2019 Summer Fellowship Recipients

Kadian Crawford
University of Miami School of Law

Kadian Crawford was born in Jamaica and raised in Houston, Texas. Kadian attended Wellesley College where she participated in theatre and graduated with a double major in Medieval Renaissance Studies and English. She is a second-year law student at Miami Law and a candidate for a Master of Public Administration at the University of Miami School of Public Administration. As a first-year law student, Kadian served as a research assistant in the Community Equity, Innovation and Resource Lab in Miami Law’s Center for Ethics and Public Service.

Following her first year of law school, Kadian was selected as a Kozyak Minority Mentoring Foundation 2019 Summer Fellow and had the privilege of interning with the Honorable Darrin P. Gayles in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. As a second-year student, Kadian is an intern with the Miami School of Law Human Rights Clinic, a member of the Black Law Student Association, a member of the Public Interest Leadership Board’s Advocacy Committee, an executive board member of OUTLaw, and an executive board member of the Miami Law Chapter of the National Lawyers’ Guild.

Daisy Delatorre
Stetson University College of Law

Daisy Delatorre is a first-generation college graduate. She is currently in her third year at Stetson University College of Law. Daisy has served as the president of the Immigration Law Student Association for the past two years. Following her first year of law school, Daisy served as an intern at Gulf Coast Legal Services, where she worked in the Human Trafficking Department. This past summer as a Kozyak Summer Fellow, Daisy served as summer counsel at the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau. At the Bureau, Daisy represented indigent clients in eviction cases in the Boston Housing Court. Currently, Daisy is an extern at the Public Defender’s Office for the 6th Judicial Circuit. In her last semester of law school, Daisy will be an extern for the Juvenile Department of the Public Defender’s Office.

Daisy graduated cum laude from Florida State University with a Bachelor of Science in Criminology. At Florida State, Daisy was on the board of Freedom, a human trafficking organization. Daisy also served as a committee chair Lions Club International, a volunteer organization at FSU. Daisy plans to work as a Public Defender upon graduation.

Jacob Delorme
Stetson University College of Law

Jacob Delorme, a first generation undergraduate and law student, is a second-year law student at Stetson University College of Law. Jacob graduated from University of Central Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies and a minor in business administration. During his time at UCF, Jacob served as the President of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. He also worked as a behavioral health assistant working with his autistic brothers and other mentally disabled children. After graduation, Jacob volunteered at the Legal Aid Society of Orange County in Orlando, Florida.

This past summer as Kozyak Minority Mentoring Foundation Summer Fellow, Jacob served as a Guardian ad Litem for the Sixth Circuit in Clearwater, Florida where he still he provides his services. During his first year of law school, Jacob interned for the State Attorney’s Office for the 13th Judicial Circuit. Jacob currently serves as a Stetson Law Ambassador, Parliamentarian for Black Law Student Association, and Vice President for the Stetson Law Chapter of Real Property Probate Trust Law.

Mersadie Moore
University of Florida Levin College of Law

Mersadie Moore is a third-year student at the University of Florida, Levin College of Law. This past summer, Mersadie served as a Kozyak Summer Fellow with the Oklahoma County Public Defender’s Office and spent the second half of the summer in the Chickasaw Nation’s Legal Division. At UF, Mersadie is a member of the nationally ranked trial team. As a member of the trial team, she competed at the Chester Bedell Florida Bar Competition, placing third, and the St. John’s National Civil Rights Competition, placing fifth. Mersadie is also a Trial Practice Teaching Assistant.

In 2017, Mersadie graduated magna cum laude from Northwest Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Marketing. During that time, she was a National Champion in Public Forum Debate. As an undergrad, Mersadie served as an intern with the Environmental Protection Agency in the Office of Environmental Justice, where she learned about racial enforcement of regulatory laws and decided to go to law school. Mersadie also interned in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion within the Office of Personnel Management. While there, she created an unconscious bias training program. The summer before law school, Mersadie interned at the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Chelsey Omega
University of Florida Levin College of Law

Chelsey Omega is a second-year law student at the University of Florida Levin College of Law. She received her Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies and minor in Criminal Justice from the University of Central Florida in 2016. This past summer, as a Kozyak Minority Mentoring Foundation Summer Fellow, Chelsey worked as a law clerk with the Fifth Judicial Circuit, in Tavares, Florida. During her summer internship Chelsey aided civil and criminal law clerks and judges with drafting orders, memoranda, and legal research. She also attended many civil and criminal court proceedings, which included a county to circuit appellate panel.

