The Pocket Part: UConn Law Library Blog

Celebrating Diversity: Pride Month 2026 at UConn Law Library

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June is LGBTQI+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex) Pride Month! Originally celebrated as Gay Pride Day on the last Sunday in June to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York City, Pride Month gradually became a month-long event.

The Stonewall site was declared a National Monument by Presidential Proclamation. The Stonewall uprising is regarded by many as the most important catalyst for the dramatic expansion of the movement to outlaw discriminatory laws and practices against LGBTQI+ Americans.

Stonewall Inn Johannes Jordan/Wikimedia Commons

Today, LGBTQ Pride Month events attract millions of participants around the world and has grown to a month-long series of events such as parades, picnics, parties and concerts, including some great events to check out right here in Connecticut:  https://ctvisit.com/articles/pride-month-celebrations

Many legal changes for the LGBTQI+ community have been made since the police raided the Stonewall Inn nearly fifty years ago. However, continuing LGBTQ+ civil and equality rights issues remain relevant today.  HeinOnline features a LGBTQ+ Rights database.  This collection charts the gay rights movement in America, showing the civil rights codified into law in the 20th and 21st centuries, as well as the inequalities that still exist today.  To learn more about the newest database check out HeinOnline’s blog here and for additional research, check out UConn Law’s Research Guide, Sexuality, Gender Identity and the Law.

Behind the Scenes at the Law Library: Paws, People, and Summer Support

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Summer at UConn Law Library sees graduates preparing for the bar exam and students beginning internships, many students are managing significant demands all at once.

But no one succeeds entirely on their own. Whether students need a study space, research assistance or support, librarians are here for them throughout the summer.

Our pets are our “support squad” that help remind us of the importance of patience, routine, and care along the way.  Some are highly skilled at interrupting Zoom meetings or sitting directly on important papers. But all contribute to the sense of connection and balance that can be difficult to maintain during stressful periods.

In fact, the library pets seem uniquely qualified to give summer survival advice:

Cassie
Human: Anne Rajotte, Associate Director of Research, Instruction, and Scholarship
  • Take a walk (or a zoomie break) when your brain needs it.
  • Keep a routine — the cats are onto something.
  • Never underestimate a strategic nap.
  • Touch grass occasionally. Literally.
  • Ask for support when you need it; even cats meow for attention.
  • Reward yourself after hard things. Treats work on humans too.

So this summer, we’re introducing some of the behind-the-scenes members of the law library team: the pets who keep librarians company while we support our students all summer long.

Meet the UConn Law Library Support Squad

Boots and Bobo
Human: Susanna French, Metadata and E-Resource Management Librarian
Kali
Human: Tanya Johnson, Instructional Services Coordinator & Research Librarian
Nyx
Human: Faye Bates, Technical Services Librarian
Fun Fact: Nyx helps make sure gravity is still working by periodically knocking items off counters.
Blip
Human: Tanya Johnson, Instructional Services Coordinator & Research Librarian
Fun Fact: Blip is a green-cheeked conure who loves helping Tanya make videos for her classes
Gabby
Human: Elisabeth Umpleby, Associate Director of Collections, Discovery, and Systems
Romeo
Human: Anne Rajotte, Associate Director of Research, Instruction, and Scholarship
Pato
Human: Adam Mackie, Research and Instructional Services Librarian
Fun Fact: Pato is an Emotional Support Rubber Ducky “My Main Squeeze”
Georgie
Human: Maryanne Daly-Doran, Digital Services Research & Instruction Librarian
Fun Fact: Georgie attends every virtual meeting, whether invited or not.

The law library’s “Summer Support Squad”may be furry, feathered, four-legged, or even plastic, but they play an important role in reminding all of us about something easy to forget during bar prep and summer internships: support matters.

To everyone studying, working, interning, or preparing for the bar this summer: the law library is cheering you on. Whether your support system includes classmates, coworkers, family, friends, librarians, pets, or all of the above, remember that you do not have to get through this season alone.

We’re here to help — and our pets are rooting for you, too.

Summer & Post-Graduate Access to Bloomberg, Lexis & Westlaw: What You Need to Know

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Summer is upon us!  Whether you are preparing for a summer internship or post-graduate plans, there are online resources available to you.  Here’s what you need to know about access to Bloomberg Law, Lexis Nexis, Westlaw and library databases. Need a dose of research help?  Research & Instruction librarians are available  throughout the summer to assist with job or internship questions!

 Logo of Lexis Nexis

Lexis

Returning Students

Lexis access continues through the summer with no restrictions on time or usage.

Graduates

Graduate Gift: The Graduate Portal has been updated to reflect the new Graduate Gift Program. Graduates must enroll using the new, program-specific Insider link to activate their Lexis+ AI access with their graduate ID. Once signed up, the process of adding Lexis+ with Protege to their IDs is a manual process that will be completed within two weeks of them filling out the form. LexisNexis Insider 

Aspire Program

The LexisNexis ASPIRE Program provides 12 months of free access to federal and state cases, codes, regulations, law reviews, Shepard’s® Citation Service, and Matthew Bender® treatises to graduates who are engaged in verifiable 501(c)(3) public interest work.

 Westlaw Logo

           Westlaw

Returning Students

You can use Thomson Reuters products, including Westlaw®, Practical Law, and CoCounsel over the summer for non-commercial research. You can turn to these resources to gain understanding and build confidence in your research skills, but you cannot use them in situations where you are billing a client. Examples of permissible uses for your academic password include the following:

  •  Summer coursework
  • Research assistant assignments
  • Law Review or Journal research
  • Moot Court research
  • Non-Profit work
  • Clinical work
  • Externship sponsored by the school

You do not have to do anything to gain access to these tools over the summer. If you have any questions, please contact your Thomson Reuters Academic Account Manager.

