Join us on Monday, March 30, for the second event in our spring 2026 Youth Advocacy Writing Group Working Paper Lunch Series with Kia Azadbakht, Cordy McJunkins, and Ciara Tisdale-Vakos.
12:30-1:30
WCC 3013
Be sure to RSVP here for lunch (this event has passed).
Prioritizing School Nutrition By Promoting Scratch Cooking: A Case Study
A Discussion with Kia Azadbakht, Harvard Law School J.D. Candidate
Paper Topic: In recent years, school districts of all sizes across the country have started or expanded scratch cooking programs to improve the nutritional quality of school meals. However, this transition often presents significant challenges, including outdated facilities and equipment, staff shortages, inadequate training opportunities, and complex regulatory and food safety requirements. This paper conducts a case study of a Virginia school district, examining the local, state, and federal constraints that limit the transition to scratch cooking and outlining a potential roadmap for overcoming those barriers.
Biography: Kia is a J.D. candidate at Harvard Law School (Class of 2026). Prior to attending law school, Kia studied public policy at the University of Virginia focusing on education policy. While at HLS, Kia has participated in the Strategic Litigation Clinic and the Child Advocacy Clinic, where he interned at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Legal Office.
When the Constitution Commands: Justiciability and Judicial Duty in State Positive-Rights Cases
A joint presentation by Cordy McJunkins and Ciara Tisdale-Vakos, Harvard Law School J.D. Candidates
Paper Topic: State constitutions across the country contain affirmative guarantees to rights such as education, environmental protection, and housing; yet when plaintiffs allege systemic failures to fulfill these mandates, state courts frequently dismiss the claims at the threshold—invoking standing doctrine, political question principles, or separation-of-powers concerns. Our paper argues that state courts must reconceive justiciability in positive-rights cases as a question of constitutional duty, not judicial power.
Cordy’s Biography: Cordy McJunkins is a 3L at Harvard Law School, where his work focuses on the intersection of democracy, education, and constitutional law. His academic and research interests center on how institutions shape civic participation and educational opportunity. Before law school, Cordy earned a dual Master of Arts in Education Policy and Master of Public Policy (MA/MPP) from Stanford University and completed his undergraduate studies at Rice University, where he studied psychology and economic policy.
Ciara’s Biography: Ciara is a J.D. candidate at Harvard Law School (Class of 2026) and a Youth Advocacy & Policy Fellow. Prior to attending law school, Ciara studied African and African American Studies and English at the University of Virginia and spent a year as a deputy clerk in the Virginia judiciary. At HLS, she has participated in the Education Strategic Litigation Clinic and the Child Advocacy Clinic. Outside of clinical work, Ciara served as the Editor-in-Chief of Student Writing for Volume 61 of the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review, and she remained an active member of the Women’s Law Association and the Black Law Students Association.