As a dance major at the Academy, Kristine Huskey (IAA 82-85) never aspired or expected to go into law. Yet after a number of twists and turns in her career, Huskey found herself working as a lawyer on a landmark case that went to the Supreme Court.
After leaving the Academy, Huskey traveled, modeled and worked as a bartender before finally deciding to attend Columbia University. In a class on civil liberties, she studied famous cases including Brown v. Board of Education and found herself unexpectedly captivated by the subject. “I realized that law can be a true mechanism for change and that attorneys and judges are part of that process,” said Huskey. “And more importantly, they are part of a process of change that directly impacts real people's lives. I wanted to be part of that kind of process and help people.".”
She graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a bachelor’s degree in political science and soon had her eyes set on law school. Before enrolling at the University of Texas, however, she used her dance skills to land key roles in several high-profile MTV videos by artists including H-Town and Buster Poindexter.
After law school she clerked for Justice Bea Ann Smith then joined the law firm of Shearman and Sterling. A partner with whom she had been working asked Huskey if she would like to help on an “interesting” case and soon she was at work on a case that made headlines around the world and raised fundamental questions about the balance between core American ideals and the need for security.
Several families from Kuwait had approached the firm to help find their sons who were missing. They suspected that the men were being held by the U.S. government, which refused to release any details about the men they were holding. These initial inquiries sparked several years of debate about the rights of detainees and the role of the courts in what was being called the war on terror.
In March of 2002, many recoiled when they learned Huskey was representing men who were labeled as “suspected terrorists” but she found herself motivated by the same ideals that had convinced her to study law in the first place. “I felt that I was standing up for the rule of law, which is most important in times of crises and conflict. Those are the times when we need to hold fast to fundamental principles, such as due process and adherence to the law even when our national security is threatened.”
On June 29, 2004 a 6-3 ruling reversed a District Court decision and won the right of the detainees to challenge their detentions in federal court. Rasul v. Bush established the U.S. court system has the authority to decide whether foreign nationals held in Guantanamo Bay were wrongfully imprisoned. This decision made it possible for Huskey to actually meet her clients.
Over the next several years, Huskey made at least a dozen trips to Guantanamo to meet face to face with detainees. Initially she worried that they would not accept a woman as their lawyer, but this proved not to be a problem as the detainees were given the opportunity for the first time, to share their own stories. She soon learned about the hunger strikes and the number of attempted suicides and accusations that the detainee’s Korans had been desecrated. In the weeks and months that followed, Huskey tried to improve the living conditions at Guantanamo.
Huskey is convinced that her training at Interlochen formed a strong foundation for her career by teaching her to connect with others. “I have to be very sensitive to whom my audience is when advocating on behalf of suspected terrorists and use creative messaging to reach my audience.” Her audiences have included law classes, courtrooms, media personalities, the general public and political leaders.
This year, Huskey completed a book based on her experience called “Justice at Guantanamo: One Woman's Odyssey and Her Crusade for Human Rights.” She now teaches in the National Security Clinic, which she established at the University of Texas in 2007.