Graduates

You can use Thomson Reuters products, including Westlaw, CoCounsel and Practical Law, for 6-months after graduation. Your “Grad Elite” access gives you 60-hours of usage per month to gain understanding and build confidence in your research skills. While you cannot use it in situations where you are billing a client, Thomson Reuters encourages you to use these tools to build your knowledge of the law and prepare for your bar exam.

YOU MUST OPT IN TO GRAD ELITE Access:
1) Go to www.lawschool.tr.com; Log in; Use the drop-down menu by your name to go to Grad Elite Status
2) Or Click on this link: https://lawschool.westlaw.com/authentication/gradelite

 

Bloomberg Law Logo

Bloomberg Law

Returning Students

Bloomberg access continues through the summer, this access is automatic (no registration required) and is unlimited and unrestricted.

Graduates 

2026 graduates have continuous access for six months following graduation, through November 30, 2026. This access is automatic (no registration required) and is unlimited and unrestricted (if students register for Bloomberg Law access before graduation).  For any questions on using Bloomberg Law, students and graduates continue to have free access to the  24/7 Help Desk at (888) 560-2529 or help@bloomberglaw.com.

 Other Library Databases

Returning Students

Returning students have full access to all of our databases, such as Hein and Proquest throughout the summer. Need help with a summer research project?  Stop by, call or chat with us, or schedule an in-person or virtual research consultation!

Graduates

Alumni are always welcome to use the library and seek research help from the reference librarians.  If you stay in the area as you begin your legal careers, remember that the majority of our electronic resources can be accessed by any patron from within the library, including Westlaw. We look forward to see you back in the library!

Congrats to our Grads! UConn Law Class of 2026!

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The UConn Law Library wants to extend our congratulations to UConn Law Class of 2026! Remember although you will be transitioning from the role of student to alumni, please remember that the law library wants to help you continue your path to that of lawyer.

We are always happy to help you find resources and many of our databases are available for in-library use – that means you will have to come back and visit!

Congratulations and we wish you the best of luck on the bar exam and your legal practice.!

 

Final Exam Hours, Final Words: Library Exam Hours & Parting Reflections

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In our recent post celebrating our graduating student employees, we highlighted the many ways they contribute the the law library and UConn Law. This time, we’re turning the spotlight over to them.

We asked each student to reflect on their experience working in the law library- what they learned, and what they’ll carry forward.  Here’s what they had to say.

 Matt Shor, UConn Law Class of ’26

Matt Shor, Research, Research Assistant Extraordinaire, UConn Law Class of 2026

Working in the knowledge mine has been one of the most unexpectedly rewarding experiences of my law school tenure! From the people who staff this excellent institution to the faculty requests for research help, I’ve learned so many unique aspects of the law that literally aren’t taught in classrooms. It’s been a pleasure and an honor. Thank you!

 Kayla Kelly, UConn Law Class of ’26

“This job was the best first decision I could ever make as a 1L. I still remember opening the incoming student newsletter and spotting the job posting for a Student Library Assistant starting in Summer 2023. I was probably the only person I knew excited to work 40+ hours a week on the library’s cold first floor all summer, shifting dusty book collections dating back to the 1900s. When you work front desk in the most populous building, you are the first impression that people have about the library (and arguably, the campus) and the first greeting they receive for the day. As a 1L, it was the biggest “cheat code” to making new friends since everyone’s scrambling to scan their assigned readings before their textbooks arrived and learning how to navigate institutional resources.

Kayla Kelly, Standout Law Library Assistant, UConn Law Class of 2026

Over time, the role became much more than a shift, it has become a space for connection and care. The front desk turned into a place where 1Ls could confide in me as I helped rewrite networking emails, where classmates shared outlines, where I connected two individuals and watched their friendship blossom, where we held impromptu discussions about current events, and even serve as a therapy corner for someone could pause and be heard while carrying something heavy. It also became a place where members of the broader Hartford community reminded me of the need for more attentive, compassionate attorneys in the world. To the library staff who watched me grow from a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed 21-year-old 1L into an almost 24-year-old (slightly bright-eyed) graduating 3L; to the past and present student staff I’ve have the pleasure to bother during their shifts and laughing with; to our colleagues across the library (IT, Student Services, Café staff, etc.)—THANK YOU! It’s been an immense privilege to grow within a community grounded in fellowship, support, and care. Thank you for keeping my heart warm all these years.”

 Austin Robertson, UConn Law Class of ’26

Austin Robertson, Library Assistant Rockstar, UConn Law Class of 2026

My experience working in the law library was one of the most meaningful parts of my time at UConn Law. I had the opportunity to learn from the incredible team behind the library while also engaging with the student body each day. I will always be grateful for that experience!”

Something I’ll take away from working in the law library is how important the library is to the student experience on campus. Working behind the scenes with the incredibly talented reference librarians and library staff showed me how much time and effort goes into creating such a wonderful learning space for the students. I will always remember how dedicated to the students the members of the library truly are.

 

Thank you Kayla, Austin and Matt!  We will miss you all!  Once part of the law library team, always part of it.

 

Student Blogger Dominic Bellido: From the Other Side of Time: An Open Letter to my Classmates

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Can we stop deadly heat in its tracks with ice and science?[1]

Seen on I-84 billboard advertisement for the University of Connecticut, for the

Korey Stringer Institute, College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources

 

Dear Classmate,

 

Between you and me, there spins the world as it races out of all known control.[2] Each morning, our minds awaken to a planet continually doused in storms or in flames. Our attention remains entranced, fixed to that “tape of [the] world”[3] rattling through every screen, on every phone, flashing colorful lies within virtual narratives slowly dissolving the social bonds of our community, our trust. Our own belief in ourselves. . .

