Breanne Schuster: A Policy for Social Justice

Published: 
Thursday, February 12, 2015

Breanne Schuster went to college planning to be a doctor. But a pre-med class on the Evolution of Physiology at the University of Wisconsin helped change her mind.  “We got into disparities in health care based on race and income. I realized that’s what I wanted to do – policy work,” she recalled.

Since then, Breanne has worked with many organizations concerned with civil liberties, including the Washington Defender Association and Disability Rights Washington.  As a first-year law student, she got interested in the ACLU through attending events sponsored by the ACLU-WA student club at Seattle University.

“What stood out for me is that the ACLU is consistent in what it advocates for and is not afraid to take controversial stands. That can challenge me to think differently about an issue,” she said.

Now a third-year student at Seattle University Law School, Breanne is doing policy work as an intern for the ACLU-WA. She’s reviewing state legislative bills and testimony, as well as potential litigation on an issue involving rights with the homeless. She’s worked on a range of issues, from criminal justice to reproductive freedom.

“I wanted to intern with the ACLU-WA because it works on such a wide variety of issues, and on both public policy and litigation,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity for me to work with an organization that has such a big impact on civil liberties.”

Though she keeps a busy schedule at school, Breanne also enjoys an active life full of hobbies, from dancing to singing to hiking to cooking. So far, she enjoys the mild climate and the political activism of Seattle, and is glad that we aren’t stuck underneath inches of snow!