Oberlin Scholar Interns with Exoneration Project
Sydney Banks, a third-year Oberlin College Posse Scholar, returned to her home city of Chicago last summer to intern at the Exoneration Project, an innocence organization representing clients across the United Stated. The Exoneration Project fights for the wrongfully convicted and works to support them on their journey through re-entry. As an aspiring attorney, Sydney was eager to intern with the Exoneration Project after developing a growing interest in mass incarceration from her coursework in constitutional law and sociology at Oberlin.
“I have always wanted to be an attorney. Even in high school, preparing to go to college, I was so driven to get a legal internship to get the experience and feel certain about pursuing it,” she says. “It was a ‘wow’ moment to get an internship for the Exoneration Project as a sophomore because I’ve been working toward it for so long.”
As an intern, Sydney had the opportunity to collaborate with other interns on various projects, from reviewing intake applications to sourcing through trial transcripts to identify signs of eyewitness misidentifications. She also worked alongside Posse Chicago alum Shameesha Pryor (Connecticut College ‘17), who works as a litigation paralegal at the organization.
Additionally, Sydney had the opportunity to work with the Exoneration Project’s Reentry Assistance Program, which helps recently released exonerees successfully reintegrate into society by providing programs and services such as job training, mental health counseling, and housing support. Through this work, Sydney helped to direct exonerees to reentry resources.
I want to be a part of a society that rehabilitates and protects against wrongful incarceration.
“Sometimes we can come in with preconceived notions about people who have been incarcerated,” she says. “Something that changed my perspective was talking with people who have endured traumas and getting to understand their unique experiences and circumstances.”
Sydney is a double major in politics and law and society at Oberlin College and serves in various leadership roles on campus, including as the co-chair for the Black Student Union and the director of operations and communications for the Student Senate. Additionally, Sydney was accepted as a law and justice scholar, an opportunity that is awarded to twelve students within the major and involves participating in a mock trial with a presiding judge.
Sydney credits Posse for supporting her in securing her internship and developing her career. The Posse Chicago career program even matched her with Exoneration Project attorney Megan Richardson as her career mentor, an opportunity that she feels has been supportive and motivating.
“I felt really supported because I could go to Posse to ask about resources’” she says. “There was always something or someone that was able to help me – both professionally and personally.”
Sydney plans to continue fighting to overturn wrongful convictions. Reflecting on the value of her experience, she notes, “It’s emotional for everyone. The work can involve taking huge losses and small wins. If they get there, exonerations are hard fought for and won over years. I want to be a part of a society that rehabilitates and protects against wrongful incarceration.”
