A Meaningful Legal Experience in Beautiful Cape Town

I am grateful every day that I took a leap of faith and moved to Cape Town. My internship at the Legal Resources Centre has strengthened my commitment to using law as a tool to secure justice and create systemic change. It was a privilege to assist attorneys with case and policy research on issues such as refugee protections, LGBTQ rights, and public housing. I hope to carry forward not only the skills I gained, but also the ethos of advocating for society’s most vulnerable.

Throughout my internship, I gained extensive experience in research and memo writing. Some of my favorite projects included analyzing Department of Home Affairs regulations on citizenship application requirements and conducting cross-country research on how courts interpret constitutional guarantees to the right to food. Seeing the real-world impact of these issues on people’s lives reaffirmed my desire to pursue work that meaningfully improves access to justice.

VACorps did an excellent job facilitating an immersive experience—from managing day-to-day logistics to helping us build meaningful connections. Through the Culture Series, museum visits, and everyday conversations with locals, I gained valuable insight into a political and social landscape very different from my own, and one shaped by a recent democratic transition.

There were no dull moments during my 11 weeks here. Each sunset, hike, beach outing, trivia night, and winery visit has made this an incredibly memorable experience—and has made saying goodbye all the more bittersweet.