Political science major Princess Jefferson '20 has been named a 2021 Marshall-Motley Scholar. She is among the inaugural recipients of the award.
Established by the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the Marshall-Motley Scholar program provides a full law-school scholarship for tuition, room, board, and incidentals to alleviate the debt burden that can prevent future lawyers from pursuing a career in racial justice. In return, the scholars commit to serving as civil rights lawyers based in the South, engaged in a law practice focused on achieving racial justice for eight years following the conclusion of their fellowship.
From the Marshall-Motley Scholars website:
"Princess Jefferson is from Houston, Texas. As a full-time student at Bryn Mawr College, Princess worked 30-hour weeks between 3-5 jobs to provide for her family in Houston. During this time, she continued to excel in her political science academic endeavors and maintain involvement in various organizations on campus. Princess is a first-generation college graduate."
"She worked as a social justice outreach consultant for the Career and Civic Engagement Center at Bryn Mawr College. In this role, she worked to increase student activism within the community and develop a social justice framework for the center. She also assisted in re-founding the NAACP chapter at Bryn Mawr and served as its co-president. Princess served as the director of field operations for the judicial campaign for Te’iva Bell in Houston by coordinating voter awareness activities within the community and helping to register people to vote. She is currently a Chapters Fellow at the American Constitution Society, where she assists in coordinating the logistics, funding, and virtual planning on current issues in law for student and lawyer chapters nationwide."
"Princess is eager to continue her work in advocacy of social and racial justice. Her passion lies at the heart of bridging structural barriers between underserved groups and resources. She remains committed to uplifting civil rights in addition to promoting equity, equality, and inclusion in the Black community."
"As I continue to relish in the honor of being selected as a Marshall-Motley scholar, I cannot help but feel immensely thankful to God, my family, and my alma mater for all the inner workings and formative experiences that have helped shape and mold me. My time at Bryn Mawr served as a building block for me, as I was provided a platform to continue, and in some cases start, the necessary work aimed at advancing and uplifting racial and social justice."—Princess Jefferson '20.