Yet, as the sun begins to set over the now-quarter-millennium history of “the American experiment,” a new present emerges from the night of our common past. A single thread of time; for, dear Classmate, I write to you in the hopes that we look up from the page and meet each other’s gaze across “the standpoint of time.”[4] Hear my voice. Turn your back to the future, so that we may re-weave the threads of the past that have fallen into the peripheries of our sight.

For, in a time when the men, women, and children stuck on the margins of global society struggle to survive the policy decisions of powerful and distant leaders; in a time when the people of Hartford and greater New England brace themselves against daily immigration raids and stalling workplaces; in a time when even the “prestigious” students of the legal, medical, and engineering professions are made to sing and dance “naked in the market place,”[5] I say we can no longer think of the present as a tidy “chain of events,” but rather, we must see it as “one single catastrophe which keeps piling wreckage upon wreckage and hurls it in front of [our] feet.”[6]

For what has become clear, following the poet Aimé Césaire, is “not that there is no way out, but that the time has come to abandon all the old ways, which have led to fraud, tyranny, and murder.”[7] Just as my father told me the other day: “it is not the school that makes the student, but the student who makes the school.”

On the one hand, when considering the article on the Korey Stringer Institute’s work (referenced in head quote), it is important to support and shape the intellectual lives of our peers as they resolve the natural-scientific problems we collectively face. But to be clear, the article does not admit as to the role of global warming and how it might affect population overheat. On the other hand, the Institute’s promise “to keep athletes, soldiers, and laborers safe in the heat,” coupled with the recent hundred-million-dollar budget deficits imposed on the University of Connecticut health programs[8] (and the recent months of Western military intervention) point to the underside of the “Janus-faced” reality that you and I share, dear Classmate.[9]

But despair is not an option. Our class will not be held to the standard of previous classes; we will not be judged by what we bring to the table.[10] Rather, the only question in front of us is the following: what kind of world will we leave behind? Or, if you prefer it from musician Ron Ayers, “the question of the next century is not who you love, but what you love? and how it makes you feel.”[11] As the blood of Iranian and Palestinian schoolchildren continues to fall beyond our screens,[12] rather than seal ourselves off to our own time, I wish to break out of that linear “tape of the world” flattening the rhythm of our speech. To resurrect the dialogue which we have lost. Towards the light of a new science . . .

For I love nothing more than the truth. I believe that it is in my blood, this story-telling urge to make the two ends of my past and my future meet in a way that uplifts us all. And, if the writer Sylvia Wynter is correct when she says that “our ‘stories’ are as much a part of what makes us human . . . as are our bipedalism and the use of our hands,”[13] then the only way we can change the present narrative is to bring about the world where we can all see our true selves in the roles we play, our faces reflected and represented in the “systems of life”[14] that we maintain.

Together.

It is within this “horizon of humanity”[15] that we must re-imagine our collective place in the natural world; this new world we leave for the next ones that will follow “life’s longing for itself.”[16] “Only there are individuals ‘directly linked to world history’—there where dialogue has armed itself to impose its own conditions.”[17]

After all, “[i]n any attempt to bridge the domains of experience belonging to the spiritual and physical sides of our nature, Time occupies the key position.”[18] We must not allow ourselves to forget, “in defiance of principles [we] defend elsewhere, the history of the past 50 years, and the fact that the problem of a different organization of society has constantly been posed, not by reformers or by ideologues, but by massive collective movements, which have changed the face of the world, even if they have failed with regard to their original intentions.”[19]

Nothing has been clearer in my mind concerning the problems in Hartford—found from the lowest corners to the highest statues atop the Capitol Dome—than the face and the future of my youngest nephew, Kayden. All the world waits for him, dear Classmate, just as it awaited us.

All the technologies, unregulated; all the schools, defunded; and all the people, where do you think they will go? What will it take for the children of the world, like Kayden, to dare to break out, and leave his mark as he breathes air, to free his voice from the traps that we fall into. The traps that stifle our voices ‘til this day, possibly until we die! What will it take!? Ask yourself, what will it take for you to feel motivated again? Safe, again?

O, it is not enough to merely say no to the injustice on crystal-clear display. It is not enough to decry the acceleration of time. . . but to reverse time, to take a pause and look at one another outside of our own times. To create a new “paradigm of justice” that will include every single one of us—this should be the only work left to us now!

Only when the children of the world, like Kayden, see themselves in the curriculum presented—only then, will we see movements and changes to the history threatening to lock up and destroy our world. In fact, all generations alive on the planet have never been faced with a more daunting, yet freeing, task of seeking out “knowledge of the world as it is.”

Indeed, it has never been easy. . .but together, who knows? That our “universal” and “particular”[20] voices might blend into a symphony of “never before heard music”. . .[21]

For it is only when the laws that we sign and agree upon are made with children like Kayden’s future in mind; when his health is protected, and the treasures of his people are safeguarded by the community sworn to protect him; then and only then, dear Classmate, will we see the blossoming of future flowers. Only then can new dialogues be erected, and new dynamics established. After all, “[l]anguage produces man as man produces language.”[22]

So it is through Wynter’s “study of the Word” or ordo verborum,[23] may we encounter ourselves out of our own times. A new order of “kin-recognizing knowledge” may be possible within the groundbreaking terms of the “epistemic break Wynter envisions . . . involv[ing] an understanding of the human as a hybrid species, made up of biological as well as symbolic life, bios and mythos.”[24]

To vindicate that promise Milton made to us long ago, in the time of his own revolution, that “the law of God agrees exactly with the law of nature. . . that nothing is more consistent with the laws of nature also than that tyrants be punished.”[25]

Our children will find the new humanity for the both of us, dear Classmate. Better yet, they will build it anew, in the image of their own Creators. Because I intend to leave all the tools and love possible for children like my Kayden, so they might re-enchant their society and their institutions, redefining their work with all the vibrant colors of their virtual, Imaginary power.

