Marking time: I graduated from law school 12 years ago today.

American University Washington College of Law post-commencement. 18 May 2014. Washington, DC. L to R: My Great Uncle (may he rest); my Grandfather, Me, my Father, The Original T.A.L.

"Double Eagle," is what they call those of us who find it in ourselves to graduate from American University twice.

​My first American University commencement came almost 20 years ago, on Sunday, May 13, 2007. I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science while working multiple jobs and externships; experiencing housing insecurity; and while investigating wrongful conviction cases of disabled/deaf people who had been incarcerated for years, or decades, in some instances.

Seven years later, on Sunday, May 18, 2014, I graduated from American University Washington College of Law ("WCL"). While in law school, I served as director of WCL's National Lawyers Guild chapter; co-founded WCL's Disability Law Society; and served as volunteer director of HEARD, the all-volunteer organization I brought into being in February 2011 and poured my heart, hands, resources into (alongside dozens of others). HEARD became the nation's first cross-disability abolitionist organization. I joined the faculty at Rochester Institute of Technology/National Technical Institute for the Deaf upon graduation from law school and continued serving as volunteer director of HEARD for nearly a decade in addition to my professorial duties, and a great deal more unpaid liberatory labor.

There is much more; but for now, I will close this post, as my goal today is simply to mark time, offer gratitude, and sit in this place of reflection and reverence. Here are some photos from My Archive of my graduation twelve years ago, today. I was flanked then, as I am now, by kin, loved ones, educators, co-strugglers, youth, Elders, Ancestors & Unborn.

​Humble thanks to Creator for this life time heart vessel.

​May all that I do and all that I am honor Us.