Meet Isabel Rhodes | Miss SoCal 2022 & Future Prosecutor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Isabel Rhodes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Isabel, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie. Now that doesn’t necessarily mean I jump out of planes everyday (just the two times) but I do enjoy pushing myself outside my comfort zone. Engaging in intimidating situations gives me a jolt of excitement that keeps life interesting. As cheesy as it may sound, “risk it to get the biscuit” really is my motto! If I didn’t take risks, I wouldn’t be who I am today!

Taking risks makes me feel alive, fulfilled, accomplished, and in control of my future. If I had decided to hold myself back, I never would have studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain and traveled throughout Europe. I remember telling myself, “what are you doing? Traveling alone to another country is dangerous!” However, the experience was life altering, I learned to trust my instincts, how to adapt to new environments, and made a forever friend that is now like a sister. This is just one of several examples of how risk taking ended in personal growth and self-discovery.

I’m a strong believer in challenging yourself to reach new levels of growth. In a couple of short months I will be moving to the east coast to attend law school and pursue my life-long dream of becoming a prosecutor. Risk taking played a key role in believing in myself enough to put action behind my dreams.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As someone who has been diagnosed with mental illness disorders to say my life has been an uphill battle is an understatement. I’ve had extraordinary life experiences that have been challenging, painful, and filled with sorrow. I’ve struggled with making sense of the “why” behind traumatic events and at times I doubted my purpose. Acknowledging the difficulties that come with mental illness allowed me to better understand myself and those around me, thus, giving me skills to one day become an attorney with a unique perspective.

In the past, society has not been accepting of open discussions surrounding mental health. Being a mental health awareness advocate has brought me comfort and truly makes me feel like I am part of the change I want to see. I have combined two of my greatest passions, mental health awareness and law. I’ve learned that overcoming the most awful seasons of my illness have been crucial examples of resiliency and inspiration for others who also struggle.

My goal is to continue to raise awareness while using law to help those with mental illness disorders gain justice in an unjust world.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would start off the week with a beach day at Moonlight beach and dinner at Cocina del Charro in San Marcos. The following day would consist of hiking Elfin Forest, taking pictures of the beautiful summer sunset, and an early evening bike ride. Next would be a full day at the San Diego Zoo Safari park, the giraffes are incredibly adorable! We would spend time at the farmers market in Oceanside. Lastly, I’d like to enjoy the rage rooms, axe throwing, and painting rooms at Brainyactz in downtown San Diego.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I will never stop being grateful for the wonderful attorneys at Fischer & Ritchey, LLP! Barbara Fischer and Toni Ritchey taught me many lessons ranging from career success to life lessons. They truly do it all with such grace and compassion for others.