And so, I must leave you here, dear Classmate. To break free from the other side of the page. To reach out and throw my voice across these words, like pebbles skipped across waves of water, so you can find me on the other side. . .

Free.

Free in the dreams of the next generation.

Free in their hopes, in their talents yet to be sung.[26]

    And so, to put an end to the tragic games of man’s yesterday, or in other words, to extricate ourselves and the world from a “past [that] refuses to rest in its shallow grave,” I can do no more than offer the following prophetic words of the musician Sun Ra:

“Equation-wise, the first thing to do is to consider time as officially ended. We work on the other side of time now.”[27] (emphasis added)

 

You see the difficulties into which I have fallen, the position in which I am placed. I cannot, without censure, promise something about myself, nor, without equal censure, fail in what I promise. Perhaps I can invoke that saying of Job: “The spirit is in all men.” Or take consolation in what was said to Timothy: “Let no man despise your youth.” But to speak from my own conscience, I might say with greater truth that there is nothing singular about me. . . I understand that in this kind of learned contest the real victory lies in being vanquished. Even the weakest, consequently, ought not to shun them, but should seek them out, as well they may. For the one who is bested receives from his conqueror, not an injury but a benefit; he returns to his house richer than he left, that is, more learned and better armed for future contests. (emphasis added)

Pico de Mirandola, Oration on the Dignity of Man

 

Signed,

Dominic Bellido

President of the Diversity Alliance for the University of Connecticut

 

About the Author

Having been tasked with combating racism since being elected, President of the Diversity Alliance Dominic Bellido calls upon the broader UConn community to open a dialogue and discuss the collective future of our “particular” student-body, as well as the school and higher-education’s “general” place in the today’s America.

 

 

[1] Bartucca, Julie S. 2025. “One Collapse, Countless Saves.” UConn Today, October 31.

[2] “First year law student Matthew T. Tyler said HLS has ‘lost any control over the recruiting process.’ He said firms are ‘flagrantly violating’ the guidelines, pointing to the firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton, & Garrison, which he said gave students a five-day acceptance window.” Pape, Sierra R., Pham, Uy B. 2026. “’Lost Control’: Harvard Affiliates Decry Accelerated Law Firm Recruiting Timelines.” Harvard Crimson, March 24.

[3] “After the Egyptian and Indian, the Greek and Roman, the Teuton and Mongolian, the Negro is a sort of seventh son, born with a veil, and gifted with second-sight in this American world,—a world which yields him no true self-consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world. It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others, of measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity.” Du Bois, W.E.B. The Souls of Black Folk. ed. B.H. Edwards. Oxford World’s Classics. London, England. Oxford University Press: 2008.

[4] “The architecture of this work is rooted in the temporal. Every human problem must be considered from the standpoint of time. Ideally, the present will always contribute to the building of the future. . .it is for my own time that I should live. The future should be an edifice supported by living men. This structure is connected to the present to the extent that I consider the present in terms of something to be exceeded.” Fanon, Frantz. Black Skin, White Masks. trans. C.L. Markmann. London, England. Pluto Press: 1986.

[5] “[W]ith the wholesale vocationalism of higher education, predictably has come the loss of a constituency for Liberal Studies generally and the humanities in particular. They have been left naked in the marketplace.” From Sylvia Wynter’s 1984 essay The Ceremony Must Found: After Humanism, where she borrowed the phrase from Professor Christopher J. Lucas of the University of Missouri-Columbia, citing his invitational seminar on civic learning and education of the teaching profession hosted by the Hoover institution on November 11th, 1984.

[6] “This is how one pictures the angel of history. His face is turned toward the past. . . [t]he angel would like to stay, awaken the dead, and make whole what has been smashed. But a storm is blowing from Paradise; it has got caught in his wings with such violence that the angel can no longer close them. The storm irresistibly propels him into the future to which his back is turned, while the pile of debris before him grows skyward. This storm is what we call progress.” Benjamin, Walter. Theses on the Philosophy of History, “Illuminations,” trans. H. Zohn, 1969: 249.

[7] Césaire, Aimé. Letter to Maurice Thorez. trans. C. Jeffers. Paris, France. 2010 Duke University Press; French original Presence Africaine: 1956, 150.

[8] Sokoloff, Natasha. 2025. “‘A lot of pain’: UConn preps for budget cuts and other changes amid $100 million deficit.” UConn Today, June 24.

[9] “For the ‘human sciences’ of our present order of knowledge, whose domain of inquiry is precisely that of the social reality of our present Western world-system and its nation state sub-units, have themselves to be lawlikely and rigorously elaborated of our contemporary autopoetic and sociogenically encoded, Western-bourgeois world system (Wallerstein; 1974; Wallerstein, 1980), as the first planetarily extended such system in human history. . .as academics/intellectuals of our contemporary Western world-system. . . we must necessarily function to elaborate the mode of knowledge production that is epistemologically indispensable to its replication as such a system (Althusser, 2001).” Wynter, Sylvia. The Ceremony Found: Towards the Autopoetic Turn/Overturn, its Autonomy of Human Agency and Extraterritoriality of (Self-)Cognition. ed. J.R. Ambroise, S. Broeck. Liverpool, England. Liverpool University Press: 2015, 202-03.

