This summer, our work is being aided by four passionate young advocates in the areas of law, advocacy, fundraising and communications. Learn more about what motivates them to fight for a better West Virginia below.
Patrick Hassen — WVU Legal Fellow
Patrick Hassen (he/him) is joining us this summer as the WVU Legal Fellow for 2024. A Morgantown resident, Patrick is entering into his second year of law school. He describes himself as a hardworking homebody who is probably way too cynical for his mid-20s and loves to exercise.
As a law student, Patrick is most passionate about mass incarceration and ending the war on drugs.
"I am a strong believer in humanizing individuals who struggle with substance use disorder rather than villainizing and incarcerating them," he said.
Patrick said he was drawn to the ACLU of West Virginia for its support of the LGBTQ+ community in the court and in the streets. When he graduates law school, Patrick plans on working for an organization that prioritizes not only good outcomes for its clients, but also can have a positive impact on the law.
"Working in a position that would allow me to fight for causes I am passionate about, and having a chance of having a widespread impact on our legal system would truly be a dream come true,” he said.
London Henderson – Southern Legal Internship Program Intern
Hailing from Washington D.C., London Henderson (she/her) has joined us this summer as the ACLU of West Virginia’s Southern Legal Internship Program — a program designed build a pipeline of Black civil rights lawyers in the South and within ACLU’s national organization.
London, who is currently enrolled at the American University Washington College of Law, says her family and friends would describe her as a goofy but reserved person.
One of her favorite things to do is binge-watching movies and shows with good snacks.
Her favorite class so far in law school is torts. She's drawn to the work of the ACLU because of her passion for reproductive rights and juvenile justice. In the future, she plans to work for a social justice organization that works to effect change for marginalized groups.
Jaye Hicks (they/she)
Jaye Hicks first became involved with ACLU-WV as a camper at the Appalachian Queer Youth Summit. Jaye attended our first-ever virtual gathering in 2020 and was a camper at the 2021 and 2022 summits, before serving as a junior counselor the past two years.
Jaye has described their experience at camp as “life-changing” and said it was the first summer camp that welcomed them fully by accommodating their physical disabilities.
“I love seeing young minds from every stretch of life come together to create something marvelous,” Jaye said. “Watching them take initiative, build connections and above all else, grow into their own person, is the most rewarding thing I’ve ever experienced.”
They began interning at the ACLU-WV office in December 2023, working primarily with the development and communications departments.
“My favorite part of working with the ACLU has been all of the new skills I got to learn, and improving skills I already had. I’ve become a much better writer, thanks to some of the work I’ve done,” Jaye said.
Jaye continues to work with the Summit throughout the year by managing the Instagram page and maintaining a meticulous collection of items from camp that will one day be compiled into an historical document telling the story of the camp.
Wynn Johnson (she/her)
Wynn Johnson’s family would describe her as hardworking, intellectual and a quick learner, but her friends have lost too many games of Mario Kart for them to see her as anything other than competitive, dedicated, and highly motivated.
When Wynn isn’t playing video games, working out, or reading, she’s an activist who supports advocating for access to reproductive care. Her favorite classes as an undergraduate student at Marshall University were her law and society class and her anatomy class.
Drawn to the ACLU of West Virginia for its work on the Amendment 1 campaign, Wynn hopes her internship will help her understand more about jobs in advocacy and law. She hopes one day to have a job that positively impacts the lives of people around her and allows her to make her way through her food bucket list.