By: 2026 Comunicador Emily Portillo
As a first-generation student whose mom worked tirelessly to create a better life for her children, I grew up believing in the power of hard work. I hoped that one day it would lead me to a fulfilling career where I could make a difference in my community. Now, one month into my communications internship at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, that dream is beginning to feel like a reality.
Bazelon is a nonprofit organization that advocates for the civil rights, full inclusion and equality of adults and children with mental disabilities. They fulfill this mission through a combination of litigation, policy, advocacy, technical assistance, coalition building and public education.
In my role, I use social media to help educate the public about mental health policy issues and research-backed solutions that address them. I’ve been focused on raising awareness about the “Housing First” framework, which advocates for people with mental disabilities to have access to permanent housing that isn’t contingent on treatment compliance or sobriety. By pairing stable housing with voluntary mental health services and employment support, this framework gives people the resources they need while respecting their autonomy. Research has shown that this approach can improve housing stability and psychological well-being.
In addition to raising awareness through social media, I’ve read many amicus briefs written by Bazelon attorneys, giving me a deeper understanding of the cases that have shaped mental health law over the past several decades. I also attended an event commemorating the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Olmstead v. L.C. decision, a landmark ruling that recognized the unnecessary institutionalization of people with disabilities as a form of discrimination. Learning about the case helped me better understand its lasting impact, from the creation of state “Olmstead Plans” to reforms that have expanded supportive housing and community-based services nationwide.
Through this internship experience, I’ve become even more interested in pursuing a public interest career. While I still don’t know whether I want to work in communications, policy or law, I’ve learned that each of these fields has a role to play in creating change. Most importantly, I’ve seen how collaboration across them can help improve the lives of marginalized communities.
Emily Portillo is a rising sophomore at The George Washington University studying political science. She is a Cisneros Scholar, Honors program scholar, and a 2026 Comunicadores for the Future intern at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law.
