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Good evening, Langston Bar Association Members, Supporters, and Friends: I want to extend a warm welcome to all of you as we gather here tonight to celebratethe success and future of the John M. Langston Bar Association. I would like to takea moment to express my gratitude to each and every one of you for your attendanceand support, particularly for your generous contributions to our scholarship fund.Tonight, we will award thirteen Black law students with $150,000 in scholarships tohelp fund their legal education. This phenomenal act of philanthropy made possibleby your support, membership, and attendance tonight is one way that this amazingorganization and its members support our mission and impact the legal community.I am honored to carry the torch of Langston into a new year of "Reigniting ourPurpose and Championing Service." In 2023, I hope to see this esteemedorganization "reignite our purpose" as attorneys to not only our Langston family, butto our clients and our community. I look forward to "championing service" byproviding support, outreach, and resources for our current members, our nextgeneration of lawyers, and the greater Black community in Los Angeles. I am confident that my leadership and the commitment from Langston’s memberscan have meaningful impact on each other and the legal community. The 2023Officers, Board of Directors, and myself are excited for the opportunity to serve.Thank you again for joining us tonight and I look forward to “Reigniting our Purposeand Championing Service” in 2023 and beyond. Cheers! Stephen A. KingLos Angeles Trial LawyerWelcome RemarksWelcome Remarks2023 President2023 President2Stephen A. KingPresident
Lift every voice and singTill earth and heaven ringRing with the harmonies of LibertyLet our rejoicing riseHigh as the listening skiesLet it resound loud as the rolling seaSing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught usSing a song full of the hope that the present has brought usFacing the rising sun of our new day begunLet us march on till victory is wonStony the road we trodBitter the chastening rodFelt in the days when hope unborn had diedYet with a steady beatHave not our weary feetCome to the place for which our fathers sighed?We have come over a way that with tears has been wateredWe have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughteredOut from the gloomy pastTill now we stand at lastWhere the white gleam of our bright star is castGod of our weary yearsGod of our silent tearsThou who has brought us thus far on the wayThou who has by Thy might Led us into the lightKeep us forever in the path, we prayLest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met TheeLest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget TheeShadowed beneath Thy handMay we forever standTrue to our GodTrue to our native landOur native land"Lift Every Voice and Sing" is a hymn that was written for the 91st anniversary ofPresident Abraham Lincoln's birthday in 1900. In 1919, the National Association for theAdvancement of Colored People (NAACP) dubbed it "the Negro National Anthem" for itspower in voicing a cry for liberation and affirmation for Black Americans, especially thosewho have been misused and abused. The lyrics also lift up the vital role that faith in Godhas played in the struggles throughout life’s journey for Black Americans. The Black National AnthemThe Black National AnthemLift Every Voice and SingWords By: James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938) Music By: John Rosamond Johnson (1873-1954)4
Dinner ServiceWelcome and Introductory Remarks...........................Invocation......................................................................Black National Anthem(Lift Every Voice)Acknowledgements......................................................Outgoing President's Remarks....................................Community Impact Award............................................Public Service Impact Award.......................................Presentation of Scholarship Awards...........................Jasmine SimpkinsMistress of CeremoniesTatianna Metters Scurlock2023 Langston Vice PresidentIbiere N. Seck2023 CAALA President-ElectDaniel Prince2022 Langston PresidentNichol WhitemanChief Executive OfficerLos Angeles Dodgers FoundationShirley N. Weber, Ph.DCalifornia Secretary of StateNyanza Shaw2020-2021 Langston PresidentInstallation of2023 Officers and Board of Directors..........................2023 President's Message............................................Political Service Impact Award.....................................Bernard S. Jefferson Judge of the Year......................Loren Miller Lawyer of the Year...................................Closing Remarks...........................................................Benediction....................................................................Hon. Rupert A. ByrdsongLos Angeles Superior CourtStephen King2023 Langston PresidentSydney KamlagerCongresswoman-electCalifornia's 37th Congressional DistrictJudge Bobbi TillmonLos Angeles Superior Court,Santa MonicaBen CrumpPresident & FounderBen Crump Trial Lawyer For JusticeJasmine SimpkinsMistress of CeremoniesEulanda MatthewsLos Angeles County CommissionerProgramProgram5
