Detroit Mercy Law student Danajha Tate is pictured at the Gurl Mobb museum in Atlanta.
Photo courtesy of Danajha Tate
Photo courtesy of Danajha Tate
By Sheila Pursglove
Legal News
Danajha Tate’s father went to prison when she was in first grade, leaving her mother a single parent raising four children.
“She was struggling to raise two boys alone as a woman and when I was in middle school, I watched the cycle repeat as my older brother fell victim to the system. Also, I’ve seen several relatives and peers go down the same road,” Tate says.
“My dad's experience with the court system, my experiences, my environment, and my mom’s struggle as a single parent has ignited my interest in going to law school so I can advocate for people who come from similar circumstances.”
Becoming a lawyer has been her dream since Tate was 8 years old.
“Being able to witness and observe first-hand the disproportionate impacts the system has on minorities fueled my passion of wanting to be an attorney,” she says. “As an attorney, I’ll address the unique and distinct needs of my community by advocating for people who lack resources, opportunities, and come from similar backgrounds as me.”
Tate is specifically interested in criminal justice reform.
“I don’t want the same cycle to continue to repeat,” she says. “The criminal justice system is, in many ways, a trap for Black and Brown communities that strip away opportunities and perpetuates generational trauma. I’ve seen how it creates a vicious cycle, particularly for Black men, where they are misguided, disproportionately targeted—that is, racially profiled— incarcerated, and given little opportunity to break free from the system once they are caught in it.
“Instead of focusing on rehabilitation, we’ve built a system that prioritizes punishment, making it harder for those who’ve been incarcerated to reintegrate into society. As a result, entire generations have been left behind.”
With her long-term goal of attending law school, Tate majored in political science/pre-law from Western Illinois University.
“I knew it was a versatile degree, and I knew having a better understanding of the public policy process and the different laws that govern us would be useful since policies help us address different social issues,” she says.
With diversity playing a crucial role in her choice of law school, she picked Detroit Mercy Law, where she is now in her 2L year, and where she also has an interest in family law and civil law.
“I want to be an advocate for others and create more equitable outcomes for communities that have been historically marginalized or disadvantaged by the system,” she says. “By being involved in family law, I can help ensure people’s voices are heard, their rights are protected, and their families receive the support they need.
“Civil law allows me to challenge systemic inequalities and to stand up for individuals who may otherwise feel powerless to seek justice. In civil law, particularly in cases involving discrimination, housing rights, or employment law, the ability to fight for justice and equality is equally important.”
A judicial internship this past summer with Judge Denise Page Hood at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan exceeded Tate’s expectations.
“Interning for Judge Hood was a very enriching experience,” she says. “I was able to closely observe her and ask her questions. I gained new insights on how the legal process is carried out at a federal level. I was able to develop my communication skills, professionalism, legal research and writing skills, and networking skills. I participated in discussions about cases.
“This internship gave me the opportunity to interact with other professionals in a professional legal setting which helped me become more confident and comfortable with networking. Observing court hearings helped me become more familiar with courtroom procedures and how legal cases progress. I also was able to observe other judges. I was able to observe a wide range of cases—such as medical malpractice, RICO, conspiracy, 4th Amendment suppression hearings, parole violations, plea hearings, arraignments, and sentencings.”
The current secretary of the Black Law Students Association, Tate enjoys helping organize productive and useful events meant to spread social awareness, advance Black law students, or give back to the community.
“It feels good being a part of a community where you know others can relate to you and are striving for the same thing as you, which is to make a difference,” she says. “I also enjoy having a support system. My 1L year, BLSA helped me navigate several things—such as assisting me with the internship application process, and interview process.”
Her career goals include serving as a defense attorney, owning her own law firm, and running for office and/or the bench.
“Overall, I plan on taking my experiences and advocating for and representing those who lack fair representation,” she says. “As a future attorney, I will offer different, and often missing perspectives that will help those who have been and still are being overlooked in society.
“I aspire to give back to my community, and I’m committed to building my legal career so I have the ability to create change within our legal system. I want to contribute to the well-being of our society by using my law degree to promote justice through fair legal procedures since adequate legal aid and other services remain out of reach for the majority of minorities.”
Tate volunteered this past summer at a couple of expungement fairs throughout Michigan, becoming more familiar with expungement law, and assisting eligible applicants with filling out expungement application forms.
Away from her studies, Tate loves reading, being in nature, trying new food, cooking, and spending time with her family, most of whom still reside in Rock Island, Ill., where she was born. She grew up in Quincy, Ill. and graduated from Quincy High School. Since her teens, she has spent summers with her father in Rock Island and she now resides in Detroit.
The second of eight children, Tate aims to be a role model and set a good example for her younger siblings, cousins, and others. And as a first-generation college and law student, she notes it’s not just about earning a degree—"It's about breaking barriers and creating opportunities that didn’t exist for my family before. I’ve had to navigate the educational system without the benefit of having family members who’ve been through it,” she says.
“Being a first-generation college student feels good, and even though sometimes I feel under pressure, it makes me more determined. It makes me appreciate my education and every step of my journey because I know not everyone gets opportunities like this so I feel as if I have a responsibility to make the most of education.”
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