as I paddled on the endless blue sea, or when I would feel the kiss of the sun as I rested on the shore, or even when I would gaze across my grandparents’ humble gualo (ranch) and see the green tangles of bitter melon vines crawling up their trellis, dotted with yellow trumpet flowers. I thought deeply about what I could do that would help uplift the community based on this feeling and decided to apply to law school.” His community of islands stretched across the Pacific Ocean is among the most vulnerable in the world to climate change. The words of an elder in his community to Aguilar, “What we love, we can save,” stir a sense of hope for the future. These attorneys and students represent tremendous examples of the sacrifice and resiliency required of many individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds that choose to pursue the legal profession. Each should be an inspiration to all attorneys about what our profession is in its most noble form. Women and men, Black, Latine and Indigenous, and members of the LGBTQIA communities have all been awarded the Roosevelt Robinson Scholarship since its establishment. Each of these attorneys model the ideals of integrity, compassion and professionalism that Judge Robinson himself represented. When I consider the life and legacy of Judge Robinson, carried on through his scholarship, I am deeply moved. And that is in no small part because of the times he lived through. I can’t help but be in awe of Judge Robinson — a Black man raised by his grandmother after his own mother’s murder, who was a bluecollar worker before he became an attorney, and who worked in criminal law in a markedly more inequitable and racist time. Throughout his life, Judge Robinson continued to be a mentor and compassionate guide to those around him. I imagine that the indignities and racism of the 70s and 80s would leave many of us breathless or at least irrevocably cynical. Yet in all my reading of Judge Robinson’s history and life, I can only find examples of integrity, hope and kindness. Among the many hats that Judge Robinson wore over the years, he was also a pastor and studied theology before moving to Oregon and becoming an attorney. Faith must have spoken deeply to him even before the idea of the law did. Faith speaks to many of the recipients of the scholarship, as reflected in their faith that their legal training will help make the world and their communities better. At our finest, attorneys advocate for those values that are universally commendable and loved. And as Aguilar’s elder in Guam told him “What we love, we can save.” This year marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Roosevelt Robinson Scholarship. We hope that OTLA members will include the Roosevelt Robinson Scholarship in their charitable giving by making a donation to support a new generation of diverse attorneys in the Oregon legal community. Please reach out to me or my scholarship co-chair Mark Kimbrell with any questions on the Scholarship or further donation information. Victor Mercado Negro victor.mercadonegro@portlandoregon.gov 503-823-3068 Mark Kimbrell mark@levinemchenry.com 503-546-3927 Victor Mercado Negro is a first generation Mexican-American attorney working as a deputy city attorney with the City of Portland. He was the first in his family to attend university and earn a graduate degree. He can be reached at 1221 SW 4th Ave., Ste. 430, Portland, OR 97204 . He can also be contacted at 503-823-3068 or Victor.MercadoNegro@portlandoregon. gov. Empathy Continued from p 33 Scan to find out more about making a donation to the Roosevelt Robinson Minority Scholarship. The most recent recipient of the scholarship is Brian Aguilar. He came to Oregon from his home in Guam.
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