Dominator of the Week: Taylor Weatherspoon
Taylor will be entering her senior year as a pre-law student at Tougaloo College this fall. She has known since her freshman year that she wanted to become an attorney. She has always had a great interest in law and she never gets tried of studying it.
In her sophomore year, she enrolled in an African American Politics class because she understood the importance of minorities representing their own communities as well as underrepresented areas. Taylor wanted to become an advocate for those communities and educate them on the political processes that impact their daily lives. The inequities towards minorities and how people are treated with low socioeconomic backgrounds overall, inspires Taylor to create awareness. She feels that individuals who fall under these categories do not understand hidden racism or discrimination. If it's not blatantly in their faces, they miss it.
Systematic racism infects all aspects of our society and is often not easy to identify. However, it is prevalent in our schools, workplaces, judicial systems, police departments, etc. Her pursuit of a law degree will allow her to actually change the justice system for the better and provide a more equitable society. She envisions being an active participant in getting discriminatory laws amended or at the very least, challenged in a court of law.
Taylor was fortunate enough to be accepted into the University of Houston's Pre-Law Pipeline Program. This program introduces students that would be first-generation law students to the law school experience. At the same time, they are able to develop their personal and professional skills and ultimately, they are placed in a legal internship.
Taylor is also very involved in community outreach. Various organizations at Tougaloo give her an opportunity to serve the community. She was recently elected the Chief Justice of the Student Government Organization. This organization participates in many outreach initiatives throughout Jackson, MS such as partnering with a local foster home to provide clothing for it's children. She is also involved in the NAACP, Tougaloo College Campus Civitan and many other organizations that serve others.
Taylor doesn't see herself in the courtroom. She prefers to be a transactional attorney which involves researching, drafting. negotiating, and advising. The ultimate goal of a transactional attorney is to bring vested parties together. Taylor's heart and mind are set on making a difference for minorities and the underrepresented. There is no doubt in my mind that she will continue to dominate in the classroom and community to the negotiating table.
Taylor finds balance between her family, studies and social life. She's a home body and family is very important to her. Taylor is the oldest twin (by 2 minutes) and sister to three other siblings. She makes sure that she is intentional about taking time out to have lunch or dinner with family/friends; she calls home frequently to catch up; and she visits family/friends as often as she can.
Beauty, brains and once an extremely competitive powerlifter! That's right, she has squatted 320 lbs, deadlifted 315 lbs and benched 130 lbs...can you say, WOW?!! Powerlifting was actually her greatest memory from high school. She enjoyed the camaraderie and closeness her team established. Now her hobbies include eating, sleeping and binge watching her favorite tv shows. Refueling after all of that heavy lifting of those business law books, I suppose!
Taylor Ann Weatherspoon...our Dominator of the Week!