[10] “The self-emancipation of our time is an emancipation from the material bases of inverted truth. This ‘historic mission of establishing truth in the world’ can be carried out neither by isolated individual nor by atomized and manipulated masses, but only and always by the class that is able to dissolve all classes by reducing all power to the de-alienating form of realized democracy—to councils in which practical theory verifies itself and surveys its own actions.” DeBord, Guy. The Society of the Spectacle. trans. Ken Knabb. Detroit, Michigan. Black & Red: 1984, 221.

[11] Ron Ayers, “Programmed For Love.”

[12] In the words of Sartre, “[i]n this situation there is not one of us who is not totally guilty and even criminal; the Jewish blood that the Nazis shed falls on all our heads.” Sartre, Jean-Paul. Anti-Semite and Jew: An Exploration of the Etiology of Hate. Trans. G. Becker. New York, New York. Schocken Books: 1995.

[13] Wynter, 217.

[14] “Puquina, Quechua, and Aymara concepts—such as that of the paqarina—are useful for understanding certain Western philosophical concepts that have been developed but have not found much concrete application, such as the concept of the ‘virtual’ in Bergson and Deleuze. The concept of paqarina, as I understand it, signifies ‘life and that which sustains life’—a notion that, in the Western world, we apply only to that which is ‘animated,’ while denying it to the mountains, the earth, the water, the rocks, and so forth. . . [t]his allows us to conceive of humanity and nature not as separate entities, but rather as engaged in a process of permanent union—or vinculum/vincularidad. . . which we might call a ‘system of life.’” (emphasis and edits added) Lajo, Javier. Qhapaq Ñan: La ruta inka de sabiduría. trans. D. Bellido. Lima, Peru. Amaro Runa-CENES: 2005, 39.

[15] “In this overall context. . . we are called upon to confront and deal with for the first time in the history of our species as Derrida’s ‘we […] in the horizon of humanity[]’ [our] ultimate predicament [as] that of the acceleratingly threatening loss of the climactic-ecological habitat conditions indispensable to our species’ survival/realization and continued performative-enactment as the uniquely autopoetically instituting, hybrid mode of living being that we are.” (emphasis and edits added) Wynter, 230.

[16] “Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of life’s longing for itself. . . [y]ou are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.” Kahul Gibran, cited in Sousanis, Nicholas. Unflattening. Cambridge, Massachusetts. Harvard University Press: 2015, 139.

[17] DeBord, 221.

[18] “I have already referred to [Time’s] dual entry into our consciousness—through the sense organs which relate it to other entities of the physical world, and directly through a kind of private door into the mind. The physicist. . . naturally does not look kindly on private doors, through which all forms of superstitious fancy might enter unchecked. But is he ready to forgo that knowledge of the going on of time which has reached us through the door. . .?” (emphasis added) Eddington, Sir Arthur S. The Nature of the Physical World. University Press: 2022, 45.

[19] Castoriadis, Cornelius. The Imaginary Institution of Society, trans. Kathleen Blamey. Polity Press: 1987, 98.

[20] “My conception of the universal is that of a universal enriched by all that is particular, a universal enriched by every particular: the deepening and coexistence of all particulars.” Césaire, 152.

[21] John Peale Bishop, “Speaking of Poetry.”

[22] “Man does not ‘need’ language; man, in the dialectical, transitive understanding of to be is language (much like he does not need food, shelter, and so on, but is his food and house). Consciousness, realized by the [producing] meaningful sound, is self-conscious. The Self, however, is constituted fully as a speaking and hearing Self. Awareness, if we may thus designate the first stirrings of knowledge beyond the registering of tactile impressions, is fundamentally based on hearing meaningful sounds produced by self and others. If there needs to be a contest for man’s noblest sense (and there are reasons to doubt that) it should be hearing, not sight that wins. Not solitary perception but social communication is the starting point for a materialist anthropology, provided that we keep in mind that man does not ‘need’ language as a means of communication, or by extension, society as a means of survival. Man is communication and society.” Fabian, Johannes. Time and the Other: How Anthropology Makes Its Object. New York, New York. Columbia University Press: 1983, 162.

[23] “For the only life that we humans live is our prescriptive representations of what constitutes symbolic life (Winch, 1964), as well as what constitutes its Lack or mode of symbolic death. Consequently, because each such sociogenic replicator code of symbolic life/death functions in Gregory Bateson’s parallel terms as a ‘descriptive statement’ at the level of the individual subject’s psyche or soul, as the lawlike complement of the genetically enacted and conserved descriptive statement of the individual subject’s biological body (Bateson, 1968), then the ‘study of the Word’ as the study of the sociogenic code’s descriptive statement must necessarily not only correlate with but also determine the approach to the ‘study of nature.’” Wynter, 210.

[24] Obst, Anthony J. 2019. “Ceremony Found: Sylvia Wynter’s Hybrid Human and Leslie Marmon Silko’s Ceremony.” aspeers, vol. 12. https://www.aspeers.com/sites/default/files/pdf/Obst.pdf

[25] John Milton. Political Writings. Cambridge; New York. Cambridge University Press: 1991.

[26] Put another way, in the words of the also-brilliant musician Shygirl: “Come find me. . . I’m free. . . at three.” Shygirl, “TWELVE.”

[27] Sun Ra, Space is the Place.

UConn Law Library Centennial Celebration – Thursday, April 23!

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This year marks a milestone for the UConn School of Law Library as we celebrate 100 years of connection, ideas, and community. Join us this Thursday, April 23, 2026, for a special Centennial Celebration! The day will include conversations on the evolving role of libraries, reflections on our history, and a 3:30 reception featuring remarks from Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz, UConn President Radenka Maric, and Dean Eboni S. Nelson.

