Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandra Rider
Hi Alexandra, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born in Peru, obtained my law degree at Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru. Decided to immigrate to the United States during the time that Peru was experiencing political turmoil because of terrorism.
From the beginning I was committed to be successful in all areas of my life: professional, personal, spiritual and to become an inspiration for other immigrant latin women.
First I perfected my English skills by focusing on reading books in English, watching only English TV shows and movies as well as listening to radio shows only in English. Then I decided to get a Masters Degree in International Business Administration. I did that while working full time and graduated with honors two month after my second child was born. Those years were very hard for my husband and myself. Being the only child, we brought to the US my elderly mother and my elderly aunt who lived with us until they passed away.
My dream was to become a licensed US attorney but I decided to wait to attend law schools when my children were out of the nest. In the meantime, I worked at the State Attorney’s Office in Miami at different units like Child Support, Public Corruption, Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence. At the State Attorney’s Office I was blessed with the support of my supervisor who when she found out I was committed to attend law school offered me her invaluable support to do both things: work full time while attending law school. There were days that I was at work at 7:00 am, went to law school from 9:00 to 11:00 am, went back to work and returned to school for classes from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
My university St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens admitted me in the Foreign Attorneys program and therefore recognized 30 out of the 90 credits needed to graduate from law school. I started law school in my early fifties. During my second year I experienced technological computer problems and my laptop froze in the middle of two different midterm exams, after I calmed myself down I finished the exam writing by hand. We had the laptop checked and repaired to make sure that this would not happen again. However, the laptop froze again during the same class final exams. I received two bad grades and although I was not put on academic probation because my grades were still over the threshold, the pain of getting the minimum grades to pass was awful. The next semester I worked and studied even harder and finished the school year as part of the Dean’s List for academic achievement.
During my last semester in law school I suffered an accident at home when I fell in the shower fracturing my right shoulder and injuring badly my right arm and hand. I couldn’t drive for a month, had to go through painful weekly therapy sessions and had to learn to write again. But nothing was going to stop me: I would get that degree. I ended up graduating with a law degree and a certificate in Intercultural Human Rights.
Human Rights is an area of the law that is very close to my heart. During the years of 2014 to 2016 I was president of the Miami Chapter for the United States Committee of UN Women, (the United Nations entity for gender equality and the empowerment of Women) and I was fortunate enough to volunteer with a wonderful team of women leaders in Miami in several projects to support this wonderful cause. Fulfilling several roles like mother, wife, daughter, student, public servant and activist is no easy task but if there is an inner voice that demands you to step in, you feel there is no other choice.
Another important cause for me is to help foreign trained attorneys to start their journey to become licensed in the United States. I worked at St. Thomas University, Law School for one year as a Recruitment Director of the Master of Laws Program in Intercultural Human Rights. (LL.M.) and it was my joy and pride last May to attend the graduation law school ceremony for 32 of the students I recruited, most of them foreign trained attorneys and who are then now on their way to realize their dream of becoming licensed attorneys in the US.
At 63 years old I have now launched my solo practice law firm Rider Law LLC where I focus on Estate Planning and Immigration. My clients are mostly professional, entrepreneur latin women some of them with elderly parents (for Estate Planning) and business latin women and men seeking talent visas or investment visas. There is huge talent wanting to immigrate to the US and also many hard working business men and women seeking to start business ventures in the US. Today no words give me more joy that to hear: “Because of your story I feel empowered to restart to work on my life dream.”
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road at all. We have to fight dragons all the time if we want to grow. We have to act despite of fear and we have to work hard every day to condition ourselves to overcome resistance and self doubt.
I have listed many of the struggles I had along the way, but the most important struggle is the one that we endure with ourselves. We tend to be our worst enemy, most of us are harsh critics of our own selves. We say things to ourselves that we would never say to a friend going through the same circumstances we are now experiencing. We need to learn to love us, respect ourselves and value our struggles because this is the only way that we will succeed. We succeed because we are willing to fail as many times as needed.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In addition of being an attorney and an activist for human rights I do stained glass work. I believe that it is very important to nurture our creative side in any art form we love. In my case I design my own stained glass panels and I love to dedicate two hours every weekend to spend time at a glass studio. It is therapeutic to cut the glass piece, polish it taking the time until it fits perfectly and then solder it with the other pieces. My reward is to see the entire art piece finished with the sunlight illuminating the glass showing all its beauty. I especially treasure how happy my friends get when they receive the new stained glass panel as a gift.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I welcome any communication with people. Whether they need some advice, guidance, inspiration or support. It is important to be a giver first. And of course, I am here to assist in any Estate Planning or Immigration issues they might have or for any referrals.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.riderlawllc.com and www.riderlawimmigration.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riderlawllc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61564284999500
