2019 LL.M. Public Interest & Government Fellowships
Rodrigo Delgado Capcha ’19 LL.M. Awarded LL.M. Public Interest and Government Fellowship at Immigration Equality
Undergraduate Degree: LL.B. with a legal practice diploma from the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (Peru)
Experience: Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, teaching assistant; Peruvian Consumer Protection Authority, legal executive; Institute of Studies in Health, Sexuality and Human Development of the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, volunteer; Columbia Law School Sexuality and Gender Law Clinic, student
Motivation: “Living in Lima, Peru, as the son of immigrants from the Andes and, later, as a gay man, made me keenly aware of how discrimination against vulnerable groups was still a severe problem in my country. My experience as a government lawyer assisting the Peruvian Consumer Protection Court in reviewing cases related to discrimination in public accommodations confirmed to me that one of the most ignored and harmed victims were the LGBTI people, and taught me how the law could be used to fight this structural inequality. I came to Columbia to develop skills of advocacy and impact litigation, and working in the Sexuality and Gender Law Clinic, I assisted a transgender woman from el Salvador with her U.S. asylum application. This was a very fulfilling experience personally and professionally.”
Goals: “My goal is to contribute to the fight against any kind of discrimination and inequality in Peru and elsewhere in the world, particularly the ones faced by LGBTI people, and I am confident this fellowship will help me to achieve it. By working with Immigration Equality, I will assist LGBTI and HIV-positive immigrants seeking asylum in the United States, learn more about impact litigation and intersectional work, deepen my advocacy skills, and gain further experience as a public interest lawyer, which will be fundamental in my becoming a key contributor to LGBTI rights.”
The office of Social Justice Initiatives (SJI) guides Columbia Law School students who want to pursue public interest work throughout their academic careers and after graduation. SJI also assists in the process of applying to prestigious postgraduate fellowships. Read about other 2019 LL.M. public interest and government postgraduate fellows.
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Published May 13, 2019