LAW LIBRARY DIVERSITY FELLOWSHIP In August, Ariel Erbacher became the Cornell Law Library’s second diversity
Additionally, Carlos Andrés Pagán joined
fellow.
the Law Library for six weeks as a summer
EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS WIN CANTWELL RESEARCH PRIZE
diversity fellow in residence. Pagán holds
FIRST PRIZE
SECOND PRIZE
The two-year fellowship aims to provide
a J.D. from Universidad de Puerto Ri-
Truth or Dare: A
Columbia
opportunities for qualified new law librar-
co-Río Piedras Law School, an LL.M. from
Framework for An-
sity and Incarcer-
ians from underrepresented groups. Fel-
Harvard Law School, a Licenciatura en
alyzing
Credibility
ated Worker Labor
lows are mentored by Cornell law librar-
Derecho from Universitat de Barcelona
in Children Seeking
Unions under the
ians, while contributing to the mission
and an M.I.S. from Universidad de Puerto
Asylum, by Karen
National Labor Re-
of the library, the Law School and the
Rico-Río Piedras.
Smeda, 2L
lations Act, by Kara
Univer-
Goad, 3L
university. Smeda examined the legal ramifications Erbacher holds a master’s degree in li-
of denying child asylum seekers an equita-
Goad’s research examined the forms and
brary and information science from Uni-
ble credibility determination, arguing that
terms of labor that incarcerated workers
versity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
certain changes should be prioritized and
perform in American prisons, seeking to
School of Information Sciences and a
that the U.S. immigration system may be vi-
demonstrate that labor law could pro-
law degree from IIT Chicago-Kent Col-
olating constitutional protections that ex-
vide potential remedies for work-related
lege of Law.
tend to asylum seekers.
grievances.
The Law Library’s inaugural diversity fel-
“I learned that scholarship on topics with
“The Corrections Corporation of Ameri-
low, Malikah Hall, completed her two-
international implications requires a pro-
ca describes prison labor as an ‘inmate
year appointment in June 2017.
longed,
service’ or ‘vocational training.’
thorough
research
process,”
How-
Smeda said. “Generally, a simple Goo-
ever, reports from incarcerated individu-
“I am forever grateful for my time at Cor-
gle search will not yield necessary infor-
als and others commonly describe prison
nell. I learned so much about myself as
mation from other countries. Instead, the
labor as a form of modern-day slavery,”
an instructor, a librarian, and a team
library’s online and book resources have
Goad said. “From these discrepancies, I
member. I will carry these lessons with me
offered me valuable tools to assist me in
learned that it was necessary for me to
as I continue my career,” said Hall, now
pursuing my creative endeavors in legal
seek out as many sources as possible to
a reference librarian and instructional as-
scholarship.”
present the fullest picture of prison labor.”
sistant professor at the Dee J. Kelly Law Library at Texas A & M University School of Law.
Funding for the Cantwell Prize is provided by an endowment given to the Law Library by Barbara Cantwell in honor of her late husband, Robert Cantwell, a 1956 graduate of Cornell Law School. In addition to a monetary award, winners are invited to publish their papers in Scholarship@Cornell Law, the Law Library’s digital repository, and to feature their papers in Reading Room displays.
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