The Power of State Law

Imani Brooks ’16 is turning conviction into action as a Policy Counsel at the Legal Defense Fund, the nation’s premier legal organization fighting for racial justice. Based in Washington, DC, her work sits at the intersection of law, policy, and community impact.

Policy in Practice
Imani primarily works on State Voting Rights Acts, legislation that takes the strongest elements of the federal Voting Rights Act and codifies them into state law, often adding innovative protections to address discrimination unique to each state.

There is no typical day.

She might be writing testimony for a committee hearing, reviewing educational materials for grassroots organizations, editing campaign websites, or meeting with partner organizations in Georgia, Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, or New Jersey. Every day involves collaboration with attorneys, organizers, and communications specialists. It is detailed, fast-moving work rooted in partnership and strategy.

Imani has always been social justice–oriented, though she did not initially know which issue would define her career. That clarity began to emerge at the American University Washington College of Law. While she was in law school, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned Roe v. Wade. After federal protections fell and Congress was unable to restore them through legislation, individual states stepped forward to protect rights through their own constitutions and laws. That moment revealed the power of state law.

After graduating, Imani clerked at the Court of Appeals of Virginia, where she saw firsthand how state case law directly shapes people’s lives. When her clerkship concluded, she pursued policy roles that would allow her to continue working at the state level, eventually joining the Legal Defense Fund as a State Voting Rights Policy Fellow before becoming Policy Counsel.

The best part of Imani’s work is the impact. It is especially empowering to contribute to change on issues that have personally affected her and her family. At the same time, that proximity makes the work heavy. The need for change is urgent, yet progress can be slow and complex. Balancing those realities requires intention. Imani makes space for hobbies and personal restoration, working to leave work at her desk whenever possible.

Writing is central to her field, and Imani credits Chatham Hall’s English and History classrooms with unlocking her love of writing and learning. Those skills now help her problem-solve, craft persuasive testimony, and create purposeful policy products that serve communities.

She shares, “Don’t try to take on the world all by yourself. Policy work and social justice work are community work. You must pour into yourself and your community so that you have something to fall back on when the work gets hard, because it will get hard. But that does not mean you shouldn’t imagine a world where everyone has a voice, dignity, and respect.”

Imani’s journey is a reminder that meaningful change often begins at the state level, and that courage, community, and strong writing can help shape laws that shape lives.