Learn more and RSVP: https://www.events.foundation.uconn.edu/ereg/index.php?eventid=878577

Celebrating Our Graduating Library Student Employees

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Kayla, Austin and Matt, From First Steps to the Bar!

As part of Student Appreciation Week, we are proud to recognize our graduating library student employees and celebrate the incredible role they play in making the library a welcoming, accessible space for our entire community. Austin Robertson, Kayla Kelly and Matt Shor have been instrumental in keeping the library services running! 

Austin, Kayla and Matt assist with faculty research and staff the desk on weekends, nights, and during finals. They assist students with course reserves, printing, scanning and library computers and are a terrific source of information about the library and law school.   

Kayla Kelly, UConn Law Class of 2026
Austin Robertson, UConn Law Class of 2026

In the words of Anne Rajotte, Associate Director of Research, Instruction, and Scholarship:

“Austin and Kayla are valued members of the library team who help create a positive first impression every day. Their warm, welcoming presence at the front desk and their readiness to assist students, faculty, and visitors, makes them an essential part of our daily operations. We will miss them!”

 

Research Assistant Matt Shor, UConn Law Class of 2026

Our Research Assistants work behind the scenes conducting legal research for the law school faculty members, greatly contributing to the research needs of the law school, law library and society as a whole.  Tanya Johnson reflects on the contributions of Matt Shor:

Matt has been an outstanding research assistant, bringing a thoughtful, philosophical perspective that leads him to question assumptions and think critically about the bigger picture. 

 

 

  Adam Mackie also highlights Matt’s impact, noting his dedication and the meaningful contributions he has made through his research work:

Matt possesses two qualities I highly value, a relentless curiosity that seeks to understand things as they are, and, more importantly, the drive to improve upon them.  I have no doubt that wherever he ends up, we’ll all be better off as a result. 

To all of our graduating 3L’s, thank you!  We wish you all the best and hope you stay in touch as you embark upon your legal careers!   We will miss you all!

 

UConn Law Student Spotlight Series: Profiles in Law, Leadership, and Service

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We’re excited to share a recent series of blog posts highlighting UConn Law students and the meaningful work they are doing across a wide range of interests—from fashion law and public service to health equity and community advocacy.  Each profile offers a thoughtful look into the experiences, motivations, and aspirations shaping these students’ journeys:

You can explore the featured student stories below:
Michael Ampofo
Addys Castillo
Malachi Bridges
UConn Law student Tyreanna Epps
Tyreanna Epps

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Student Spotlight Series Author Kwaku Aurelian

This series was made possible through the work of Kwaku Aurelien, whose thoughtful, in-depth interviews brought these stories to life. Kwaku spent significant time with each student, capturing the nuance and individuality of their journeys in a way that truly reflects the spirit of our community.

 

 It is an honor to share this work with you, and we hope you find these spotlights as inspiring as we do.

Student Spotlight: Michael Ampofo and the Importance of Resolve

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UConn Law 1L Michael Ampofo

Although Black History Month has ended, its lessons continue to inspire law students to challenge systems, advocate for justice, and create meaningful change. Michael Ampofo, whom we featured earlier on the blog, is continuing that work through his commitment to health equity.

In this Q & A , Michael Ampofo returns to sit down with fellow law student Kwaku Aurelien to discuss his journey to law school, his current studies, and the goals guiding his future in the legal profession.

To begin the conversation, Kwaku started with a simple but powerful question:

KWAKU AURELIEN:

Give us a portrait: Who is Michael Ampofo?

MICHAEL AMPOFO:

  1. Three core things about me:
    1. Man of God
    2. Family Man
  • Basketball Enthusiast
  1. Adjectives:
    1. Kind
    2. Hard working
  • Resilient
  1. Determined
  2. Disciplined

KWAKU:

How are you finding your first year of law school?

MICHAEL:

My first year of law school has been rewarding:

  1. CT kid at the state’s law school (all of grade school in CT, undergrad at UConn). If you told me in elementary school that I’d be at UConn law one day, I would have probably been in awe.
  2. Great community
  3. Pleasure being around intelligent peers with great futures ahead of them.
  4. I had the pleasure of meeting great people like you [Kwaku], and Maryanne, one of our librarians, who have helped me a lot.
  5. It has also been challenging but I’m getting better and more comfortable every day.

KWAKU:

Your undergraduate honors thesis examined healthcare experiences by race, sex, and weight status among low-wage workers before and during COVID-19. What inspired that research?

MICHAEL:

Yes, my thesis did address those things, and it is one of my proudest achievements to this day. My research was inspired by the fact that race, sex, socioeconomic status, and weight discrimination lead to health disparities for different people. These health disparities can mean life and death. The pandemic caused a lot of burnout and resource depletion in the healthcare system. We all know that a lot of lives were lost as well. Knowing that health disparities existed, I wondered how I could add new literature to public health research. I have to shout out my dad for recommending that I investigate the impact of the pandemic on health disparities, it made my work really interesting.

KWAKU:

This research is deeply personal for a lot of people. Without sharing more than you’re comfortable with, what is your relationship to these issues? Why does health equity matter to you specifically?

MICHAEL:

At the end of the day, public health is about protecting the health of our communities. It is about people and I love people; I always have and I always will. As a black man, I have a black family and a lot of minority friends. I have a lot of women in my family and outside my family that I care for as well as people struggling with their weight. The probability that they and I are more likely than others to have worse health outcomes, in part, because of our characteristics blows my mind. Health equity matters to me specifically because I see it as a matter of life and death. I have been told I can be dramatic, but I really see it that way. Everyone deserves to get the best treatment they can get without their race, sex, socioeconomic status, or weight influencing that treatment because their life could depend on it.

KWAKU:

What did you find? Did the pandemic worsen healthcare experiences for the groups you studied?