Lynette M. JonesLynette M. JonesSHAW esquireThank You to Our Generous SponsorsThank You to Our Generous SponsorsGOLD SPONSORSGOLD SPONSORSSILVER SPONSORSSILVER SPONSORSBRONZE SPONSORSBRONZE SPONSORSUNDERWRITER SPONSORSUNDERWRITER SPONSORS
To empower leadership, advance the professional development of itsmembership, and promote the administration of justice in the Blackcommunity and the community at large.2023 Officers & Board of Directors2023 Officers & Board of DirectorsOUR MISSIONOUR MISSIONStephen A. KingPresidentMelvin FeltonPresidentTatianna MettersVice PresidentChris PelhamTreasurer2023 OFFICERS2023 OFFICERS2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORSJohn Mathews IIRecording SecretaryTiffany GelottCorresponding SecretaryLudlow B. Creary IISergeant at ArmsJamilla HarrisParliamentarianMichelle AndersonChika ApakamaAmanda BettinelliEean BolesMargo BouchetNoelle BrownHon. Rupert ByrdsongErrol CookLudlow Creary IIGary FarwellJennifer FisherTiffany GelottJamilla HarrisAneiko HickersonLawrence HinkleLynette JonesTerence JonesAntonio KizzieChris MartinDamon MartinJohn MathewsTatianna MettersFelton NewellDaniel PrinceAnne SaxtonNyanza ShawKim ToneyMarjorie Williams7
Special Thank YouSpecial Thank You2023 GALA COMMITTEE2023 GALA COMMITTEENyanza ShawGala CoordinatorHon. Rupert ByrdsongLudlow CrearySheila CutchlowMelvin FeltonTHANK YOU TO OUR GALA VOLUNTEERSTHANK YOU TO OUR GALA VOLUNTEERSThe success of this event would not be possible without the supportand contribution of the Gala Committee members.Candice GreenJamilla HarrisAneiko L. HickersonKiesha MayesChris PelhamDaniel PrinceTimaiah SmithTatianna Metters ScurlockBarbara Allen WatkinsVolunteer CoordinatorOlu AgbelemoseGrace AzuikeAlayah ByersCache CummingsTravone DavisZino OsehoboTiffany PetersAmeer WaferYvette McNallyDay Of Event Coordinator8
Hon. Stanley R. Malone, Jr.Hon. Dion G. MorrowHon. Marcus O. Tucker, Jr.Carl E. JonesHon. Maxine F. ThomasHon. Robert L. Roberson, Jr.Albert DeBlanc, Jr.Anthony E. AlexanderHon. Allen J. Webster, Jr.Earl E. Thomas, Jr.Hon. Glenda VeaseyHon. John V. MeigsCharles E. Dickerson, IIIRoland L. Coleman, Jr.George L. Mallory, Jr.Rachel D. YoungHon. Eudon E. FerrellReginald A. HolmesAlvin L. PittmanJames I. Montgomery, Jr.Karen NobumotoBernie E. BrownJonathan R. IvyV. Ahda Carlisle SandsJess WomackGary A. FarwellHon. Altus W. Hudson, IIChristopher E. PrinceEulanda L. MatthewsHon. Rupert A. ByrdsongNedy Williams WarrenTanja L. DarrowJamon R. HicksLawrence C. Hinkle IIGilda Clift Breland Damon M. BrownMelinda MurrayJohn T. Anthony IIIChristiane Roussell WillisKimberly R. WillisFelton T. NewellMarie MauriceByron McLainNyanza ShawDaniel PrincePast PresidentsPast PresidentsOUR LEADERS WHO PAVED THE WAYOUR LEADERS WHO PAVED THE WAY9
We awarded more than $90K in scholarships to outstanding law students last February; After the pandemic-related hiatus, we brought back the Langston Summer BBQ;We had a record increase in Lifetime Members;We hosted meaningful legal aid clinics and workshops;We mentored high school, college, and law school students to create a larger and morediverse pipeline into the legal profession;We honored a stellar slate of legal giants at our Hall of Fame event;We recognized outstanding judges at our Judicial Reception;We partnered with other bar associations to support the California task force studyingreparations proposals and we joined amicus briefing at the U.S. Supreme Court on affirmativeaction;We hosted a forum with the new U.S. Attorney and the Federal Public Offender in the CentralDistrict of California; Our members celebrated some of the most significant trial wins in the country this year; andWe stood together amidst the many challenges we faced, forming a much tighter and morecohesive bond along the way.Welcome to the 46th Annual Installation and Scholarship Awards Gala! As we celebrate the contributions of Black Americans this month and year-round, I am encouragedby the work we did – together – in 2022. I selected last year’s theme, “leaning in to newbeginnings,” based on the history and legacy of John