Destiny Gilliard

Destiny Gilliard is a recent summa cum laude graduate of Fayetteville State University from Charlotte, North Carolina, where she earned a B.S. in Criminal Justice with minors in Pre-Law and Paralegal Studies. She is currently pursuing an M.S. in Nonprofit Management at Columbia University as an HBCU Fellow, with a focus on using nonprofit leadership and advocacy to support underserved communities. Her professional experience includes serving as a Paralegal Intern with the North Carolina Department of Justice, where she supports attorneys within the Labor Section by conducting legal research, reviewing and organizing case-related documents, assisting with legal matters, and gaining firsthand experience in the day-to-day responsibilities of a legal professional. She previously served as a Legal Assistant Intern with the Judge Ola M. Lewis Pre-Law Scholars Program, where she strengthened her legal research, writing, organizational, and case-support skills while gaining valuable exposure to the legal profession. Destiny also previously served as a Research Institute for Scholars of Equity (RISE)  Research Fellow, with North Carolina Central University, Destiny conducted research examining the academic challenges, resilience, and pathways to success of Black K–12 students, where she further developed her leadership, professional development, and commitment to creating positive change in underserved communities. She hopes to use her M.S. in Nonprofit Management to work for a nonprofit organization that partners closely with attorneys and advocates serving survivors of domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, sexual assault, and other forms of family violence, helping clients access legal services, community resources, and reliable information. In the long term, Destiny aspires to become both a family law and civil rights attorney, advocating for children, survivors, families, and marginalized communities while addressing systemic inequities that prevent individuals from accessing justice. She hopes to combine her legal education, nonprofit leadership, research experience, and commitment to public service to protect vulnerable individuals, expand access to justice, and create meaningful and lasting change within the legal system and the communities she serves.