Amii Castle: Woman of Impact
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| photo by | Steven Hertzog |
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Amii Castle: Woman of Impact
Amii Castle, Professor, University of Kansas, Schools of Law, Business, and Political Science
Because of her great admiration for late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Amii Castle has always leaned toward women’s rights legislation in her study of law. And she impresses that to her students as a professor at KU. The way she sees things, she’s constantly educating others, if not in a classroom then through the publication of written documents or letters. She likes to simplify complex subjects pertaining to the law and make the law more easily understandable, whether it be to her students or anyone else seeking her expertise. But it’s not just enough for her students to know the law. Her goal is to make her students critical thinkers about what might be happening in government and politics. She doesn’t want students to just know the facts, but be able to interpret them accurately. Finally, if she can successfully encourage more young people to vote, then she’ll consider her mission accomplished.
In her own words:
YOUR MENTOR/ROLE MODEL
Ruth Bader Ginsburg. RBG is my role model not only for the opinions and dissents she wrote while a Supreme Court Justice, but more for her groundbreaking work as a lawyer in challenging laws that discriminate against women. RBG led the fight against gender discrimination and changed the legal landscape for the better in the process.
KNOW ABOUT YOU
I am an educator by trade, so with that lens, I am always looking for opportunities to educate others. Whether it’s teaching in the classroom, writing letters to the editor, or preparing a presentation on a legal issue, my challenge is to break down and simplify complex subjects—usually subjects having to do with the law. I want each of my audience members to walk away understanding a legal concept that was once confusing to them. If my audience feels just a little smarter after hearing me speak or reading an article, I’ve done my job as an educator.
MAKING AN IMPACT
For most of my adult life, I was a busy attorney practicing law in downtown Kansas City. I came to teach at KU in 2016—when the political landscape really shifted. I decided then to do all I can as a professor to provide accurate and truthful information to my students and to teach them how to think critically about legal issues. By extension, I try to provide members of my community accurate and truthful information so they can think critically about what might be happening in our government and in politics. Misinformation and disinformation can’t exist in a room full of educated, critical thinkers. That’s the impact I hope I am making.
LIKE TO SEE CHANGE
More young people voting! My daughters now have fewer constitutional rights than I have enjoyed my entire life, and we are handing the next generation a planet that’s on fire. It’s younger folks who are going to have to fix our mess, and many don’t realize they have a secret superpower right now—the ballot box. Politicians and elected officials don’t listen to people who don’t vote, so if younger folks want to be heard, they need to start voting in higher numbers.