Chelsey currently serves as a member of the Tax Moot Court Team, President of the Caribbean Law Student Association, Secretary of the National Lawyers Guild, and as a research assistant. Chelsey also serves as a 2L Representative on the Student Bar Association for the Diversity Committee and Communications Committee. As a 1L, Chelsey completed pro bono work as a volunteer with the Ask-A-Lawyer Project, an organization that enables students to provide free legal services to the homeless community in Gainesville, Florida, under the supervision of attorneys. Chelsey also served as Junior Site Leader for UF Law Pro Bono Service Initiative, where she and several students worked with Gideon’s Promise, a nonprofit public defender advocacy organization located in Atlanta, Georgia.

Richard Perez
University of Miami School of Law

Richard Perez is a second-year student at the University of Miami School of Law. As a 2019 Kozyak Minority Mentoring Foundation Summer Fellow, Richard worked as a judicial intern for the Honorable Alexander S. Bokor for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida. Richard currently serves as a staff editor on the Inter-American Law Review and as a research assistant to Professor Scott Sundby. He has also volunteered as an interview screener for the Americans for Immigrant Justice legal screening clinic, where immigrants are given a free consultation to determine if they are eligible for any immigration relief and legal representation.

Richard received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Criminology from the University of Florida. During his time at the university, he volunteered for Dance Marathon, a movement benefitting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. He also volunteered for Camp Boggy Creek, a summer camp dedicated to children with terminal illnesses. During his senior year, Richard was a Graham Civic Scholar where he was given an opportunity to gain research and public service experience on key issues facing the state of Florida. His research focused on the inadequate access to mental healthcare for children in Okaloosa County, Florida. As a first-generation American and college student, Richard strives to utilize the skills and knowledge that he accrues in law school to give back to the community that has afforded him the privilege of pursuing a legal profession.

Kimberli C. Quintero
Stetson University College of Law

Kimberli Quintero is a third-year law student at Stetson University College of Law. Kimberli graduated magna cum laude from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History. In the summer of 2018, she was a law clerk for the City Attorney of the City of Temple Terrace and subsequently worked as a law clerk for Stearns Weaver Miller, P.A., focusing mainly on land use disputes and environmental issues. She also volunteered with Stetson’s Fine and Fees Project, a program dedicated to reducing or eliminating court fees that impede access to the legal system.

This past summer as a Kozyak Summer Fellow, she interned for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Currently, Kimberli is an associate of Stetson Law Review, the Senior Research Editor for the Journal of Comparative and International Aging Law & Policy, and a member of the SBA’s Environmental Committee.

Simone Smith
University of Miami School of Law

Simone Smith is a third-year student at the University of Miami School of Law and a native South Floridian. She is currently a member-candidate of the Race and Social Justice Law Review and a member of the Society of Bar and Gavel. When she’s not working or attending classes, Simone spends her time volunteering with organizations like Books and Buddies or dedicating time during her fall break to the Fines and Fees Justice Center.

Simone is the former Historian for UM’s Black Law Students Association, a 2018-2019 clinic intern with the Human Rights Clinic, and a former student lawyer in the Miami STREET Law Program. During her 1L summer, she served as a volunteer summer intern in the Homelessness unit at Legal Aid Service of Broward County. This past summer, as a Kozyak Minority Mentoring Foundation Summer Fellow, Simone worked at the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council in Washington, DC.

Prior to attending law school, Simone spent three years working for a financial services company in New York City. She is a proud graduate of Howard University where she received a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. Although her background is in business and finance, she is drawn to the law as a catalyst for social change and how it can be used to improve the lives of those who need it.