It fills us with great pride to know that young people supported by JJAI are also being recognized by other organizations. This time, the Sullivan Ballou Fund awarded Gabriela*, a previously incarcerated youth, a scholarship to complete her law degree.
As a lawyer, Gabriela will help young people who were in the same situation she was in. She believes that a thorough review of each child’s case is the optimal way to guarantee the protection of children’s human rights and this is why she advocates for JJAI’s programming helping expedite children’s cases.
The award ceremony took place during JJAI’s Annual Celebration on September 29th in Minnesota, where our project coordinator in Chihuahua, Marcela Calleros, on behalf of Gabriela, received a check from Bruce and Lissa Peterson, founders of the Sullivan Ballou Fund. The Petersons expressed their appreciation for Gabriela’s efforts in juvenile justice and sent her a very moving letter to congratulate and inspire her to continue her life’s mission.
* The name was changed to protect the identity and privacy of the person.