Into early adulthood, I became involved with the skateboarding community, taking my advocacy to the local city council for a local skate park to be built. The experiences I had advocating for the skate park taught me valuable lessons in perseverance, community engagement, and the importance of nurturing spaces that foster creativity and inclusivity.

My educational path was anything but straightforward. I started at Idaho State University right after high school but wound up dropping out after the first year. I needed time to figure out who I was before committing to any degree. Back then (early 2000s), when housing was more affordable, I lived in a small one-bedroom apartment near ISU and worked behind the scenes at the local TV station.

I met my husband, Dustin Call, in 2002 and we have been together ever since. We married and became parents in 2004. By this time, I was re-enrolled at ISU and knew I wanted a career that would fulfill my desire to make the world a better place. I started by majoring in teaching but, like many college students do, I switched my major to social work.

I graduated with a B.A. in Social Work in 2007, after which I worked with Health & Welfare in the Infant & Toddler Program. During my maternity leave with our second child, I saw an opportunity to serve as an AmeriCorps VISTA and took it. As a VISTA I worked hard to start a community program aimed at offering resources for local KinCare families.

I also volunteered for two years with the Family Service Alliance as a first responder to domestic violence situations around Pocatello. In 2010, then Governor “Butch” Otter presented me with the Governor’s Brightest Star Award “for exemplary volunteer service to the State of Idaho and fostering an ethic of service in others.” 

When I graduated from ISU and worked full-time, my husband quit his job and became a full-time student. We worked to support our family and our educational goals, and set up our lives by taking turns between working and education. In 2011 my husband graduated from ISU with a B.S. in Biology.

While Social Work was a rewarding career, I knew that I wanted to go further in school. I found an LSAT study book for 50 cents at a yard sale and bought it. I studied it after work and when my babies were asleep. Eventually, I signed up to take the test and received a high score. I knew then that going to law school might actually be within my reach.

In 2011, I was accepted into the University of Utah's law school. My husband got a good job working in a lab in Salt Lake City and we seized the opportunity. It was intimidating.  The UofU is a top-tier law school, currently ranked #28 in the nation, and I was a first-generation college student with two young kids in tow. I was one of only a handful of women who had young children while attending law school. My youngest was still in diapers and I was genuinely concerned about my ability to keep up with my classmates.

Fortunately, with the support of my husband and university childcare programs, I managed to stay in the top half of my class and graduate a semester early from law school. Throughout law school, I ran a monthly free legal clinic, interned with the Utah Public Defender’s office, worked for the Utah Attorney General’s Office of Child Protection, and was awarded a scholarship for my community service. I graduated with my Juris Doctorate in 2013.

This chapter of my life was defined by resilience and adaptability. Facing numerous setbacks and embracing unexpected opportunities taught me the importance of perseverance, the value of community service, and the profound impact of advocating for others. These experiences shaped my understanding of law, social justice, and community engagement, driving me to use my skills to advocate for others in need.