It has been a pleasure working alongside everyone and being a part of the CDAD team over the summer. I learned a lot about the right to counsel, the housing crisis, and the city of Detroit itself. I worked on three different projects: Attorney General opinions, campaign donations, and documenting RTC.
I worked primarily on work relating to the right to counsel. I conducted research on the attorney general for the coalition that examined the legal aspects of asking for general funds for the ordinance. I also looked at which division/attorneys within the Department would likely handle this case.
I came out with a better understanding of what an attorney general is expected to do and where their jurisdiction lies. In addition, I learned more about the current attorney general, Dana Nessel, her personal views, and the initiatives she is in charge of. It allowed me to familiarize myself with legislation and how that can be applied to real problems.
At the same time, I worked on researching campaign donations for the attorney general which made me realize just how many different places that are willing to give funds which translates to how much she needs to give back and be mindful of their interests. It kind of shows you the nuances of how representatives will act and the impact money has on government.
I also worked on documenting the process of getting the right to counsel ordinance passed and because of that, I started doing a timeline of all the different activities as well as looking at research done on the benefits of the right to counsel. I wanted to create a comprehensive picture of why it is so important for Detroiters. What I learned through that is how much back and forth action takes place and the necessity of community involvement and perseverance.
Hi Zainab! Wow, you were super busy during the summer– great work! Has this experience affected your career interests at all? Or is it in line with what you want to do in the future? Either way, best of luck during your last week!