My life has been shaped by experiences that were painful and, at times, overwhelming. I lived through cycles of domestic violence, homelessness, untreated mental health challenges, substance use disorder, extreme poverty and multiple incarcerations.
There were years when stability seemed out of reach and I honestly did not know if my life would ever look different. I could not have imagined that one day I would be serving on the board of directors for the Legal Aid Society of San Diego.
As a second-year student at California Western School of Law and a new board member for the Legal Aid Society, I am proud and grateful to have reached this stage of my life. For a long time, I was on the other side of the table — seeking help, trying to survive, and learning what it meant to navigate systems that often felt impossible to move through.
Everything began to change when I resolved that I was not going to let bad circumstances define me forever. I chose education — not because it was easy or obvious, but because I needed something to hold onto that pointed toward a different future.
I went back to school at Grossmont College when my son was only six months old. We were living in transitional housing through Father Joe’s rapid rehousing program. I enrolled in the Grossmont Justice Scholars program. My goals were simple: stay in school, finish an associate degree in psychology, and figure out what might be next.
I did not have a smooth path. I had to ask for help constantly. I leaned on counselors, programs and anyone who could point me in the right direction. Slowly, I started to believe I could do more than just get by. I became involved on campus and co-founded Fighting Recidivism through Education and Empowerment, a student organization for formerly incarcerated students.
I graduated from Grossmont College with multiple degrees and, after appealing an admissions denial, I was accepted to UC San Diego. That acceptance felt like a major turning point.
At UCSD, I served as president of the Underground Scholars Initiative. I met students with stories like mine — people who had been told, in one way or another, that higher education was not for them. We worked to change that, building community and pushing for pathways from incarceration into higher education. Over time, my advocacy expanded into broader conversations about criminal justice reform, education access and the systems that shape people’s lives long before they ever step into a courtroom or classroom.
Studying sociology and political science helped me make sense of what I had lived through. It showed me that what I experienced was not random or isolated — it was part of something much larger. That realization did not take away the pain of my past, but it did give it meaning and direction.
Today, I am a law student, but I am also a mother, a student organizer and someone who still vividly remembers what it feels like to struggle for stability. Recently, I helped start the System Impacted Law Student Association, a space for law students who have been impacted by the criminal legal system. That work is close to my heart because I know how isolating it can feel to carry that experience in professional spaces.
One of the most healing parts of my journey has been learning to speak openly about my story. At first, I shared it quietly and carefully. Over time, I realized that being honest about where I come from is something that allows connection, trust and change.
My connection to the Legal Aid Society is both personal and full circle. As a student, I had the opportunity to intern with the organization’s consumer protection yeam. Later, I became a client when I sought help with my son’s education last year. Those experiences showed me what it looks like when legal support is accessible and when it is not.
That is why this appointment to the board means so much to me. The society has always been more than an organization in my story. I have seen firsthand how legal aid can change the direction of someone’s life, because it changed mine.
Now, to be trusted with a seat at the table where decisions are made feels both humbling and grounding. I do not take it lightly. I carry with me the experiences of being a client, a student, a mother and someone who had to fight for every step forward. I look forward to serving the society with honesty, care and a commitment to making sure more people can find the kind of support that once helped me begin again.
Colleen Murphy is a board member of the Legal Aid Society of San Diego.
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