Sylvania W. Woods Black Alumni Homecoming Event a Success
Inaugural Black Alumni Homecoming event highlights the future of diversity and access to justice in the legal profession
Nearly 100 Black alumni, current students, faculty, and staff gathered to celebrate the inaugural Black Alumni Homecoming at American University Washington College of Law (AUWCL) in honor of Sylvania W. Woods, an alumnus who made significant contributions to the field of law. The event continued a twenty-three-year tradition of honoring Woods and highlighting the achievements of Black lawyers.
The theme of this year's event was "Building on Our Legacy: Expanding Access to Justice and Supporting the Next Generation of Black Lawyers," which aimed to discuss the current state of access to justice, community service, and ensuring the success of the next generation of Black lawyers.
The event consisted of two panel discussions. The first panel, "The Future of Diversity in the Legal Profession," was moderated by AUWCL Professor of Law Lia Epperson. The panel featured William Barrow '08, a Partner at Mayer Brown; Sherry D. Soanes '97, President of BLS Inclusion Mentors LLC and Trial Attorney at the U.S. DOJ; and Veronica Venture '90, Deputy Officer/Director for EEO & Diversity at the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, DHS. The panelists discussed the current state and future of diversity in the legal profession and shared their experiences and insights on the matter.
The second panel, "Public Service and Access to Justice," was moderated by AUWCL Professor of Law Brenda Smith. The panel included Ebise Bayisa '05, Senior Attorney Advisor at the Office of the Pardon Attorney, U.S. DOJ; Abre' Conner '12, Director of Environmental and Climate Justice at the NAACP; Alex Johnson '05, Vice President of Public Affairs at Bryson Gillette; Charles Ross '16, Practitioner-in-Residence at Community Economic and Equity Development Clinic, and founder of Charles Ross Law, PLLC; and At-Large Councilmember Robert White '07, of the D.C. Council. The panel discussed the importance of public service and access to justice, as well as the current challenges in ensuring equal access to justice for all.
The highlight of the event was the keynote address by Massachusetts State Senator Lydia Edwards '06, who emphasized the importance of diversity and access to justice in the legal profession. She spoke about her experiences as a Black lawyer and highlighted the need for greater diversity in the legal profession and equal access to justice for all. She was the recipient of the event's North Star Award, given to someone who has markedly impacted the greater community.
"Growth happens not on your time clock... oftentimes it happens when you least expect it," Edwards said. "Being prepared for those moments with the education you're getting now, with the lifelong friends that you will meet, the mentors that you will meet along the way, and the guardian angels that you have no idea are fighting for you... those are the things that you will find when you look back."
Dean Fairfax's fireside chat, titled "Pillars of Our Legacy," featured a discussion with Jaqueline Jackson '74, The Honorable Gerald Bruce Lee (Ret.) '76, and the Honorable Reggie B. Walton '74. The panelists discussed their experiences as Black lawyers and judges and shared their insights on how to build a stronger and more diverse legal profession.
The event concluded with a student and alumni networking reception and awards ceremony. During the ceremony, AUWCL Professor Angela Davis gave a tribute to Midwin Charles '99, a prominent television legal analyst and social justice attorney who had attended every Woods event before her passing in 2021. She also introduced the first recipient of the Midwin Charles Endowed Scholarship, first-year student Nyia McCree. The Black Alumni Association presented the Joseph H. Hairston Award to Ebony Scott '06, Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Black Law Students Association presented the Rising Star Award to graduating student Sophia Hines '23.
Several attendees shared their thoughts and experiences about the event. Francesca Gross '20 said, "It was amazing to hear the encouraging stories and get that advice to keep going and have perseverance, especially as a Black attorney." Airial Smith '19 also expressed her excitement, saying, "It was so great to see all the alumni – some of my old friends, and meet some of my new colleagues." Leon Stern '20 described the event as "glorious, Black excellence, and hopeful for the next generation of lawyers." Their words reflect the event's purpose to celebrate the legacy of Black lawyers while discussing ways to expand access to justice and support the next generation of Black lawyers.
The event highlighted the need for greater diversity and equal access to justice in the legal profession and celebrated the achievements of Black lawyers and their contributions to society.
View the event photo album here.
~Story by Keith Pierce. Photos by Amy Hart