#YouthMonth: Harness your power to effect change - Charlise Finch

Charlise Finch, candidate attorney at Herold Gie

Raised by a single mother in Mitchells Plain, Finch says, "My passion for law was fuelled by various injustices that I saw in my everyday life as a young teenager growing up on the Cape Flats.

"This interest grew as I was exposed to various people of colour who were already in the legal profession. Having opportunities to job shadow these individuals solidified my interest in law as I saw that it was possible for me to achieve these goals myself."

Armed with her law degree from UCT, Finch joined the ranks of Herold Gie as a candidate attorney in January this year. Here she reminds us that we have the power to change things for the better, and that despite humble beginnings, you can make your dreams come true with hard work and dedication.

What is the significance of Youth Day to you, as a young attorney?

As a young attorney, youth day is extremely significant to me.

I recognise that the opportunity to study, obtain my degree and work in a well-established law firm such as Herold Gie, would not have been possible if the youth did not take a stand. My future would have been predetermined and I would not have been able to pursue my passion for law.

I was the first granddaughter to attend the University of Cape Town, something which my mother is extremely proud of. For a long time, the significance of the opportunity to enter an establishment such as the University of Cape Town resonated with me as I had the opportunity to change the trajectory of my future.

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What does it mean to you to be ‘born-free’?

Being ‘born-free’ means opportunity.

It means that I had the opportunity to attend a school which educated me to the best of my ability, provided me with the knowledge necessary to compete with others wanting to study at a tertiary institution such as UCT and obtain my LLB.

It means that my story is one which doesn’t resonate around oppression and missed opportunities but instead is one of a young woman who grew up on the Cape Flats but nevertheless reached her goals.

What do you feel is the most important right young people have today?

I think the most important right young people have today is the right to vote. Many young people exercised this right as they took to the polls in May. I believe that encouraging other young people to join the movement and bring our country to further heights is our most important ‘power’ as a young person.

We do have the ability to make change.

Why is it so important for the youth of today to get involved in societal change?

It is important for the youth to get involved in societal change because with the emerging world of technology and access, our voices have the potential to create tangible change within the country.

We now have the opportunity to share information, opinions and experiences to many people on a larger scale than ever before. We also have the freedom to express ourselves and do so without fear.

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Older generations often comment that the youth today "have it easy", but it's not necessarily true. What are some of the challenges youth are currently experiencing that other generations might not understand?

Attending UCT, I realised that although I had equal opportunity to attend university, there were great gaps in my secondary school education and that I had to work twice as hard as my peers from private schools.

A simple example would be my means of traveling. I took bus to university for the larger part of my studies whilst other peers drove their BMWs and fancy cars to school. Things that may not have looked significant impacted me significantly because I had to travel for two more hours than my peers, meaning I was extremely tired in the mornings and at night. I did not have the opportunity to have a laptop like my other peers and throughout my first year I had hand written notes; consolidating and researching became an issue.

It may not have seemed important at the time but studying a demanding degree with a lack of resources severally impacted my early years as a university student. I am grateful for family members and my mother’s hard work which made it possible for me to receive a small car to drive to campus with and a second hand laptop to use for my studies. I used both of these tools throughout my LLB and at the beginning of my LLM degree.

Share one piece of advice given to you by an elder...

Education is the key to change.