She got help telling her story, and was accepted into Law

by Philip Fine

With their student-led admission clinics, the Black Law Students’ Association of McGill (BLSAM) plays a crucial role in opening doors for applicants of colour. Workshops pair up prospective students with BLSAM members, who conduct a review session of their application materials. That is how then-CEGEP student Anne-Clara Sanon met Fanta Ly, who helped her find the words to tell her story.

Anne-Clara Sanon (left) and Fanta Ly (right)

Anne-Clara Sanon (pictured left) met 3L student Fanta Ly (right) at one of the open houses hosted by the Black Law Students’ Association of McGill (BLSAM). Sanon was qualified and enthusiastic, and Ly was determined to help her put together a great application.

Ly is co-president of the BLSAM. One of the group’s priorities is to connect with diverse populations and work with students in crafting their applications. “My role was to motivate Anne-Clara and to help her understand that she’s good enough to be here.”

Sanon’s interest in law stems from her lived experience. Her parents hail from Haiti, where her father remains to this day as an advocate for improving education. She was confronted with inequality during her visits to the country, meeting cousins who lacked the opportunity to go to school and seeing scenes of youth who did not have the opportunity to fulfill their potential. “When I visited Haiti for the first time, I was shocked by the juxtaposition between kids in school uniforms walking with their parents, and kids on the side of the road trying to sell bottled water to tourists.”

Neither student had ever met a lawyer before applying to McGill Law. Ly considers the lack of connections in the profession to be a reflection of the under-representation of certain communities in law school.

Last winter, Ly met with Sanon on several occasions over Zoom. Ly, whose parents hail from Guinea and Senegal, and who came to law with an interest in African constitutionalism, knew how the applicant could stand out. She helped Sanon polish the stories from her observations in Haiti, and helped her demonstrate that going from a mostly white West Island high school to the racially diverse Dawson College boosted both her confidence and her growing interest in the law.

In June, Sanon received good news from Admissions: she had been accepted. “I didn’t really expect to get in. I was shocked and excited, and really grateful,” says the newly minted law student. She now plans to join the BLSAM so she can pay it forward by giving a hand to students who are qualified, but may not yet imagine themselves at Chancellor Day Hall.