M. Langston, who set forth a vision for the“new birth” of American democracy. Langston imagined a country in which hard work, the pursuitof justice, and leadership with class, dignity, and determination would serve as guiding principles.Those principles illuminated our path in 2022. After years of isolation and remoteness, wereengaged our community more broadly and deeply. For instance:Put simply, we have enjoyed many successes in 2022. So, thank you for your support, and a hugethank you and congratulations to our 2022 Board for all of their hard work and dedication.I continue to be humbled by the opportunity I had to serve this bar association and I look forward tosupporting the leadership of President Stephen A. King!Onward and upward,Daniel Prince, Esq.John M. Langston Bar Association of Los Angeles, Inc. (2022 President)Partner, Paul Hastings LLPWe awarded more than $90K in scholarships to outstanding law students last February; After the pandemic-related hiatus, we brought back the Langston Summer BBQ;We had a record increase in Lifetime Members;We hosted meaningful legal aid clinics and workshops;We mentored high school, college, and law school students to create a larger and morediverse pipeline into the legal profession;We honored a stellar slate of legal giants at our Hall of Fame event;We recognized outstanding judges at our Judicial Reception;We partnered with other bar associations to support the California task force studyingreparations proposals and we joined amicus briefing at the U.S. Supreme Court on affirmativeaction;We hosted a forum with the new U.S. Attorney and the Federal Public Offender in the CentralDistrict of California; Our members celebrated some of the most significant trial wins in the country this year; andWe stood together amidst the many challenges we faced, forming a much tighter and morecohesive bond along the way.Welcome to the 46th Annual Installation and Scholarship Awards Gala! As we celebrate the contributions of Black Americans this month and year-round, I am encouragedby the work we did – together – in 2022. I selected last year’s theme, “leaning in to newbeginnings,” based on the history and legacy of John M. Langston, who set forth a vision for the“new birth” of American democracy. Langston imagined a country in which hard work, the pursuitof justice, and leadership with class, dignity, and determination would serve as guiding principles.Those principles illuminated our path in 2022. After years of isolation and remoteness, wereengaged our community more broadly and deeply. For instance:Put simply, we have enjoyed many successes in 2022. So, thank you for your support, and a hugethank you and congratulations to our 2022 Board for all of their hard work and dedication.I continue to be humbled by the opportunity I had to serve this bar association and I look forward tosupporting the leadership of President Stephen A. King!Onward and upward,Daniel Prince, Esq.John M. Langston Bar Association of Los Angeles, Inc. (2022 President)Partner, Paul Hastings LLPOutgoing President's MessageOutgoing President's MessageDaniel Prince2022 President10
In MemoriamWe recognize and remember Eric Johnson (November18, 1947 - January 16, 2023), founder and owner ofL.A. Business Printing Services. L.A. Business PrintingServices has been a long-standing vendor of the JohnM. Langston Bar Association and Mr. Johnson was avalued part of the Langston community. We send ourcondolences to his wife Sheryl, son Erik, and the rest oftheir family.Special Thank You To Our VendorsSpecial Thank You To Our Vendors2023 GALA VENDORS2023 GALA VENDORSVenueTaglyan ComplexAwardsHerman Berman CompanyStep & RepeatCelebrity Red CarpetsWebsite & Graphic DesignJAGs Graphic DesignFloristStems by MGPrintingL.A. Business Printing Services11PhotographersJarrod WilliamsDexter BrownVideographerKern LawrencePhoto BoothPixsterEntertainmentMaestro the VocalinistDJ CornbreadCigar StandThe Sommelier Company
With a relentless dedication to improving the lives of others, Nichol Whiteman is the Chief Executive Officer of the award-winning Los Angeles DodgersFoundation (LADF). Under Nichol’s leadership, LADF tackles the most pressing problems facing Los Angeles with a mission to improve education, healthcare, homelessness and social justice for all Angelenos. During Nichol’s tenure, LADF launched incredibly impactful programming including Dodgers RBI, a youth development initiative serving more than 10,000youth today. As part of LADF’s commitment to the Los Angeles community, the Foundation built 57 Dodgers Dreamfields, created a benefit gala, and increasedfundraising by 1,000% with Nichol at the helm. Direct programming is only the beginning. Whiteman