Cathiana Lisa Memorial Fellowship

 

On November 9, 2020, my younger sister, Cathiana Lisa, was murdered in a final act of domestic violence perpetrated by her husband. For over a decade, she endured physical, emotional, psychological, and financial abuse, control, and manipulation. Sadly, this all took place in front of her two young daughters who also witnessed her final moments before being shot multiple times in front of her home. Despite numerous efforts to encourage her to leave and offer support in the event of her departure, and attempts to secretly get her counseling support, she did not have the strength and was too overwhelmed with fear and anxiety to leave. In her final months, she was developing the momentum and courage to walk away. On the day she was killed, she had enough and was leaving with the girls when she met her very tragic fate. For the purposes of my advocacy on her behalf, I will only use her first and middle name, as her marriage and married name were voided the second her husband took her life.

Needless to say, the lives of our family have forever been changed and will never be the same. As an advocate, I am finding healing in embracing my new purpose — bringing about awareness to the subject of domestic violence and offering support to those who have, are, or may face such abuse. While nothing can be done to bring my sister back, a lot can be done moving forward to help others avoid a similar fate.

With the amazing help of the CUNY Law Foundation, we seek your support to create a fellowship to honor Cathiana Lisa. The Grant Committee will select a student or students with a demonstrated commitment and passion to pursuing a career that advances legal and policy solutions to address gender-based violence. Summer interns could provide direct legal representation to gender violence survivors in domestic and family law matters, in related civil practices, including housing, income security, education, and immigration cases, as well as advocacy in child welfare proceedings and to children who are victims of abuse. In addition, interns could work on legal impact strategies, including litigation, legislation, and education.

- Richard Celestin ‘06

 

The first two grant recipients interned at Day One. The mission of Day One is to partner with youth to end dating abuse and domestic violence through community education, supportive services, legal advocacy, and leadership development. 

 

2022 Cathiana Lisa Memorial Fellowship Recipient

Allison McPherson, Class of 2024

McPherson (she/her) is a J.D. candidate at CUNY School of Law with an expected graduation date of May 2024. McPherson became interested in issues of intimate partner violence while working as a social worker in Boston where she coordinated mental health services for youth, many of whom struggled with cycles of family violence. Her interest in the complexities of interpersonal violence grew while working as a paralegal at Youth Represent, where she provided criminal and civil defense services to New York City youth impacted by the criminal-legal system. The Cathiana Lisa Memorial Fellowship allowed McPherson to intern at Day One, which provides social and legal services to young adults experiencing dating abuse. Allison hopes to use her career to explore innovative and anti-carceral legal strategies that will keep survivors safe without contributing to the crisis of mass incarceration.

At CUNY Law, McPherson is a member of the Law Review, Courtroom Advocates Project (CAP), and a mentor for the 1L Lawyering Seminar Mentorship Program. Outside of school, McPherson decompresses with long runs and by tending to her plants.

 

M. Sobrin, Class of 2023

M. Sobrin (she/they pronouns) is a J.D. candidate at CUNY School of Law with an expected graduation date of May 2023. She became involved in Title IX and antisexual violence organizing as an undergraduate at Fordham University, then expanded into the broader intimate/gender-based violence field upon graduating. Prior to law school, she served as Legislative Assistant for the NYC Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence, while independently continuing to work with student activists across college campuses through It’s On Us, Know Your IX, and student-led coalitions.

At CUNY Law, Sobrin actively participates in the Women of Color Collective, Law Review, and Courtroom Advocates Project. This summer, she interned with Day One, where she worked with young people experiencing intimate partner/dating violence. As an attorney, Sobrin aims to work with survivors of intimate violence to expand access to necessary resources and support. In her spare time, Sobrin can be found in the dance studio: either leading workouts as an ACE-certified group fitness instructor or continuing her guru’s tradition as a classical Indian kathak dancer.