Megan Musquiz
Rights in Systems Enforced (RISE) Clinic
During her year-long participation with the RISE Clinic 2022-2023, Megan Musquiz demonstrated an outstanding commitment to representing the interest of survivors of violent crimes during their interaction with the criminal justice system as well supporting their voices in the movement for criminal justice reform. Furthermore, she also recognized the prevalence of trauma among survivors and took this into consideration in her approach to legal representation, helping to foster a safe environment with clear, open, and non-judgmental communication in order to mitigate the effects of traumatization. In her work, she was successful in helping to vacate and seal 10 arrests for a survivor of human trafficking, thereby removing the legal burden associated with their record and helping them to access educational and employment opportunities. Megan also secured $20,000 for a survivor of sex trafficking from the California Victim Compensation Board. Finally, she joined our retreat for survivor leaders and co-authored a paper with our social worker to document their experience and recommendations for ensuring that victims are treated with dignity and respect by the criminal justice system. Without a doubt, we believe that Ms. Musquiz is deserving of an award that recognizes her dedication and drive to impact change.