April Wellness: Interview with Rachael Petterson

For Women’s History Month, the Health and Happiness Club will be featuring a month of interviews with women who inspire us. The women we highlight will span a variety of backgrounds, ages, localities, and
experiences. We hope you enjoy the extraordinary month of March!

Please tell us a little about what you do and how you got into your line of work.

I am an immigration attorney at The George Washington University Law School (“GW”) Immigration Clinic. The Clinic is directed by Professor Alberto Benitez and staffed primarily by law students, who handle the cases of individuals who are in removal (or deportation) proceedings or are applying for affirmative asylum. I graduated in May of 2010 from GW and began working at the Clinic in August. I assist students in working on their cases and also work on a limited number of my own cases. I was a student attorney in the Clinic during my last year of school, and it was an amazing experience. Our clients, many of whom are women and have suffered severe trauma, continuously astound me with their strength and ability to persevere in the face of what often seem to be insurmountable obstacles.

I decided to go to law school after spending two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala in 2004 through 2006. During my service in Guatemala, which was an eye-opening experience on many different levels, I read a lot and often talked to my friends and neighbors about the three decade long Guatemalan civil war, which ended in 1996. I was shocked by the atrocities that were committed and the impunity that surrounded the perpetrators of these atrocities. One could see the ramifications of this impunity and lack of healing at almost every level – from the government down to the every day interactions between people. People lived with a pervasive sense of mistrust – mistrust of the government and its systems, outsiders, and even their friends and neighbors. This propelled me to want to work in some area of human rights’ advocacy – and I thought becoming a lawyer would be the best way to accomplish this.

Once I began law school, I realized that my greatest joy was working with people, with clients. Immigration law grabbed hold of me after I spent my first summer working with immigration detainees. The clients reminded me of my friends in Guatemala – they could have easily been my friends and neighbors. Not only did I enjoy the work, but I felt like, in some way, I was giving back to the people who took me in, welcomed me into their community and lives, and took care of me. I enjoy the client relationships I am able to build as an immigration attorney and the exposure to different cultures and ways of life and thinking.

What did you study in college and how do you feel that contributed to your career today?

I studied history and religion in college. I actually never even considered becoming an attorney in college or for almost five years after college. But, I think my degree has helped me in my current career in several ways. First, historical and religious studies gave me a great context for legal studies. Nothing, including the laws that are made and the cases that are decided, happens in a vacuum. Everything is a product, a reaction. Second, history is about people. In my opinion, the law is about people. It is about “important” people, yes, but more so, regular people who lead regular lives. Human nature really does not change that much. Studying history helps to understand people and all the intricacies that make us who we are. Striving to understand people is, in my opinion, a huge part of being a good attorney and being able to craft arguments that people are going to respond and listen to.

What’s been one of your toughest challenges and how did you overcome it?

I think my toughest challenge has been coming to terms with who I am - learning to embrace my flaws and limitations while celebrating my positive characteristics. This is not a challenge I have overcome, but rather something I work on continuously and am getting better at as I get older. I have certain personality traits that I have always wished I did not have. However, I have realized how important it is to accept them because, well, they probably are not going away – and they make me who I am. I am a perfectionist by nature and have, in the past, been focused on fixing these traits so that people would accept me and I could be happy with and accept myself. This is exhausting because no one can be perfect or do everything right. I was taught this lesson over and over again in law school, in my work at the Immigration Clinic, and in my personal relationships. I failed and failed and messed up and was scared and did not know what I was doing and said and did the wrong things (and still do). And, I began to realize that everybody messes up and fails and makes mistakes and it is okay. You just have to keep getting back up. And, those failures do not define you. It is how you deal with them that make you who you are. I am really trying to see failure as the greatest of experiences because you actually learn when you falter. All of this to say, I think my greatest challenge is just acceptance of myself and I’m getting better, but it’s probably going to be a long journey.

Do you have any advice for young women today who wish to build a career around an issue that they are passionate about?

First, do not get on the “moving walkway.” I learned this term from my friend Libby and it is, I think, a really great way to picture the path often taken. There are, in our society, ingrained ideas about what young women should and should not be doing. Do not let those ideas limit you. It can be scary to go off the beaten path and you do not necessarily need to do so to create a career based on your passions. However, do not let the desires or opinions of others or societal/cultural norms prevent you from seeing your passions through a lens of your own creation. Define success for yourself and pursue it.

Talk to people. Find someone who has carved out a path that you are interested in and talk to him/her. See how he/she did it and get advice. If you can learn from the mistakes and triumphs of others, do it. Conduct informational interviews. I have never met anyone who did not like to talk about his/her experiences. Allow yourself to be mentored and do not be afraid to admit that there are many things you do not know. Use the information you gleam from others with more experience to really think about what you want to do. Let your ideas simmer and be thoughtful. However, don’t be afraid to…

Take risks. My dad has always told me that the most beautiful and rewarding things in life come with risk. In my humble opinion, he is spot on. Sometimes you have to take that leap of faith. And, if you fall flat on your face or it does not work out perfectly, you will have had an invaluable learning experience.

Do not be afraid to start out at the bottom – because this is where you learn. Your dream job will probably come after years of hard work. Really watch, observe, take your time, and take things in. Do not be afraid of criticism (as hard as it is to take). It helps you hone in on what you want to do and sharpen the gifts and talents you have.

Know that your passion is important – no matter the breadth or scope. All of us will not have the opportunity to make sweeping policy decisions or argue important Supreme Court cases or save hundreds of lives. However, the small changes we make have ripple effects and are incredibly meaningful. If you can help in one small area or with one small issue or in one person’s life, even if you think it may be inconsequential, you have done an amazing thing. We do not know the effects our actions will have – even generations down the line. Margaret Mead advised us to “never underestimate the power of a small group of people to change the world. In fact, it is the only way it ever has.”