This Harvard Law student took one of her finals while in labor last year. In May, she graduated.
"To say that my last year of law school, with a newborn, and as a single mom was a challenge would be an understatement."
The single mother whose touching Instagram message and photographs went viral after she graduated from Harvard Law School last month, her daughter in her arms, hopes that her experience will serve as a reminder to others that they, too, can achieve their goals — no matter the odds.
Briana Williams, 24, said she didn’t expect her recent social media post to ricochet around the Internet like it has (it has been liked more than 22,000 times and she’s amassed thousands of new followers), but she has been moved by the outpouring of support and encouragement she’s received since sharing images from the commencement ceremony at the prestigious law school in May.
“I never share my personal thoughts on Instagram — I’m not open with my audience,’’ she said in a telephone interview with the Globe. “I didn’t know I could have this kind of effect on other people.’’
Williams, who’s originally from Los Angeles, gave birth to her daughter, Evelyn, in April last year. After receiving her law degree, she posted a message to Instagram detailing the hurdles she faced while completing her education. The post also included images of Evelyn, who wore a miniature cap and gown, with her at graduation.
“To say that my last year of law school, with a newborn, and as a single mom was a challenge would be an understatement. Some days, I was so mentally and emotionally fatigued that I did not leave my bed,’’ she wrote. “I struggled with reliable childcare. It was not atypical to see me rushing through Wasserstein [Hall] to the Dean of Students’ office with Evelyn in her carriage, asking DOS can they keep her for a few until class was over. If not, she’d just have to come with me to class.’’
Her daughter, she added, accompanied her to lectures on more than one occasion.
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At times, Williams admitted in the post, she didn’t think she could carry on. Her goal seemed unattainable, with the odds stacked against her. She also had to contend with the stigma of being pregnant out of wedlock, she said.
“I did not think that, at 24 years old, as a single mom, I would be able to get through one of the most intellectually rigorous and challenging positions of my life,’’ she said. “It was hard. It hurt.’’
One particularly challenging incident occurred while she was still pregnant with Evelyn.
Williams said she started having contractions while taking a final exam at home for one of her classes — but she didn’t let it stop her from finishing the assignment.
Instead, she packed up her computer, brought it with her to Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, and completed her final while in a hospital bed — with a little bit of medical help to ease her pain, however.
“They confirmed I was in labor and I had had everything packed, so I told the people at the hospital, ‘Give me the epidural,’ and I continued my final,’’ she told the Globe. “I admit, I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the epidural. But after the epidural, you’re fine. You’re OK. You don’t feel much.’’
With law school and some trying circumstances now behind her, Williams is back living in California, near her family, as she prepares for the next phase of her journey: taking the bar exam. From there, she plans to travel with her daughter before beginning work at a law firm in Los Angeles in October.
In the meantime, Williams is continuing to channel her inner strength to stay motivated, a skill she hopes to pass down to Evelyn.
“Anything is possible if I’m willing to believe it and willing to work through it,’’ she said. “That’s something that I want to teach my daughter through the rest of my life.’’
