On a recent Tuesday afternoon, 17 rising ninth-graders embarked on a field trip for summer camp. But instead of going to a park or zoo, these kids headed to a lesser-known spot for summer fun: the St. Paul Police Department headquarters. It was their first day of Latino Lawyer Camp, and the kids appeared eager to discover the legal system in action.
The camp aims to introduce different aspects of the legal profession to Latino kids before they start high school — and also show what the path to becoming a lawyer could look like.
Enrique Estrada, a community engagement specialist with the St. Paul Police Department, told them about his years working with Latino kids who needed help navigating the court system. One problem he noticed: very few Latino lawyers.
“If everybody here graduates and becomes a lawyer, you’re going to make my job really easy,” Estrada said.
Nineteen percent of the U.S. population is Latino, but only 5% of lawyers are, according to the American Bar Association. This camp aims to change those statistics, one high school freshman at a time.
The St. Paul–based camp is the brainchild of Jorge Saavedra F., an assistant Ramsey County attorney. In the summer, he is the camp director. He first ran the camp in 2016. After a six-year hiatus, it returned this year. Saavedra hopes it will become an annual event. The camp is funded primarily by the Minnesota Hispanic Bar Association endowment fund; students pay $20 for the weeklong camp.
Saavedra’s goal: to reach Latino kids at the beginning of high school so they understand how to begin preparing themselves for college, whether they become a lawyer or choose a different career path. The camp recruits students through teachers and counselors, aiming to find students with potential who