My name is Iman Koney and I am a rising third-year law student at Widener Commonwealth Law School in Harrisburg. I am a first-generation American, college graduate, and law school attendee from Montgomery County, Maryland. My mother immigrated from Saint Mary’s, Jamaica, and my father immigrated from Ghana, West Africa. Watching my parents navigate life through language barriers, homelessness, and poverty shaped who I am today. They often romanticize life in the United States and frequently express their awe of the “accessible opportunities” available to Americans to assist them in following their dreams. Growing up I carried those same ideals until I noticed situations in which society does not present everyone with opportunities uniformly. I never understood why we did not have basic necessities that other families did since they were basic necessities I believed should be available to everyone no matter the money or resources. I realized when I got older that most people need assistance in navigating the systemic issues raised by American society. My parents’ ability to distinguish money from fulfillment and find true delight in serving others sparked my curiosity in nonprofit work and public interest law.
My passion for social justice and the law developed when I studied at a Historically Black University. The professors and staff nurtured my interests which curated my desire to be an English major. They inspired me to dedicate my life to ensuring everyone has equitable access to justice and make a difference in the lives of other underrepresented individuals in the way that they dedicated their lives to making an impact on students like me. The abundance of black excellence gave me the confidence to strive for a career in law. An amazing array of people poured into me and helped me get to where I am today. My calling is to be that same person for other people who may need help.
I am honored to have the privilege of being a Martin Luther King, Jr. Summer Intern, especially during the year of the program’s 30th anniversary. I am in awe of the way this program integrates law students into the field of public interest while focusing on diversity and inclusion. Arelene worked with me and my interests to determine the best placements, out of PLAN’s large selection, for me to apply to. Property Law is my favorite law school subject so far and I am very interested in social justice, so Regional Housing Legal Services was at the top of my list.
Regional Housing Legal Services embodies many of my passions through their work. I am excited to witness their policy work and be around other social justice-oriented people. I am interested in engaging with their legislation drafting since I love language and writing. Their litigation work will allow me to use my mock trial and classroom knowledge in a practical way while strengthening my advocacy skills. As a paralegal, I worked with several firms and attorneys with individual clients, so I look forward to working with this non-profit firm on matters that affect a larger scale of people. I am excited to see everything I have learned in property used to help people in practice and to learn more about nonprofit organizations and affordable housing law.
Public interest work includes the most genuine, selfless people, and the staff of PLAN and RHLS are no different. I am so excited to build connections with the amazing people at RHLS and be a part of their team this summer!