Africana Studies Empowers Georgia State Graduate’s Path to Law

By André Walker

ATLANTA — For Heart Carbajal (B.A. ’25), graduating from Georgia State isn’t just a personal milestone — it’s a family first. The child of a single mother who emigrated from Guatemala and one of seven siblings, Carbajal is a first-generation college graduate who once quit high school to help support their family.

“I had to drop out of high school at 16,” said Carbajal, who was an Advanced Placement honors student at the time. “My family needed help. I was babysitting and working, and I eventually got my GED so I could start college.”

When they arrived at Georgia State, they weren’t entirely sure what to study. Law had always appealed to them, but no major felt quite right. Then they took Introduction to African American Studies with lecturer Lisa Shannon.

“I just learned so much in that single class,” Carbajal said. “I remember thinking, my eyes were finally opening. Dr. Shannon is such a great professor.”

What began as one class soon reshaped everything. Carbajal declared a major in Africana Studies the following semester — a decision that sharpened their sense of purpose and redefined their path toward law.

“I think also it’s prepared me so well to become an attorney in the future,” they said. “Just understanding the history of some of the most oppressed and resilient groups of people in the entire world. How can I go into that sector of law without having this information or knowledge? It just wouldn’t make sense to me now.”

Carbajal credits Department of Africana Studies faculty for helping them thrive, describing professors as “insanely brilliant and kind.” They received recommendation letters, studied abroad, joined the university’s Student Appeals Committee and eventually earned the department’s highest honor: the Anna Julia Cooper/W.E.B. Du Bois Award for academic excellence.

“When I got the email, I thought it was a scam,” Carbajal said, laughing. “It still hasn’t fully hit me. But I know I’ve worked harder than most people realize to get here.”

That work ethic, and sense of justice, started long before college.

Growing up, Carbajal’s younger sister was often the target of hurtful comments.

“Even as a kid, I defended her,” Carbajal said. “I didn’t have a choice. I’ve always had to stand up for people.”

Africana Studies didn’t just deepen that instinct — it gave Carbajal the historical grounding and critical language to turn it into a calling.

After graduation, Carbajal plans to take a gap year to study for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and pursue a career in human rights law — a path shaped by both lived experience and academic discovery.

Outside the classroom, Carbajal worked at Album 88, Georgia State’s student-run radio station, and sells homemade desserts at Atlanta pop-ups. Baking, they said, connects them to childhood memories of family hustle and resilience — the same drive that carried them through school.

But it’s Carbajal’s younger siblings who continue to fuel their ambition.

“I want them to see someone in the family make it through college,” they said. “So, when I say I’m studying, they understand why.”

Carbajal’s advice to anyone in a similar situation is simple.

“Keep going,” they said. “It gets hard. But if you love what you study, you’ll find a way.”

— Photo by Raven Schley