MICHAEL:

I first want to note that my study was a secondary analysis of my supervisor’s main study that examined the effect of a minimum wage increase on obesity-related behaviors and outcomes. The dependent variable in my study, “healthcare experience score” was based on three questions from my supervisor’s main study that were used as an indirect measure of perceived discrimination. These questions were not designed to directly measure perceived discrimination, but I thought that they could imply it. They asked participants if they perceived their providers listened carefully to them, respected what they said, and spent enough time with them. Participants responded with either never = 0 points, sometimes = 1 point, usually = 2 points, or always = 3 points. The totals from these responses were combined to see the change across two time points (T1 = 2019, T2 = 2021) based on participant characteristic (race, sex, weight status). Using an indirect measure of perceived discrimination did not yield a statistically significant decrease in healthcare experience scores for non-Hispanic Blacks, females, and people with obesity. However, blacks and females saw a decrease in their healthcare experiences, but it was not statistically significant. My findings lead me to believe that I would have found statistically significant decreases over time if I used a direct measure of perceived discrimination. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll return to this project.

KWAKU:

What surprised you the most in your research?

MICHAEL:

The things that surprised me the most in my research was the fact that non-Hispanic Black people, women, people with obesity, and low SES people perceive discrimination more than their counterparts and this caused them to delay seeking care.

KWAKU:

Did conducting this research influence your decision to go to law school? If so, how?

MICHAEL:

Yes, my research influenced my decision to go to law school. My research caused me to think about what could be done to reduce discrimination in healthcare and my first answer was policy. Then I did some research and found that law shaped policy and directly impacted public health. I then came to the concussion that I needed to understand the law and learn how to apply it to help put in place effective health policies and interventions to reduce health disparities among different groups of people.

KWAKU:

As a young Black man studying racial health disparities, how does your identity shape your research and advocacy?

MICHAEL:

My identity shaped my research and my desire to fight health disparities because it illuminates the fact that I could have worse health outcomes due to racial discrimination. My identity allows me to put myself in the place of every minority whose health has suffered due to discriminatory practices and makes my goals all the more meaningful and personal.

KWAKU:

What do you want people to understand about the relationship between race and health in America?

MICHAEL:

I want people to understand that, unfortunately, someone’s race can have a negative impact on their health because of racial discrimination in the healthcare system. Studies show that racial discrimination influences physicians to be more likely to recommend a better treatment to one racial group over another. Studies also show that the perception of racial discrimination influences patients to not use the healthcare system the way they should (delay seeking care, avoiding care altogether). Racial discrimination in the healthcare system ultimately contributes to racial health disparities.

  1. My literature review on racial discrimination in the healthcare system revealed that non-Hispanic black people tend to perceive racial discrimination more often than non-Hispanic white people. This increased perception contributes to health disparities between the groups because it makes Black people more likely than White people to delay care, not seek it at all, and/or not adhere to healthcare treatments.
  2. A literature review also revealed that race influences physician medical treatment decisions due to implicit and explicit racial bias. This further contributes to racial health disparities.

KWAKU:

In your undergraduate thesis, you included weight status as a variable. Why is weight-based discrimination in healthcare important to study?

MICHAEL:

Weight-based discrimination is important to study in healthcare because patients with obesity are more likely to suffer from diseases due to their BMI more than people without obesity. This means that they require more medical attention. Unfortunately, patients with obesity perceive and receive weight-based discrimination more than patients without obesity. This causes them to receive worse treatment from physicians and be more likely to under-utilize the healthcare system, contributing to health disparities.

KWAKU:

How does weight stigma intersect with racism and sexism in healthcare?

MICHAEL:

Weight stigma intersects with racism and sexism in healthcare for the worse. Studies indicate that people with obesity perceive and receive more weight-based discrimination than those without obesity. A black person with obesity is more likely to perceive and receive discrimination than a black person without obesity because of their weight. This goes for any other race as well. Studies indicate that weight stigma, racism, and sexism in the healthcare system contribute to weight, race, and sex health disparities due to negatively influencing provider decisions and patient use of the healthcare system.

KWAKU:

You shared with me that you don’t intend to practice law after graduation, but rather, you want to use your legal education to supplement public health advocacy. Can you talk about your vision?

MICHAEL:

I see the law as something important to understand and as an essential tool that could be used to advance and protect public health. Public health is shaped by policies, policies are created by institutions, and those institutions have to adhere to the law. As someone who is interested in contributing to public health policy, I believe that an understanding of how the law works and how it could be applied would be important in my work. My undergraduate research made epidemiology appealing to me since it uses data to inform public health policies and decisions. I plan on pursuing a master’s in public health focused on public health policy and epidemiology. If I can, I might get a PhD focused on either of those disciplines after that.

KWAKU:

You also shared with me that you have encountered resistance from peers and professors about this path. Without sharing more than you’re comfortable with, what does that resistance look like, and how do you respond to it?

MICHAEL:

What I’ve come to realize is that there is resistance anytime someone tries to do something different or if what they’re trying to do makes others insecure. With this in mind, I respond with silence. I don’t give in to their resistance by trying to explain myself because I said what I said. I’ve decided to keep my aspirations to myself because of these interactions but am open to sharing my plans with open-minded people.

KWAKU:

What keeps you resolute in your intentions despite the resistance?

MICHAEL:

There is only One Being in the universe that I want to please and must answer to and that is God Almighty. He is the reason why I am here and He is reason why I get up every day. I do not live to please anyone else because at the end of the day I want to be able to look back at my life and be happy with the fact that I lived for God’s approval, not for others’ approval. I want to be able to look back with joy, not regret. I want to pour out everything God gave me and I refuse to let anyone get in the way of that.

