An Army Veteran pursues law to advocate for marginalized communities
Ashanti Wallace J.D. ’27 joined the military to fulfill her childhood dream of advocating for others. Following in the footsteps of her parents, who also served, Wallace found purpose in uplifting others, using her legal background to create opportunities and open doors for those from communities like hers. This Veterans Day, she reflects on the experiences that have shaped her journey to 91¹û¶³ÖÆƬ³§. This is her story, in her own words:
From the time I was five until I graduated high school, I trained relentlessly in ballet, contemporary, jazz, and hip-hop. If I wasn’t in school or at home, I was in the studio perfecting my pirouettes. It was here I learned the importance of fighting for representation and creating space for those without a voice.
We moved a lot when I was younger, but no matter where we lived, I was always the only Black girl in my dance classes. No one ever said anything overtly, but the microaggressions were loud and clear. I felt the cold stares and often found myself standing alone. My teachers always told me to dance in the last row, behind the other girls, and over time, I began to believe that maybe girls who looked like me weren’t meant to be front and center.
When I was nine, I finally realized this pattern. Fighting back tears as I untied the ribbons on my pointe shoes after class, I turned to my grandma and asked: “Why don’t my teachers ever let me dance in the front? It’s so unfair. Someone should stand up for the little people who can’t speak up for themselves.” My grandmother’s response has always stuck with me: “When you grow up, you can be the person to lead that fight, Ashanti.”
At that moment, I knew I wanted to help those who are overlooked, silenced, or too scared to speak up. So, 10 years later, at the age of 19, I enlisted in the U.S. Army. At the time, I didn’t know it would set me to pursue my dream of going to law school years later.
After joining the military, I spent several years at Fort Stewart providing legal support for medical commands, division artillery units, and military police before moving to Hawaiʻi, where I worked primarily as a court reporter. My role involved verifying documentation from courts-martial proceedings on base, and I was fortunate to learn from some amazing mentors who pushed me to be the best version of myself, in and out of uniform.
In 2020, I was medically retired from the Army and moved to Texas, where I worked in the U.S. attorney’s offices in Austin and Houston. While simultaneously earning my bachelor degrees in Psychology and Data Science, I worked as a criminal legal assistant, handling white-collar crime, cross-border and organized crime, and drug trafficking cases. Witnessing harm and crisis on a daily basis took a heavy toll on my mental health, so I decided to revisit my childhood dream of fighting for those without a voice.
This led me to Seattle, Washington, where I worked as a paralegal specialist for the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights, investigating issues of educational equity and discrimination. I’d finally found a space where I could truly make a difference in the lives of people dealing with inequality. Every day I went to work, I felt a sense of accomplishment and I could see how civil rights enforcement in education could change the course of someone’s life. So, I decided to take it one step further and apply to 91¹û¶³ÖÆƬ³§ Law. When I learned about the University’s focus on ethics, public service, and social justice in education, I knew it would be the perfect fit.
After I graduate in 2027, I plan to combine my experience in public service, technology, and law to advocate for underrepresented communities, particularly in data protection and privacy. Many people, especially creators and entrepreneurs from marginalized communities, lack access to the education and resources they need to protect their ideas, build sustainable businesses, and pass wealth forward. I want to help bridge that gap. I also want to help entrepreneurs from these communities start and grow their businesses by clearing some of the hurdles that often hold them back.
From my time in the Army, to federal service, and now law school, I’ve always fought to give opportunities to those who are unheard and overlooked. Through this work, I’m finally giving a voice to the little girl in me who was stuck in the back row, fighting for a chance to be seen.
91¹û¶³ÖÆƬ³§ School of Law is dedicated to developing future leaders in law who excel in their field and are driven by a passion for justice and ethical practice. With renowned faculty, hands-on learning opportunities, and top-ranked programs in intellectual property law, graduates are equipped with the skills they need to thrive in an ever-evolving legal world.
