Luis Eduardo Salazar '25 is a Fulbright Scholar from Costa Rica pursuing an LLM in human rights and social justice.
Why do you want to attend law school?
"I am looking forward to strengthening my skills in human rights’ strategic litigation and public policing, especially related to LGBTIQ+ people. All across the region, anti-LGBTIQ+ groups are pushing back all the improvements we have conquered in the past or are thwarting any kind of initiatives in the near future; my country - Costa Rica - is not the exception. Those challenges and latent risks brought me here to prepare myself to protect LGBTIQ+ rights in my country and the region."
Why did you choose UConn Law?
"UConn School of Law has a magnificent junction between practice and theory; something that I was looking for. I obtained a degree in Law in 2015 and gained relevant experience in strategic litigation and public policies regarding human rights and LGBTIQ+ rights since then. Because of my educational and professional background, my interests were focused on a Human Rights program that could merge theory and practice. Moreover, UConn School of Law promotes a strong interaction between the alumni and the faculty, which is difficult to find in other law schools."
How do you want to use your law degree?
"As I mentioned, some anti-LGBTIQ+ movements have been intensifying their presence in the region and my country, while the efforts to halt them are sadly weak or even worse, there are no strategies to fight them back. It is vital to build up strategies to protect and advocate for the human rights of groups that have been facing structural discrimination for ages, such as LGBTIQ+. My purpose is to bring up those learnings into the legal ground to keep moving forward in the endless way to ensure equality and non-discrimination in my country."
What was your path to law school?
"I got my law degree from the University of Costa Rica in 2016; however, one year before I started working at the Presidency of Costa Rica as a legal advisor. In that position I was able to enhance technical and practical skills in strategic litigation and public policies on LGBTIQ+ rights, including my participation in a formal request by the state of Costa Rica of an advisory opinion to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights regarding gender identity and equal marriage, which was issued by that court in January of 2018. After this process, the new President of Costa Rica appointed me as the first Presidential Commissioner on LGBTIQ+ affairs in charge of ensuring their rights, including the approval of the same-sex marriage in 2020, after a strong legal battle together with civil society organizations, with the strong support of the government. Once I finished my term, I have been working with some LGBTIQ+ organizations such as the Museum of Identity and Pride in Costa Rica to educate about human rights, diversity and equality."