#BWLARESILIENT 2020-2021 Bar Year Highlights - Black Women Lawyers ...

2020-2021 Bar Year Highlights
  #BWLARESILIENT

Virtual Installation
             of the
2020-2021 Board of Directors and
    Scholarship Fund Board

2020-2021 Virtual Installation In The News!

Civil Rights Action
  Committee (“CRAC”)
      Established
In response to the murders of George
Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery,
BWLA formed the CRAC.
The CRAC mobilized and trained BWLA
members to be on the frontlines supporting
and representing arrested protestors.
CRAC       Voting       Rights    Education
Subcommittee was also developed and
provided a robust voting rights education
campaign in the Black community.
Outreach included the production of
written and video educational materials
that were disseminated via social media, by
email, and by hand. The subcommittee also
participated in the IDOC Summit of Hope,
using the opportunity to educate returning
citizens on their voting rights.

CRAC Protests the Murders
             of
George Floyd and Countless
Other Black Men and Women

BWLA Expungement & Sealing Committee
              Established

Formed to clear the records of as many eligible candidates as
       possible and provide them with a fresh start

   Increase employment, rental, financial aid, and other
  opportunities that are negatively impacted by a criminal
                           record

BWLA Responded to
the Financial Hardship
 Caused by COVID-19:

  Inaugural Law
 Student Hardship
 Grant Established
$10,000 distributed to
  20 struggling law
      students!

Partnered with the Diverse Attorney Pipeline
    Program (“DAPP”) in Support of the
    Displaced Student Stipend Fund and
            Fellowship Program

 BWLA’s sponsorship provided for two
BWLA Fellows who received a stipend and
  were selected for participation in the
          Fellowship Program

Participation in DAPP’s Corona Fellows
      Resume Writing Workshop

Joined the Chicago Bar Association’s Racial Justice
Coalition to further combat systemic racism through
  service, community engagement, and education

Annual
BWLA
Board
Retreat

Virtual 2020 Annual Fundraiser
Women of Color in Politics: Leading the Charge to Transform
                         Democracy

Fall
 General
Membership
 Meeting

Annual School Supply Drive

CRAC Virtual Townhall Series

      1                     2                   3
Part One:          Part Two: Political   Part Three:
Community          Advocacy in the       Advancing Reform
Activism           State of Illinois     in Chicago

Support of Domestic Violence Shelter

Sips
    for
Scholarships

2020 Fall Book Award
          Scholarships
Awarded $10,000 in scholarships to 10 law
    students at Sips for Scholarships

Law Student Exam Writing and
     Research Workshop

Angel Giving
           Tree
       Partnership
           with
      Salvation Army

Provided gifts to over 1,300 children during the
               Christmas season!

Virtual Fall Mentoring Dinner:
Government & Public Interest Legal Professionals

Winter
Career
Services
Workshop

Panelists from the public and private legal sectors provided
insight on navigating the job market during the pandemic

Virtual Joint
Holiday Mixer
 with BMLA,
CCBA, and IJC

Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.:
     “Just Mercy” Viewing/Discussion
                    &
Deborah’s Place Homeless Shelter Essentials
              Donation Drive

Virtual
 Winter
Warm-Up

DePaul
  University
College of Law
  Multi-Bar
 Association
     Fair

Thriving
  in a
Pandemic

BWLA Supports
UIC John
Marshall Law
School’s Black
Law Students
Association &
Demands Action
from University
of Illinois Board
of Trustees

Clips & Conversations with the Oprah Winfrey
             Network (“OWN”)

Virtual
 BWLA
 Ladies’
Night In!

Sip & Paint
     at
Museica’s

Black Partner Panel:
Building and Sustaining Your Business
        Development Network

Street Law Program

Spring Mentoring Dinner:
Corporate & Large Law Firm Practice

BWLA recently awarded $35,000 in
                scholarships to four law students
                   who submitted scholarship
2021 Spring      applications, which included an
   Essay                 essay response

Scholarships
                Scholarship recipients also were
  Awarded        interviewed by the Scholarship
               Fund Board prior to being selected

2021 Annual
  Fundraiser
 Women Breaking
 Barriers in Sports
    Leadership

  October 7, 2021
     12:00 PM

Hyatt Regency Chicago

Thank You to
Our Members
      &
Sponsors for a
 GREAT 2020-
2021 Bar Year!