24-year-old Briana Williams is one amazing mum. Not only did she graduated from the prestigious Harvard Law School, but she did it while caring for a newborn on her own.
Speaking to Love What Matters, she recalled going into labour during an exam- she stayed and completed it.
“I went into labour in April- during final exam period. I immediately requested an epidural so that my contractions wouldn't interfere with my Family Law grade. And, with tears in my eyes, I finished it."
As unusual as going through labour and an exam at the same time is, it is symbolic of her time balancing motherhood and study at one of the top universities in the world.
"To say that my last year of law school, with a newborn, and as a single mom was a challenge would be an understatement. Some days I was so mentally and emotionally fatigued that I did not leave my bed. I struggled with reliable childcare.
"It was not atypical to see me rushing through Wasserstein to the Dean of Students’ office with Evelyn in her carriage, asking [the dean] can they keep her for a few until class was over. If not, she’d just have to come with me to class. Evie attended classes often."
There were times where she didn't think she could do it.
"I did not think that, at 24-years-old, as a single mom, I would be able to get through one of the most intellectually rigorous and challenging positions of my life. It was hard. It hurt. Instagram can make peoples’ lives seem seamless, but this journey has been heart-wrenching. However, I am happy to say that I DID do it."
However, she graduated with her baby Evelyn in her arms.
"At first, I was the anomaly of my [marginalized] community. Then, as a single mother, I became a statistic. Next, I pray that- for the sake of my baby, I will be an example."
Coming from an impoverished community in Atlanta, Briana was the first of her family to graduate college and worked full-time to save enough to attend Harvard. Both excited and terrified, she knew she was lucky to be in Harvard- but she had a particular advantage over her classmates, her street smarts.
"Despite the institution’s structural issues, I found ways that I could appreciate coming from a disenfranchised background. I could look at the law through the lens of a black woman and (eventually), a financially independent single mother. I used this to my advantage. I made sure to engage in courses that contextualized the law with my blackness, femininity, and income strata."
Her hard work paid off and now she's joining a top legal firm and will be able to give back through pro bono cases.
"Evelyn- they said that because of you I wouldn’t be able to do this. Just know that I did this BECAUSE OF YOU. Thank you for giving me the strength and courage to be invincible. Let’s keep beating all their odds, baby.”
We are in awe of this lady.
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