Meet Laetitia Hua from Scottsdale, Arizona

Today we’d like to introduce you to Laetitia Hua.

Laetitia, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Hi! I’m Laetitia, a 20-something-year-old lawyer and criminal justice advocate who loves unicorns. I currently work with community organizations and lawmakers at the legislature to improve our prison system and humanize citizens behind bars.I also recently finished my term as Miss Maricopa County 2019 in November with the Miss America Organizations and was grateful to have been able to use my platform and advocate for criminal justice reform in Arizona. My current projects include working with state senators on a bill to ban solitary confinement and chairing a subcommittee on the House side to highlight distinct issues facing women behind bars. 

Looking back, it has been an incredible journey: I still remember when I came to the United States from France as a child, not knowing a word of English. My mother, who is now a school bus driver for the Scottsdale Unified School district, raised me as a single mother. It’s crazy to think that I get to be sworn in as attorney very soon, and I definitely want to make my mom proud.

Backing up a bit – I attended law school at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and finished a second law degree at Georgetown Law last year. While studying in Europe, I was able to look at ways other countries tackled problems within their prison system. I also volunteered for African Prison Project, an organization that provides legal training and advice to incarcerated citizens. Learning about the ways people are subjected to unjust laws and inhumane treatment behind bars really affected me in a profound way. But when I returned home to Arizona, I realized that the situation wasn’t so different in our own criminal ‘justice’ system.

What drives me to work on prison reform in Arizona every day is knowing that our state incarcerates more people than several European countries combined. I know people often think that everyone behind bars is “bad”. I did too at one point, but actually visiting people in prisons and engaging with this issue changed my entire perspective. Especially in Arizona, there are too many people locked up for low-level, nonviolent offenses. When I visited women who were incarcerated, I realized that the majority weren’t stereotypical “criminals” that we would think of, but rather mothers with addiction or mental health issues. In fact, these women were some of the kindest, most inspiring souls I have ever met in my life. I often worry about them, knowing many will be released with very few resources to help them adjust to society.

During my year as Miss Maricopa County, I felt that I discovered my role as a public servant, and I believe that my life purpose is to be a voice for the most invisible and marginalized people. I am wholeheartedly grateful for the opportunities I have had to serve my community. 

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
When I started my advocacy work, I was afraid that people wouldn’t listen to me because I’m this young, minority woman and ‘pageant girl’ who knew absolutely no one in the criminal justice world. But in the end, I think it was all of these things that made me relatable to my community.

As Maricopa County, I was able to bring the issue of criminal justice reform to a different demographic. As a young advocate, I was able to bring new energy and fresh ideas to the table, and people kept telling me they felt hopeful that young people were working on this issue. I also gained a wonderful group of mentors at the legislators who were committed to helping young, minority women succeed.

Throughout this process, I also learned that one person can make a difference. You can do so much just by showing up to things and caring about people.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I am extremely grateful for all the people and organizations who have worked with me and supported me – the ACLU of Arizona, Arizona Common Ground, LUCHA, AFSC, FWD, Hudson West PR, and many others. 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @laetitiahua
• Facebook: @laetitiahua
• Twitter: @laetitiahua
• Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laetitia-hua-90b74b80/

Image Credit:
Karlie Colleen Photography; Aaron Walker Photography; Joshua Smith.

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