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Vanessa Zapata
8555 Fir St.
Orland Park, Illinois 60462
United States
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Illinois resident since age three; educated here and committed to living and practicing law in IL
Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.
University of Illinois Chicago School of Law
1st year law student
Full Time
08/12/2025
05/08/2028
2.64
I successfully completed the SCALES (Summer College to Assess Legal Education Skills) performance-based admission program with a 3.5 GPA and earned admission into the JD program at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law.
University of Illinois Chicago
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Criminology, Law, and Justice
05/07/2022
3.25
I served as Vice President of the American Criminal Justice Association (ACJA) at Northwestern College from 2014 to 2015. I graduated with Honors from Northwestern College with an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) in Criminal Justice, earning a GPA of 3.67. I also graduated with Honors from Northwestern College’s ABA-Approved Paralegal Certificate program with a GPA of 3.63.
yes
I was self-employed, providing Immigration Document Preparation Services.
140,000
no
I plan to participate in a summer internship with a nonprofit immigration organization to expand my legal knowledge and gain experience assisting detained individuals.
$100,000
$60,000
Own their home.
No, they receive medicaid.
$50,000
$3,500
$1,500
$42,684
$16,000
Car Notes $10,440, school parking $2,000, school events $200, children school supplies and clothes $3,000 a year, subscriptions $5,000, bills, $9,480
$143,804
$71,087
0
0
0
0
0
$71,087
N/A
Marriage Ministry, Marriage Classes & Marriage Seminars
Organization: Casa de Gracia in South Holland, Illinois, with Pastor Freddy DeAnda
Dates: 2023 – Present
Community Served: Hispanic, Spanish-speaking families and couples
Description of Organization & Community: Casa de Gracia is a Hispanic, Spanish-speaking church serving families in the suburbs and Chicagoland area with a focus on faith, family unity, and healing.
Description of Activities Performed: Since 2023, my husband and I have served in the church’s marriage ministry, leading marriage classes based on Amor y Respeto by Emerson Eggerichs. We have conducted five marriage classes, each serving approximately 10 couples per class, focused on communication, respect, unity, and healthy relationships within marriage lasting 10-12 weeks per class.
In addition to weekly classes, we have helped organize and lead multiple large-scale marriage seminars for the Hispanic community, all on a volunteer basis:
Chispa – November 2023 (approximately 60 couples)
Chispa – October 2024 (approximately 60 couples)
Chispa – October 2025 (approximately 50 couples)
Amor y Chocolate – February 2024 (approximately 60 couples)
Amor y Chocolate – May 2025 (approximately 50 couples)
Marriage Seminar with Pastor Fredanda – May 2025 (approximately 100–120 couples)
Marriage Seminar at Casa de Gracia – August 2025 (approximately 60 couples)
These seminars focused on strengthening marriages, restoring relationships, and fostering healthy family environments within the Hispanic community.
Volunteer Translations & Immigration Application Assistance
Organization: Casa de Gracia, South Holland, Illinois
Dates: 2018 – Present
Community Served: Hispanic, Spanish-speaking individuals and families
Description of Organization & Community: Casa de Gracia serves a predominantly low-income Hispanic congregation, many of whom face language barriers and lack access to legal information.
Description of Activities Performed:
As a long-time member of Casa de Gracia since 2018, I have volunteered my time to assist church members by providing Spanish–English translation services, guidance, and free assistance with immigration-related applications, car accident matters, and documentation following the death of a family member. These services were provided at no cost and were intended to help individuals understand their options and complete required paperwork during difficult and vulnerable moments.
Chicago Marathon – Domestic Violence Advocacy- Run Domestic Violence Out of Town
Organization: The Network Advocating Against Domestic Violence
Date: 2024
Community Served: Victims and survivors of domestic violence, including Hispanic and underserved communities
Description of Organization & Community:
The Network Advocating Against Domestic Violence supports survivors of abuse through advocacy, education, and direct services.
Description of Activities Performed:
My husband and I ran the Chicago Marathon to raise awareness and funds for survivors of domestic violence. Through this volunteer effort, we raised over $2,000 to support victims of abuse.
Special Olympics Torch Run
Organization: Special Olympics Illinois
Date: 2025
Community Served: Children and individuals with special needs.
Description of Organization & Community:
The Special Olympics Torch Run is a nationwide law-enforcement-supported initiative raising funds and awareness for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Description of Activities Performed: I supported my husband’s participation in the 2025 Special Olympics Torch Run through community outreach and event support. This initiative raises millions of dollars annually to support children and individuals with special needs.
Chicago Police Memorial Foundation Run
Organization: Chicago Police Memorial Foundation
Dates: May 2023 and May 2024
Community Served: Families of fallen Chicago police officers and the broader Chicago community
Description of Activities Performed:
My husband and I participated in the annual 5K runs in 2023 and 2024 to support fundraising efforts and honor fallen officers.
Youth & Young Adult Community Speaking
Organization: Casa de Gracia Church, South Holland, Illinois
Dates: February 2024 and January 2025
Community Served: Hispanic youth, young adults, and families
Description of Activities Performed:
February 2024: Spoke to young adults and couples, sharing testimony and emphasizing education, faith, and healthy relationships.
January 2025: Spoke to the teen department, sharing testimony and encouraging education, perseverance, and positive decision-making.