also advocates for LADF to be a strong charitablepartner for nonprofits within the Los Angeles community through strategic grant making that builds capacity and reach. Collectively, Whiteman hascultivated partnerships that have resulted in more than $35 million in community investment in the form of direct programs and grant making, impacting over3 million children. With a degree in Economics from Spelman College, Nichol was the first in her family to graduate from college and has a passion for education, equity, anddiversity. Her unwavering dedication resulted in positions in investment management and publishing before beginning a philanthropic career as VP,Western Region of the Jackie Robinson Foundation. As a child of Jamaican immigrants “in search of a dream," she frequently highlights the power ofdiversity in advocating for resources and opportunities for marginalized populations. As a Black woman in Major League Baseball, Nichol understands the importance of access. She uses her resources to open doors and opportunities foryouth from all backgrounds. In addition to her professional achievements, she mentors countless men and women. With a mighty team that shares hercommitment to advocacy, Whiteman aims to deepen the impact of LADF programs and enhance the Foundation’s visibility and philanthropic influenceacross Los Angeles.A product of Nichol’s vision and unwavering dedication, the Los Angeles Dodgers is now the proud owner of an ESPY. Named the 2020 ESPN SportsHumanitarian Team of the Year, the highly-coveted award recognized LADF’s work as the team’s official charity. Celebrating the team environment thatNichol fosters internally and in the community, the Aspen Institute named LADF as a 2020 Project Play Champion for its new meaningful, and specific work.She has also helped pave the way to LADF receiving the 2020 Beyond Sport Award for Reducing Racial Inequalities, which reflects the Foundation’scommitment to strengthening communities through social justice. LADF was also a 2021 winner of the Robert Wood Johnson Sports Award for creating aculture of health.The New York native has been recognized throughout the industry for her exceptional contributions having earned the Climate Resolve’s 2021 Coolest inLA Award, the 2021 Visionary Award from the Girls Academic Leadership Academy, KJLH 2021Proven Achievers Award, 2020 National Medical FellowshipLeadership in Philanthropy Award, the 2020 Visionary Award presented by Southern California Leadership Network (SCLN), the MOSTe Motivating OurStudents Through Leadership Experience 2020 Lantern Award and KNX Heroes Award. In 2019, she was awarded the Boys and Girls Club LA AreaCouncil Champion of Youth Award. In 2018, she received the Sports Business Journal Game Changers Award and the Anti-Defamation League's DeborahAward. Her 2017 honors include Ebony Magazine's Woman Up Award, Nartey Sports Foundation Leadership Award and The Pink Tea Rose Foundation'sProgressive Leadership Award. Nichol serves on the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. She is also a member of Women in Sports and Entertainment and LACommunity Leaders, and holds positions on the advisory and regional boards of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Covington CapitalManagement, the Women’s Leadership Council, New Teacher Center, Davinci Schools Board Fund, the Positive Results Corporation, and Portal Schoolsboard of trustees. Additionally, she sits on the board of the Los Angeles chapter of Positive Coaching Alliance and serves on the YMCA of Metro LA’sSports and Impact Panel.Attracting attention from acclaimed journalists, she has been featured in outlets including Forbes Magazine and the NY and LA Times. During thetumultuous year of 2020, Nichol still found time to engage with the community during a profoundly troubling time when our nation greatly needed to hearfrom its leaders. Amidst the task of continuing on-the-ground support, she also served as a panelist and/or keynote speaker for The Future of Accessibilityin Youth Sports presented by LeagueApps, the 2020 Social Innovation Summit, MLB”s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programming and the Lunch with aLeader Series presented by the Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy to name a few. While the pandemic has undoubtedly impacted all communities, urban communities have been disproportionately suffering resulting in Nichol shiftingLADF’s operations to be part of the immediate solution. With a firm belief that each person has the power to positively impact a life, Nichol's journeycontinues to be full of inspiration and hope as she fights for young people to realize their