Eric Thai entered Boston Latin School in the seventh grade and graduated as a member of the Class of 2000. He will be attending Northeastern University’s School of Criminal Justice in the fall and is currently residing in Boston’s South End.
During his career at Boston Latin School, Eric devoted his time to helping the Saturday Success School Tutoring Program as a student tutor. He feels that schools should offer a support system for students towards improving and empowering themselves.
Eric is also involved in other school organizations, such as Boston Latin School’s Young Leaders of Color. This student-run organization, of which he was Vice-President, was created to identify and resolve problems created by the removal of Affirmative Action in the invitation policy for examination schools. The group received wide support from public officials, such as Susan Naimark, a member of the Boston School Committee.
Similarly, Eric has also worked with community organizations dealing with Gay-Lesbian-Bisexual-Transgender support groups and health issues such as HIV/AIDS. He is currently employed by the Massachusetts Asian AIDS Prevention Project, an organization that provides HIV/AIDS prevention education and advocacy for the Asian Pacific Islander communities of Massachusetts.
Having dealt with much advocacy work and community outreach, Eric hopes to further his talents in the field of criminal law. He plans to specialize in hate crimes and racial profiling, both of which are important issues for him. In addition, he aspires some day to become a secondary school teacher because he enjoys working with teenagers.
Eric believes that his most valued privilege is his personal freedom. “The ability to make your own choices in life guarantees you the satisfaction that comes with success,” says Eric. His next five years at Northeastern University will be a new experience, but he will be doing that which he hopes will benefit the public.
Eric’s sponsor is the Honorable Patti B. Saris, a U.S. District Judge at the Federal Courthouse in Boston. The Ward Fellowship has given Eric the perfect opportunity to see the inner workings of the judicial system, of which he aspires to become an active member in the future.
