As a first-generation college graduate and law student, Celina Bontigao’s passion for helping marginalized and lower-income communities access legal services is personal. “I know firsthand how intimidating courts—or the legal field in general—could be for people of lower socioeconomic background,” Celina says.
Serving and advocating for lower-income communities has been a constant theme in Celina’s life. After earning her undergraduate degree at California State University, Fullerton, Celina joined Teach for America, teaching high school English in Mississippi, where she met her husband. She then worked at a non-profit that teaches financial literacy to K-12 students. Now, as an OSLSA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Fellow and law student interested in public interest work, she works with LASC’s Neighborhood Stabilization project by helping clients apply for 501(c)(3) status for their non-profit organizations. In her time as a Fellow, Celina has also been working on building an accessible excel sheet to allow an easier way for small business to file their taxes, a role she says is perfect for a JD/MBA student like herself.
Originally from the Philippines, Celina immigrated to the United States with her family when she was in high school. She speaks several languages, including Tagalog (her native language), Japanese, and Spanish. She is currently a law student at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.
Celina’s dedication to the values of civil legal aid stem from her belief in the importance of combating the justice gap that, too often, is rooted in wealth disparities. Civil legal aid, Celina says, not only enables our society to live up the principles of our nation—equal justice for all—but also extends dignity and respect to those who feel hopeless in the face of a complex legal system. “Civil legal aid provides clients with hope and protection, knowing that they have assistance and representation regardless of their background and socioeconomic position.”
Through her work as a Fellow, Celina says she has learned a lot about client work that isn’t necessarily taught in law school. With her background in education, she says she understands the importance of being able to relay technical and critical information to a client in a way that they can understand. “In law school, we often get caught up with legal jargon and vernacular,” Celina says. “Having the ability to properly translate and communicate those technical matters to your client is such a vital and often forgotten skill.”
As an immigrant and a woman of color, Celina knows firsthand the importance of diversity and representation in pursuing justice and equality. Without access to resources and mentors to look up to, Celina says it would be very difficult to have made it to where she is today.
We are thrilled to be starting the fifth semester of our DEI Fellowship Program, which fosters connections between OSLSA and students who have been traditionally underrepresented in civil legal services. To support this program, please consider making an online donation.
