Linden resident shares just why her dreams are admissible under any law
LINDEN – How does one tirelessly follow their dreams even if they seem too big? Local resident, Chandni Gopal, shares how.
When dreams of following your passions keep you up at night, make sure you work towards fulfilling those unyielding visions of success.
Let’s use Chandni Gopal (28) as an example of this true fact. In high school, as she sat in her favourite class – history – she became aware of how most of the people who affected change in the world, had a law background. “I chose law because I love history and this is what pushed me towards a law degree and it was love at first read.”
With a deep desire to see her dreams come to fruition, this fervour led her straight to UCLA, where she completed a Fulbright scholarship for a year. There she studied public interest law and policy.
“What I want to do is eventually use various types of laws to influence policy in South Africa to actually better people.”
In her career so far she has worked with many people she admires, one of them being Justice Edward Cameron, whom she described as nothing short of amazing.
Gopal explained that in earlier times, the Hindu culture, which she described as being quite patriarchal, was never important for girls to get an education. As she is a firm believer that education is a doorway to one improving themselves she found her work at The Equal Education Law Centre to be very important.
The centre is an NGO that aims to provide access to equal and equitable education for youngsters across the country.
“This means that children who were being discriminated against got some relief and it also meant that poorer kids trying to go to affluent schools could get free exemptions,” explained Gopal.
She revealed that she had always had exceptionally big dreams and though many might not have understood them, her parents backed her all the way.
“My parents would say if you want to do it, cool, but you have to work hard for it,” shared Gopal, adding that she was that girl who had 10-year plans and would get mocked for it.
Gopal concluded that if she could amend one thing in the law it would be interim protective orders.
“Women who are in abusive relationships would have to go to court and explain why they need these orders,” said Gopal, adding she feels no one should have to prove why they need these protective orders as it can be incredibly degrading, as women in these positions feel defeated after the process, and harassed by the law.
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