The City of Richmond has a long history of women providing leadership and influence. In World War II, women known as Rosies – popularizing the Rosie the Riveter image – contributed to the labor sector by working in factories, shipyards, and defense production right here in Richmond. Richmond is now home to the first Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park.

In honor of Women’s History Month, Richmond Promise wants to continue to recognize women in our community for their accomplishments. To do that, we’re highlighting a few current RP Scholars who are attending college and working to create their own professional path afterwards.

Irene Kou is a graduate of De Anza High and a second year at the University of California, Berkeley currently working towards a degree in Legal Studies.

Richmond Promise staff reached out to Irene to ask about her accomplishments as a young woman in higher education, how her identity as a woman shapes her higher education experience, and her thoughts on Women’s History Month. 

Q: Who are you? 

A: Hello! My name is Irene Kou (she/they) and I am a second-year intending to major in Legal Studies at UC Berkeley. I am a first-generation, Asian-American student from Richmond, CA! I currently reside in Berkeley, CA, but I come home to Richmond to visit friends and family pretty often. I am part of many organizations in Berkeley, like the ASUC Legal Clinic, ASUC Legal Office, Public Service Internship, East Bay Sanctuary Covenant, and Cal-in-Sacramento. I was also part of NAV2CAL, Navigating Cal (NAVCAL), and Golden Bear Orientation Leaders! During my free time, I like to go to the gym, play video games (specifically League of Legends), thrift, kayak (or go outdoors in general), and study at Cafes! 

Q: What awards have you received during your time in higher education? 

A: I have received the 10,000 Degrees, Richmond Promise, College Is Real, and Chevron scholarships. But at Cal, I’ve received the Fiat Lux scholarship, the Cal Alumni Leadership Award, and the Peter e. Haas scholarship! 

Q: What do you hope to achieve after college? 

A: After college, I hope to attend law school to become an attorney. I’m currently deciding between doing criminal defense or healthcare law work and have explored many public service opportunities to give me firsthand experience on these career paths. I also hope to become a clinical professor once I am done with my legal career to teach future students about our legal system. Through my work, I hope to provide representation for people who are impacted by our legal system and be able to support them through their troubles. I also hope to create opportunities to uplift people from my communities to be part of and offer any insight from my experiences to others! 

Q: Why is Women’s History Month an important holiday to recognize? Who is a woman in your life that you feel has been a role model for you? 

A: Women’s History Month is important to me because it is important to recognize and uplift many hardships that women experience. If we are not able to empower women, then there will be silent injustices occurring that will be discussed in private, intimate conversations rather than in public and with our policymakers. Although this is cliche, my mom is my biggest role model because she is one of the strongest people I know. Growing up with her, seeing her struggle to take care of me, and her journey battling breast cancer has motivated me to continue working hard to provide for both of us. 

Q: How do you celebrate Women’s History Month? 

A: Although I do not have a specific tradition to celebrate Women’s History Month because I believe we should be mindful of what women have done for us every day, I like to be extra mindful in recognizing what women have done for us. Whether that means reading and learning about women’s experiences, especially from non-traditional perspectives, or supporting women-owned businesses – I think that embracing my identity as a woman and being around other women in my day-to-day life is something that I appreciate very deeply. 

Q: How does your identity as a woman influence your experience navigating institutions like UC Berkeley, and Legal work spaces? 

A: At UC Berkeley, I tend to navigate many male-dominated spaces, especially with pursuits of legal work opportunities where I can sometimes feel out of place or undermined. Although at times it has hindered my ability to feel a sense of belonging in some spaces, I don’t let my identity impact experiences that can lead to great learning experiences. I have learned to embrace my differences at such a big school and have gained confidence in being able to use my unique experiences to my advantage to offer unique insight that others may not have. In doing so, I hope that my transparency will eventually lead to the inclusion of even more opportunities for future generations – especially within higher education spaces.

Photo courtesy of Irene Kou