'sustainable development' - How my voice has shaped me - UW Law personal statment

Here is a (very) rough draft of my personal statement for the University of Washington school of law. Feedback would be greatly appreciated!

The prompt: Applicants are invited to describe aspects of their backgrounds that would enhance the diversity and the intellectual vibrancy of the law school community. Applicants are also welcome to explain why they want to attend law school, and the University of Washington School of Law in particular.

Over the course of my life, the experiences which define me the most are those that shaped my voice and what it means to me in both the literal and metaphorical sense of the word. Personally I have experienced the feeling of having a broken voice and then to later use that voice to help others. Voice is the most powerful tool a person has and I never intend to stop using or learning how to further develop mine.

Growing up, one of the first things I learned in this life is the inherent worth of one's voice. As a young girl I suffered from a severe speech impediment that prevented others from understanding my speech unless they were accustomed to it. I avoided speaking unless I had to, and spent most of my time engaging in physical activities rather than socializing. Without the ability to speak you become perpetually trapped inside your own head. And when you do try to speak you over think and over analyze everything you want to say until you just don't say anything at all.

After years of rigorous speech therapy I won my battle and took back my voice. I refused to let my fear of speaking in social settings take up residence where my impediment once had been and joined my high school speech and debate team. It was during this time I learned how empowering it felt to finally use my physical voice to express my internal voice. Soon after I became involved with my school's gay straight alliance so I could help my fellow LGBT students who either were too fearful to express their voice or had not yet realized theirs.

It was again in college that I learned more lessons about voice. While studying abroad for two years in Japan I came to understand how people's diverse cultures and backgrounds affect how they express theirs. I came to understand that one does not always have to roar to be heard and that by using timing and genteel expressions one can be heard just as loudly. As my understanding of how one can wield voice I also became more and more interested in how I can put use to mine in a professional setting. It was this drive and the inspiration from one of my professors that led me down my current career path.

My professional experience started when I was accepted for an internship at Refugees International Japan. The professor that inspired me in her international development and conflict classes had referred me to the group and I will always treasure the experience. I became involved with the plight of refugees and internally connected it to my mission to help those who cannot use their voice. RIJ operated primarily as a fundraising group in order to fund sustainable development project for refugees.

During my stay with RIJ I became greatly inspired by the work of sustainable development groups and I hope to one day work with such projects and groups again. If accepted to the University of Washington School of Law I would pursue the sustainable international development LLM program so that I may development my academic and professional experience so that I may again use my voice to help those who are unable to and so they might obtain the tools they need to do so.