Cate Brewer ‘24

Finding Your Future and the BC Center for Human Rights

Growing up I always knew that I was passionate about the world of advocacy. Coming from a double disability family background where my sister has non-verbal Autism and my dad has Multiple Sclerosis, I was exposed early on to the challenges and inequities faced by families and communities on the margins; particularly in the realm of policy, law, and accessibility. I knew I had a baseline interest in law, global history, and policy and ethics, but I didn't know exactly where or how to situate these interests into a tangible career that didn't mean working for the government. Coming to Boston College, I knew pretty instantly that the Ethics and Social Justice International Studies concentration was the right fit for me, but, in many ways, I still spent the bulk of my first few years here listless and unsure of how to truly pursue a career in the field of human rights in a meaningful way.

That is, until I discovered the BC Center for Human Rights and International Justice (CHRIJ) while applying for research grants to go abroad the summer after my sophomore year. The Center for Human Rights and International Justice is a cross-disciplinary Center here at Boston College (spanning both the Morrissey College and the BC Law School) that focuses on human rights advocacy, awareness, legal developments, and student engagement across the university, Boston, and even the world. Their work particularly centers around migrant rights, international climate justice, and human rights law, and they offer a wide array of speaker events, advocacy programs, research, and educational opportunities for students and faculty across BC’s campus. Since my discovery of their work, I have become deeply entangled in the Center’s programing, courses, events, and opportunities; now working as one of three undergraduate research interns for them this past summer and through the end of my senior year. 

Through my work with the CHRIJ, I have developed a newfound understanding and appreciation for just what it means to work in a career centered around human rights, and just what sort of avenues are truly possible. I have found new mentors, passions, and connections I never could have imagined and had the pleasure of meeting some incredible scholars, activists, and lawyers from around the globe. I have also gotten to develop my own research skills and had the opportunity to engage in legal, advocacy, and development projects that I never would have thought possible as an undergraduate. The Center for Human Rights and International Justice is just one of many advanced studies centers across Boston College—like the Center for Christian-Jewish Learning and the Center for Work and Family to name a few—that I feel like are highly under-appreciated across undergraduates. Through these centers are unlimited opportunities, resources, and professional and academic development for students, and yet many do not even know they exist. After all, I only found the CHRIJ through a happy accident. It is a shame to see these resources so underutilized, and I encourage all BC students to look into the wide array of opportunities that these centers can present based on ones' different interests.

I will forever be grateful to the Center for Human Rights and International Justice for the opportunities and connections it has afforded me and its indispensable influence in helping me find my footing in a future career in human rights work. At a school like Boston College it can be so easy to get overwhelmed by the constant stream of events, opportunities, organizations, and tasks, but finding commitments that are grounding and developing your interests is so worth it if you just know where to look. In a selfish plug, I hope everyone can find ways to engage with the CHRIJ programming more here at BC—whether it be through events, grants, or courses—but I hope more fully that people can find organizations here on campus that can help them truly discover their passions and meaningful ways to pursue them. 

Cate Brewer '24
October 2023