A bold move from a career in Archaeology to practicing law proved to be the right one for Lizbeth Jimena Velásquez (Class of 2023).
When asked why she made the career change from Archaeology to practicing law, Jimena explains that switching careers seemed like the next logical step in what she describes as a “calling.” She expresses that her upbringing provides her with a unique perspective on what it means to be Latino in Mississippi. As a first-generation immigrant, Jimena’s childhood and adolescence were marked with events and experiences distinctly different from those of other Mississippians. Her love of people and their culture was one of the reasons she was drawn to study Anthropology. Jimena was born in Bogotá, Colombia, South America, and has lived in Mississippi since she was five. She received a B.S. in Biology from Mississippi State University in 2000 with an emphasis in Pre-Medicine, and a B.A. in Anthropology, with an emphasis in Archaeology. Jimena was an archaeologist for 20 years, 18 of which she worked for the Mississippi Department of Transportation. She graduated cum laude in May of 2023 from Mississippi College School of Law and was admitted to the Mississippi Bar in September of 2023.
Jimena now draws from her background and cultural knowledge to help other Latinos in Mississippi who may be struggling. In fact, Jimena has been a member of the non-profit Mississippi Hispanic Association (MHA) since 1996 when her mother, Esperanza Velásquez, along with three friends founded the organization. MHA’s mission is “to encourage, support, and promote cultural, educational, and community service activities in order to facilitate the integration of Hispanics into the state’s mainstream.” She currently holds the position of Treasurer and is the Director of the Paco Rosales Scholarship and the Bilingual Reading Program.
Jimena is also a board member of El Pueblo-MS and Mississippi Immigrants’ Rights Alliance, both non-profit organizations whose mission is to advocate, educate, and organize the immigrant community. Jimena recalls that a great impetus for her decision to pursue a law degree was the Mississippi ICE raids of 2019. After witnessing the trauma that these families went through, “I just wanted to help, and I believed a law degree would empower me and provide the skill set needed to make a significant difference in people’s lives.”
Though worried about entering the field of law at a later age, those worries were soon dispelled. Jimena has been an attorney with Danks Miller & Cory, PA, in downtown Jackson, MS since December of 2023, where she practices civil and criminal litigation, as well as immigration law. She draws from her multi-cultural background to connect with her immigrant clients and she uses her bilingual skills to assure her Hispanic clients that they are being heard. “Clients feel more at ease talking to you because you understand them and their culture,” Jimena said.
Throughout her studies at MC Law, Jimena had her mind set on immigration law. However, her supervisors proposed that she expand her practice area and become a more well-rounded attorney. Jimena stated, “I feel fortunate that I was given the opportunity to learn and practice where I am most needed. Immigration is but one issue, though an important one, that incoming immigrants face. Many of those immigrants do not know that even though they may be undocumented (if that is the case), they still have the right to litigate in court when they have been a victim of a crime or an injustice.”
Jimena is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the Hispanic National Bar Association. Bar Admissions include the Mississippi Bar, Supreme Court of Mississippi, U.S. District Court Northern District of Mississippi, and U.S. District Court Southern District of Mississippi.
Jimena said, “If there is one thing that I could tell people, it would be ‘Never stop being a student! You are never too old to learn anything, and you should make every attempt to keep up with this ever-changing world.’” That mindset has inspired her sister to pursue a master’s degree. Like her sister, she envisions a career change as well—becoming a teacher like their mom, who was a Spanish Professor at Jackson State University for 30 years.
Recently, a group of MC Law students formed the Hispanic Law Students Association (HLSA). They welcomed Jimena as the first guest speaker of the semester at a monthly meeting. Samantha Hernandez, the President and a founding Member of HLSA, expressed that “Jimena’s support has been pivotal in the success of our group as we begin our second year as a student organization on campus. Her encouragement, words of advice, and lifetime of experience in the Mississippi Hispanic community is something the members of HLSA and the student body will always be grateful for. Jimena is an absolute star as a newly-barred attorney, and we can’t wait to see what incredible things she has in store for her career. Most of all, we are proud to include her as a member of HLSA -- a community open to all who seek to promote diversity, academic achievement, and a commitment to public service in the Latinx community!”
