Kem Chatfield, Jr. L’26

Kem, a Toll Public Interest Scholar and Skadden Youth Advocacy Scholar, was born and raised in Miami, FL. After graduating from high school, Kem attended and graduated with honors from the University of Florida in 2012 with a BA in Political Science and History. While at UF, Kem served in numerous leadership roles, including President of the Esquire Pre Law Society, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Student Council, and Assistant Director of the UF Student Government Disability Affairs Cabinet. Kem also welcomed incoming UF students and families as a UF orientation staff member.

After college, Kem returned to Miami to serve others as an educator. Kem served in two AmeriCorps programs (City Year Miami and Public Allies Miami), then began a career as a teaching assistant and counselor with Miami Dade County Public Schools. As a counselor, Kem worked with students from underserved areas, empowering them with academic and social tools and college guidance services. Many of Kem’s students graduated from high school, attended, and ultimately graduated from college.

Kem joins the Penn Carey Law community interested in education law and child advocacy. As a former educator, Kem is acutely aware that many students are up against social and economic systems (codified by the law) that cause them to suffer poverty, housing insecurity, criminalization, the erosion of public assistance benefits, and many other issues. This, Kem argues, makes it only possible to transform the educational system by changing the law and society. Kem is interested in doing work that promotes educational justice inside and outside the classroom.