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Ruth Cusick on Magdalena Aguirre

“She came from so little and has done so much.”

Attorney Ruth Cusick tells us about Magdalena Aguirre, an immigrant to America from El Salvador. An irreverent storyteller, Magdalena never hinted at the hardship she endured escaping Civil War in her native country. Instead, she created a stable life for herself and her daughter, helped new immigrants, sent money back to El Salvador to construct a compound of humble homes for her relatives… all while caring for Ruth’s family with joy and humor. Listen in to hear how this childhood babysitter became an inspiration for Ruth’s career as a social justice attorney.  

Storyteller

Ruth Cusick

Since 2011, Ruth has served as the lead Education Rights Attorney for Public Counsel’s School Pushout Reversal Project. There she serves individual clients in fighting inappropriate school exclusion and collaborates with community organizers to reform local and statewide policies that criminalize low-income students of color. Ruth received her BA in Politics&IR/Economics from Scripps Women’s College in 2003 and her J.D. from City University School of Law in 2008.

Featured Woman

Magdalena Aguirre

Magdalena Aguirre is an immigrant from El Salvador who left during the Civil War with her young daughter.