KWAKU:

Have you found “your people” on this campus – peers and professors who are fully supportive of your aspirations?

MICHAEL:

You, and maybe Dominic [Bellido], are the only peers that really understand my aspirations, and you guys seem to be supportive. I definitely appreciate you guys. A staff member who has been really supportive is Maryanne, the librarian. I truly appreciate her kind words and encouragement. I have not really talked to others about this much, but I know other supportive people are out there.

KWAKU:

What would you say to other students who have unconventional goals but feel pressure to conform?

MICHAEL:

I would tell them to do what they feel led to do and to never bow down to pressure to conform. I don’t care if it is their parents, partners, or professors; this is their life. If they conform, they will end up living a life that they weren’t supposed to live. They’ll probably be miserable too; I know I would be. Like, think about it. Imagine being in your eighties or nineties and asking yourself, “what if?” What if I didn’t allow people to talk me out of what I wanted to do? What if I took a chance on myself and wasn’t such a people pleaser? What if I did what I wanted to do instead of what other people wanted me to do? Les Brown and Dr. Myles Munroe are known for the quote that the graveyard is the richest place on earth. The reason why they believed that is because a lot of people die without tapping into their full potential. Things like conforming to pressure lead to this happening. For students like me who have unique goals and paths, keep going and do not allow pressure to shape your life. You want to be able to look back at your life with joy, not regret.

KWAKU:

What, in your opinion, do a JD and an MPH degree each bring to the table? What does a JD offer you than an MPH alone wouldn’t, and vice versa?

MICHAEL:

  1. I believe that a JD brings an understanding of the laws that shape our lives and gives us the ability to use those laws in society.
  2. An MPH gives someone the knowledge and skills needed to protect and improve the health and well-being of our communities.
  3. Without a JD, I will not have the knowledge and skills needed to use the law to protect and improve public health. Without the MPH, I will not have the knowledge and skills needed to understand the health system and use it to protect and improve public health.

KWAKU:

Where do you see the most critical intersections between law and public health?

MICHAEL:

The most critical intersections between law and public health can be seen in infectious disease control (ex. Vaccine mandates, mask mandates, and quarantines during COVID-19) and environment regulations (ex. pollution laws like the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act).

KWAKU:

Can you provide specific examples of how law shapes health outcomes? Or an example of a legal problem that requires public health expertise?

MICHAEL:

  1. One specific example is speed limit laws. The reason why the speed limit changes as you are driving is because the state has determined, through professional expertise, that it is more hazardous to drive at higher speeds in one place than in another. The different speed limit laws in different areas help to prevent injuries and deaths.
  2. Another specific example is gun safety laws. Gun safety laws that have age, mental screening, and training requirements help to prevent guns from getting into the wrong hands and ultimately help to reduce the likelihood of gun-related injuries and deaths.

KWAKU:

Have you been able to find ways to connect your 1L coursework to your public health interests?

MICHAEL:

No, but my 2L and 3L coursework definitely will.

KWAKU:

Do you feel your research background gives you a different perspective than other 1L students? If so, how?

MICHAEL:

I feel like my research background may give me a different perspective over 1L students who had traditional law school undergraduate majors like political science or pre-law. I may have a different perspective because I see the law not only as a career as a tool to be used in a variety of fields and careers because of how versatile it is.

KWAKU:

Are there classes or professors that “get” what you’re trying to achieve?

MICHAEL:

Even though I have not had a chance to take health related classes since I am a first-year student, I know that there are classes that are shaped around health and professors that understand my approach. I spoke to a professor during Orientation, and he affirmed my desire to get a master’s in public health, so I am optimistic about my future classes and faculty interactions.

KWAKU:

When did you realize you would have to forge your own path rather than following an existing template?

MICHAEL:

I came into law school knowing I wanted to combine my education with a master’s in public health due to my undergraduate experiences. I realized that I’d have to be fully intentional on the experiences I’d search for in law school during my first semester. It became very clear that my goals were non-traditional. After that, I knew I needed to be fully intentional about the things I chose to do here and find like-minded people.

KWAKU:

Epidemiology is your interest. Can you describe for the UConn Law community what epidemiologists do? What is their role within the healthcare system?

MICHAEL:

Epidemiology is a cornerstone of public health. It is the study of the distribution and patterns of diseases in communities. Epidemiologists use community health data to determine what is causing a disease, how the disease is spreading, and what groups of people are affected. They use the answers to these questions to help create interventions to slow/stop the spread of diseases in communities. You can think of them as the “disease detectives” of the healthcare system.

KWAKU:

Are there specific health disparities or public health issues you want to tackle with your combined JD/MPH? If so, what are they?

MICHAEL:

Public health issues that I want to tackle are gun violence in schools, diabetes/high cholesterol/high blood pressure in Ghanaians living in the U.S., and the galamsey issue (illegal goldmining that pollutes water bodies) in Ghana, West Africa.

KWAKU:

If you could change one policy or law to improve health equity, what would it be and why?

MICHAEL:

I am not sure if it is already in effect, but I would mandate, via law or policy, that healthcare workers have yearly implicit bias screenings. These screenings should also be mandatory during the hiring process. Healthcare workers having implicit bias towards patients can negatively impact treatment decisions and interactions with patients, leading to health disparities. Implicit bias screenings will help supervisors make better hiring decisions and create better trainings focused on reducing those biases.

KWAKU:

What legacy do you hope to leave in public health advocacy?

MICHAEL:

I want people to look at my career and be inspired by someone who cared about the health of his community and worked hard to protect it.

KWAKU:

Is there anything I haven’t asked that you think is important for students to take away from your journey and/or the work you’re doing?

MICHAEL:

No, these were great questions. Thank you for the interview.