UIW Set to Recognize National Constitution Day with Homegrown Advocate

Incarnate Word High School Graduate returns to Celebrate Historic Date

San Antonio, Sept. 16, 2019 – On Sept. 17, 1787, the delegates to the Constitutional Convention met for the last time to sign the document they had created, the United States Constitution. The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) Department of Political Science invites all to celebrate and reflect on Constitution Day with a presentation by Emma Cantu titled Beyond the Text: Public Defenders, Juvenile Justice, and Constitutionalism.

A strong believer in the constitutional protections afforded to those entangled in the criminal and juvenile justice system, regardless of socioeconomic status, Cantu is currently serving as an assistant public defender assigned to the Juvenile Division at the Harris County Public Defender’s Office.

After graduating from Incarnate Word High School, Cantu attended Sam Houston State University to study Criminal Justice and Political Science and then The University of Texas School of Law for her law degree. Before becoming a public defender, she received experience in criminal defense and immigration removal defense by working as an associate for Madrid Law and the Law Office of Arnold R. Lopez. She now finds herself blessed to be doing what she is passionate about—protecting the rights of juveniles and the accused all while using the resources available to her at the Public Defender’s Office to provide holistic, not just legal, representation to her clients.

September 17 also marks Citizenship Day, which recognizes all new Americans and those who have taken steps to become U.S. citizens.

The presentation by Emma Cantu will take place at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 17 in the Mabee Library Auditorium on the Broadway Campus of UIW, 4301 Broadway.