Community Security Team Development
Organization: Casa de Gracia, South Holland, Illinois
Dates: November 2025 – Present
Community Served: Hispanic congregation and local community
Description of Activities Performed: In November 2025, I assisted my husband with the development and organization of the church’s security team at Casa de Gracia. This work focused on supporting the safety and well-being of the congregation during services and church events, ensuring a secure environment for families and community members.
My path to law school has not been linear, easy, or predictable, but it has always been guided by a deep commitment to serving others, particularly within the Hispanic, Spanish-speaking community. Before pursuing law, I entered law enforcement at a time when it was even more difficult for a Latina woman to enter the profession. I successfully completed the police academy and earning my place on the force. That experience instilled in me discipline, resilience, and a profound sense of responsibility to protect and serve communities that often feel unseen or unheard. Stepping away from law enforcement was not a decision I took lightly, but it was a purposeful one made so I could pursue my dream of becoming an attorney and expand my ability to serve others through the law. As a Latina immigrant from Mexico, a first-generation college graduate, and now the first in my family to attend law school, this journey represents both responsibility and legacy.
For seven years, I worked as an immigration paralegal, assisting primarily Spanish-speaking families navigating complex and life-altering legal processes. During that time, I witnessed firsthand the fear, confusion, and vulnerability that immigrant families experience when confronting legal systems that feel inaccessible and intimidating due to language barriers. I’ve supported individuals seeking adjustment of status, asylum, and various immigration applications. I have often served as a bridge between families and a system they do not understand. This work solidified my desire to pursue law, not simply as a profession, but as a calling to advocate for the Hispanic community. Law school represents my transition from support behind the scenes to becoming an advocate who can stand in the gap for those who feel hopeless.
My motivation to pursue a legal career is also deeply rooted in personal experience. As a child, I grew up witnessing domestic violence and instability in my home. Experiences that shaped my understanding of fear, silence, and the long-lasting effects of trauma. Later in life, I became a young mother and entered a marriage that left me emotionally depleted and isolated. Leaving that chapter of my life required courage, faith, and resolve, and I did so quietly, determined to rebuild and move forward. Through those experiences, I learned resilience not as a concept, but as a way of survival. Returning to church and strengthening my faith helped me find healing, purpose, and clarity in my calling to serve others.
Through my academic preparation and personal growth, I have developed the resilience and mindset necessary to succeed in law school and the legal profession. I believe deeply in what scholars describe as grit. The discipline to persevere toward long-term goals even when the path is difficult. I have learned that setbacks are not indicators of failure, but growth opportunities. Rejection, hardship, and delay have never deterred me from my goals; instead, they have refined my focus and strengthened my resolve. This mindset has prepared me for the rigor of legal education and the responsibility that comes with advocating for others.
My legal career goals are rooted in service. I aspire to practice law in a way that upholds dignity, fairness, and access for individuals who often feel disregarded by complex legal systems, particularly within the Hispanic community. Whether through immigration advocacy, family-related legal work, or community-based representation, I intend to use my legal education to be a steady, informed, and compassionate advocate. I do not pursue law for prestige, but for purpose. I am committed to becoming an attorney who approaches the law not only with competence but with integrity, empathy, and an unwavering commitment to justice.
These lived experiences are central to why I aspire to become an attorney. I understand what it means to feel powerless, unheard, or afraid to ask for help. I also understand the importance of compassionate advocacy and the impact that informed legal representation can have on an individual’s life. As an attorney, I intend to serve communities facing similar challenges, particularly Hispanic families navigating legal systems during moments of crisis, transition, or vulnerability. My goal is to practice law in a way that combines legal excellence with empathy, integrity, and cultural understanding.
The challenges I have faced on this journey have been significant. My husband and I are raising three beautiful children, Elon, who is four; Leah, who is eleven; and Paola, who is thirteen, while navigating the demands of law school and the financial realities that come with it. This is an everyday challenge, especially as I made the difficult decision to stop working in order to dedicate myself fully to my legal education. My husband works additional hours each week to sustain our family financially while continuing to serve our community as a law-enforcement member. Despite the sacrifices, we would not change this journey for anything. We love our children deeply and consider them our greatest blessing.
Service remains a cornerstone of our lives. My husband and I ran the Chicago Marathon to raise funds for The Network Advocating Against Domestic Violence, raising over $2,000 to support victims and survivors of abuse. I also supported my husband during his participation in the 2025 Special Olympics Torch Run, a nationwide initiative that raises millions of dollars to support children with special needs across the United States. In addition, we serve at Casa de Gracia, where we lead a marriage ministry based on Amor y Respeto, helping strengthen marriages and foster healthy family environments within the Hispanic community.
As a first-generation law student who immigrated from Mexico, I carry both the weight and the privilege of opening doors my parents never had access to. Nothing in my life has been handed to me easily, and every step forward has required perseverance, sacrifice, and faith. I am committed to succeeding in law school and using my legal education to advocate for those who feel voiceless, marginalized, or overlooked. I know I will be successful in this journey because my husband and I remain committed to placing God at the center of our marriage and our family. With that foundation, I am confident in my ability to persevere, excel academically, and serve my community with integrity.
Receiving support from the Hispanic Lawyers Scholarship Fund would be a true blessing. This scholarship represents belief, encouragement, and investment in my future as an attorney dedicated to serving the Hispanic community through advocacy, representation, and service.
Thank you for taking the time to review my statement.
Respectfully submitted,
Vanessa Zapata
vdiaz28@uic.edu
773-746-4717
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