Diversity Programming 2020-2021

Dates Programming
September 1-8, 2020 Pre-Orientation Program: Five day initiative designed to strengthen the academic, professional, and interpersonal skills of incoming 1L students. Program curricula and competencies are delivered in modules and are completed by professional development and social activities.
September, 14, 2020 Inclusive Leadership Workshop: Students participated in a session facilitated by Michelle Silverthorn, Founder and CEO of Inclusion Nation on the topics of lawyers as leaders, why diversity matters, and diversity & implicit bias in the academic and legal profession.
September 15, 2020 Service Learning: Students watched a panel of Law School faculty and community partners discuss how legal education and civic engagement intersect.  Students were welcomed by the Office of Civic Engagement and received an overview of community service by Marquita Amoah. 

September 29, 2020

Bridges: The First-Person Writing Project Information Session: Student-led initiative intended to give selected students an opportunity to reflect on their unique 1L experiences with depth and nuance—and share those insights with the wider community and prospective students. Supported by the Office of the Dean of Students and the Communications Office, students will take part in an intimate roundtable series with like-minded peers where they will share their stories, develop a creative writing skillset, and produce narratives for the Law School website.
September 29, 2020 Diversity Leadership Network Kickoff: Cross-organizational advocacy group composed of executive board leaders from 9 affinity student organizations at the Law School. This group convenes monthly with the Director of Diversity and Inclusion to discuss a wide range of topics including student climate, faculty engagement, community engagement and workshops/events. 
October 8, 2020 First Generation Professionals Mixer: Mixer with first generation faculty, staff and students. This event is co-sponsored by First Generation Professionals (FGP).

October 14, 2020

Ami Gandhi and Rebecca Carter Discuss Voting Rights: Senior Counsel Ami Gandhi and Fellow Rebecca Carter at Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights discuss the current conditions of voting, civic participation in Chicago, and barriers to the ballot that especially impact communities of color and low-income voters as we approach the November 2020 election. This event was a part of our Diversity Scholars Series. 
November 11, 2020 FaculTea Conversation: An informal gathering of faculty and students to discuss current events and their impact on the Law School Community. Featured faculty: Emily Buss, Bridget Fahey, Tom Ginsburg.
November 19, 2020 A Conversation with Valerie Jarrett: Valerie Jarrett, distinguished Senior Fellow at the Law School speaks on police reform and the state of policing in the United States. This event was a part of our Diversity Scholars Series.
January 6, 2021 Diversity Month Chicago Law Partners Networking Reception: Networking reception with students and representatives from Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP and Sidley Austin LLP.
January 12, 2021 FaculTea Conversation: An informal gathering of faculty and students to discuss current events and their impact on the Law School Community. Featured faculty: William Baude, Tom Ginsburg, Genevieve Lakier, and Farah Peterson.
January 13, 2021 Diversity Month Coffee Mess: Coffee Mess hosted by Nydia Stewart, Director of Diversity and Inclusion.
January 15, 2021 Diversity Month: Diversity in Law Schools w/ Justice Goodwin Liu: ACS, APALSA, BLSA, LWC, LLSA, and SALSA hosted a conversation with Justice Goodwin Liu, an Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court.
January 19, 2021 Hearing One Another: A diversity and inclusion workshop for 1L students on how we communicate and listen to one another.  This program is a collaboration with the Office of the Provost.
January 21, 2021 Diversity Month Faith and Practice of Law: Students for Religious Liberty with the Christian Legal Society, St. Thomas More Society, Jewish Law Students Association, Muslim Law Students Association, and Dallin H. Oaks Society host a panel moderated by Professor William Hubbard.
January 25, 2021 Library D&I Reading Group: Discussion with Professor Aziz Huq on an excerpt from his article on Artificial Intelligence in sentencing.
January 26, 2021 FaculTea Conversation: An informal gathering of faculty and students to discuss current events and their impact on the Law School Community. Featured faculty: Sarah Konsky, Alison LaCroix, and Jennifer Nou.
January 27, 2021 Diversity Scholar Series: Free Expression and Inclusive Practice: A conversation on free expression facilitated by Leila Brammer, Director of the Parrhesia Program for Public Discourse.
January 28, 2021 Diversity Month Screening of "Crip Camp": DRAC and The Vincent Gambini Society host a screening of the documentary Crip Camp, written and produced by Nicole Newnham and James LeBrecht, an alumnus of Camp Jened.
February 11, 2021 Diversity Scholar Series - A Conversation with Kristin Fleschner: A conversation on navigating legal education and practice as a person with a disability with advocate and speaker Kristin Fleschner.  Co-sponsored by DRAC.
February 22, 2021

The Fourth Annual James B. Parsons Legacy Ceremony: A celebration of The Honorable James B. Parsons, '49, the first African American appointed as a life-tenured federal district court judge in the United States hosted by the Black Law Students Association.

February 23, 2021 FaculTea Conversation: An informal gathering of faculty and students to discuss current events and their impact on the Law School Community. Featured faculty: Adam Chilton, Hajin Kim, and Thomas Miles.
February 24, 2021 Annual Earl B. Dickerson Lecture: The Black Law Students Association hosted the annual Earl B. Dickerson Lecture. Featured lecturer: Karen Freeman-Wilson, President and CEO of the Chicago Urban League. 
March 29 - April 2 Black and Lavender Week: A week of programming that highlights and celebrates the presence of Black women, femmes, and non-binary folx in the legal community. Sponsored by BLSA, OutLaw, and LWC
April 14, 2021 Diversity Scholar Series: Trans Inclusion: A conversation on trans inclusion with Kara Ingelhart '15, Staff Attorney at Lambda Legal.
April 20, 2021 FaculTea Conversation: An informal gathering of faculty and students to discuss current events and their impact on the Law School Community. Featured faculty: William Hubbard, Sonja Starr, David Strauss