Emily Claire Goldman
A Legacy of Compassion: Remembering Emily Claire Goldman ’16
New fellowship fund empowers AUWCL students to pursue justice in her honor.
BY INGRID LESEMANN
Emily Claire Goldman ’16, was a force for justice — by compassion, anchored in principle, and committed to repairing a world too oſten marked by inequality and silence. Her sudden passing in 2022 at just 31 years old leſt a deep void in the legal and human rights communities she served with passion and integrity.
To honor Emily’s life and amplify the causes she championed, her mother, Elizabeth Davidson, established the Emily Claire Goldman Memorial Endowed Fund at American University Washington College of Law. Administered by the Program on Environmental and Energy Law (PEEL), the fund supports students pursuing public interest legal work in human rights, environmental justice, and advocacy for Indigenous and marginalized communities.
Emily’s career defied boundaries. She worked tirelessly on issues ranging from corporate accountability to immigration reform, founding the ESG Transparency Initiative and leading campaigns like Educators for Migrant Justice. Her activism was grounded in “tikkun olam,” the Jewish value of “repairing the world,” and in a belief that the law must serve not just institutions, but people.
Professor David Hunter, who mentored Emily during her time at AUWCL, helped shape the fund’s vision. “Emily was fearless in her pursuit of justice,” he said. “This fellowship ensures that her voice and values continue to echo through the next generation of lawyers.”
This summer, two AUWCL students, Ashley Dominguez Garcia and Kate Collins Palmer, will carry forward Emily’s legacy as the fund’s inaugural recipients. Both are pursuing legal work that intersects with the core issues Emily held dear: immigrant rights, environmental equity and justice for underserved communities.
Ashley, a rising 2L from the Bay Area with roots in Oaxaca, Mexico, will work at Immigration Law Plus, a Virginia firm focused on asylum cases, deportation defense, and family petitions. A fluent Spanish speaker, she views immigration law as a human-centered discipline.
Kate Collins Palmer
Ashley Dominguez Garcia
“Too oſten, the system dehumanizes people,” she said. “My job is to help clients feel heard and respected.” At UC Berkeley, Ashley studied environmental racism and community resilience—experiences that now shape her legal path.
Kate, a rising 3L, will join the Chesapeake Legal Alliance in Maryland, where she will assist with Clean Water Act enforcement and environmental justice litigation. Her focus is on protecting vulnerable communities disproportionately affected by pollution. “I want to use the law to help balance that scale,” she said.
While their stories are inspiring, the heart of this fellowship lies in the woman who made it possible. Emily believed advocacy must always center people, compassion and truth. Through this endowed fund, she continues to light the path for those committed to doing the same.
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY WASHINGTON COLLEGE OF LAW 23
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