Zuri Balmakund Santiago
Career prosecutor, serving as an Assistant Attorney General with the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office
What’s the story behind what has made you who you are today? I’m the daughter of a Puerto Rican mother and Guyanese-Indian father; I’m an “Indo-rican.” Both cultures have made big impressions on my self-identity. I was born in Spanish Harlem, New York, and I’m the eldest daughter of a large, blended family. I’m a proud child of Manhattan, where I was taught values of responsibility, humility, and loyalty from an early age. My family has greatly influenced my career path. My maternal grandfather joined the U.S. Army, serving in the Korean war, and I have a long line of public servants on both sides of my family, reflecting a dedication to law enforcement, the armed forces, and medicine. Service to my community is in my blood, and choosing to serve my community through my career as a public-interest lawyer has been my greatest pleasure.
What’s one of your favorite things about practicing law today? Legal practice is challenging and varied—both qualities that ensure it never dulls. But, my favorite part of being a lawyer is giving a voice to underrepresented interests in my community. My hope is that government practice becomes so diverse that the sometimes-disparate interests of all community members may be fairly and justly balanced in case management, settlement, and policy development.
What can you tell us about your experience on the Derek Chauvin prosecution team? The Chauvin prosecution team was distinguished, not only because it was comprised of a venerable group of impressively accomplished attorneys, but also because it looked like the community it serves. Each team member brought his or her unique perspective and background to our case, and together we worked for the singular aim of presenting the most legally sound, fair case possible. In service of that mission, I think that we earned at least some measure of accountability and justice while also helping heal the relationship between law enforcement and the community.
Personally, I had the opportunity to touch almost all aspects of this case, from helping brainstorm legal strategy to marshaling facts. My primary responsibility was to develop our law-enforcement and expert-witness testimony under Special Prosecutor Steve Schleicher’s stewardship. But again, irrespective of our assigned “roles,” each of us was welcomed to contribute to, and felt that we collectively owned, every piece of this case. Working with this team in service of my community has truly been the highlight of my career. I am immensely grateful to Attorney General Keith Ellison for the honor of placing me in such a position of trust. His vision for a skillful, diverse team of experts was a formula for success, and I hope that forethought is the kind of detail that is not lost on history.
Who or what has inspired you the most to be who you are today? Without question, my greatest source of inspiration, support, and motivation has been and is my family. I am eternally grateful for the sacrifices my parents made to make sure my siblings and I had opportunity. I was not born to or raised in a traditional American family, but my family’s unique qualities are what make me a resilient and open-minded person. These are lessons for which I am thankful every day and that I hope to pass on to my future children. I also need to call out my husband, who has helped keep me grounded, fed during late nights of working, and good-spirited throughout with levity and laughter. Finally, I’ve been so fortunate to meet generous people along my legal path that have extended their hands to help me succeed. Their kindnesses cannot be overstated, and these experiences are why I focus so much of my time on career counseling and mentorship. It’s important for me to ensure that whatever insight I might have gained on my path benefits someone else that may be on a similar journey.
Where do you see yourself in ten years? In ten years, I see myself still serving the community in which I live through my commitment to government practice. I want to continue working to expand the legal system and profession so that it represents the diversity of my state. And I want to help ensure that historically underrepresented communities are given the opportunity to engage their government.
Your current go-to for motivation? A good playlist always refocuses the mind. As a profession, attorneys tend to take themselves too seriously. So, I seek inspiration outside of my work, whether it’s through music, meditation, exercise, time with close friends, a creative work of fiction, or volunteering. I refill my cup by stepping outside of my everyday into something new and different. It renews my sense of wonder, interest, and engagement.