I saw a post recently on the DRI Diversity blog that impacted me at my core. It is the sort of post that some organizations would have shied away from because it raised serious issues on a diversity topic that is still very controversial for some. Instead, in subsequent days I saw other posts from DRI members lauding the author of the article for his courage to raise these important issues. This is one of the primary reasons that I gravitated toward and have been a longstanding member of DRI over any other legal organization. DRI’s commitment to diversity is real! DRI and its members have been at the forefront of these issues and I have found DRI to be an oasis in what can sometimes seem like a legal desert.
As an African American woman who has been practicing over 20 years, there are some circles in which I have not always felt welcome or appreciated. I have had to work hard to try to fit in and get ahead in a profession that I love but which can sometimes be very challenging for African Americans, especially in a large firm environment. I can remember it like it was yesterday -- the first time I attended a DRI Diversity for Success Conference in Chicago almost a decade ago. It was at a reception which was filled with people of all ages and backgrounds but who all seemed to be excited about making diversity a priority for the organization. People were warm and welcoming and I began an odyssey with DRI that would take me to the highest levels within the organization and ultimately the profession.
Ever since that first day, I looked forward to attending the Diversity for Success Conference each year. I would re-connect and solidify relationships with old friends and would get the sustenance I needed to go back to Florida to continue my drive to achieve success in the profession. Indeed, the diversity conferences became a fixture in our African American Forum budget at my prior firm and attorneys would vie for a spot on the team selected to attend. Each time I have attended the conference since that first day, I have experienced an intense feeling of belonging and have felt revived and rejuvenated. Not only have my experiences with DRI had a curative quality, I gained deep insights as well as good friendships as a result of my participation in DRI sponsored events.
I was for some time the only African American female partner in my former AmLaw 200 firm, and then later only 1 or 2 African American female partners. DRI’s diversity committee offered sometimes the only opportunity I had to interact with and bounce ideas and experiences off a variety of other African American male and female partners in large law firms. As co-chair of diversity at my prior firm, I also leaned heavily on DRI’s leadership for ideas to assist me to bring new insights to the diversity and inclusion dialog. Douglas Burrell, DRI’s current Membership Chair, has been a source of constant encouragement and inspiration. Pam Carter, who heads up the DRI’s Diversity Committee, was also a tremendously positive influence.
From my perspective, DRI should be a staple in any lawyer’s portfolio of membership organizations. For me it has been intensely personal and I have thoroughly enjoyed my association with DRI!