dreams. Nichol is a Fall 2021 Fellow at the University of Southern California. She teaches a course entitled, Non-Profit Leadership: Advancing the Mission inUnprecedented Times.Nichol resides in Los Angeles with her husband Timothy and two sons, Timothy Jr. and Nicholas.With a relentless dedication to improving the lives of others, Nichol Whiteman is the Chief Executive Officer of the award-winning Los Angeles DodgersFoundation (LADF). Under Nichol’s leadership, LADF tackles the most pressing problems facing Los Angeles with a mission to improve education, healthcare, homelessness and social justice for all Angelenos. During Nichol’s tenure, LADF launched incredibly impactful programming including Dodgers RBI, a youth development initiative serving more than 10,000youth today. As part of LADF’s commitment to the Los Angeles community, the Foundation built 57 Dodgers Dreamfields, created a benefit gala, and increasedfundraising by 1,000% with Nichol at the helm. Direct programming is only the beginning. Whiteman also advocates for LADF to be a strong charitablepartner for nonprofits within the Los Angeles community through strategic grant making that builds capacity and reach. Collectively, Whiteman hascultivated partnerships that have resulted in more than $35 million in community investment in the form of direct programs and grant making, impacting over3 million children. With a degree in Economics from Spelman College, Nichol was the first in her family to graduate from college and has a passion for education, equity, anddiversity. Her unwavering dedication resulted in positions in investment management and publishing before beginning a philanthropic career as VP,Western Region of the Jackie Robinson Foundation. As a child of Jamaican immigrants “in search of a dream," she frequently highlights the power ofdiversity in advocating for resources and opportunities for marginalized populations. As a Black woman in Major League Baseball, Nichol understands the importance of access. She uses her resources to open doors and opportunities foryouth from all backgrounds. In addition to her professional achievements, she mentors countless men and women. With a mighty team that shares hercommitment to advocacy, Whiteman aims to deepen the impact of LADF programs and enhance the Foundation’s visibility and philanthropic influenceacross Los Angeles.A product of Nichol’s vision and unwavering dedication, the Los Angeles Dodgers is now the proud owner of an ESPY. Named the 2020 ESPN SportsHumanitarian Team of the Year, the highly-coveted award recognized LADF’s work as the team’s official charity. Celebrating the team environment thatNichol fosters internally and in the community, the Aspen Institute named LADF as a 2020 Project Play Champion for its new meaningful, and specific work.She has also helped pave the way to LADF receiving the 2020 Beyond Sport Award for Reducing Racial Inequalities, which reflects the Foundation’scommitment to strengthening communities through social justice. LADF was also a 2021 winner of the Robert Wood Johnson Sports Award for creating aculture of health.The New York native has been recognized throughout the industry for her exceptional contributions having earned the Climate Resolve’s 2021 Coolest inLA Award, the 2021 Visionary Award from the Girls Academic Leadership Academy, KJLH 2021Proven Achievers Award, 2020 National Medical FellowshipLeadership in Philanthropy Award, the 2020 Visionary Award presented by Southern California Leadership Network (SCLN), the MOSTe Motivating OurStudents Through Leadership Experience 2020 Lantern Award and KNX Heroes Award. In 2019, she was awarded the Boys and Girls Club LA AreaCouncil Champion of Youth Award. In 2018, she received the Sports Business Journal Game Changers Award and the Anti-Defamation League's DeborahAward. Her 2017 honors include Ebony Magazine's Woman Up Award, Nartey Sports Foundation Leadership Award and The Pink Tea Rose Foundation'sProgressive Leadership Award. Nichol serves on the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. She is also a member of Women in Sports and Entertainment and LACommunity Leaders, and holds positions on the advisory and regional boards of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Covington CapitalManagement, the Women’s Leadership Council, New Teacher Center, Davinci Schools Board Fund, the Positive Results Corporation, and Portal Schoolsboard of trustees. Additionally, she sits on the board of the Los Angeles chapter of Positive Coaching Alliance and serves on the YMCA of Metro LA’sSports and Impact Panel.Attracting attention from acclaimed journalists, she has been featured in outlets including Forbes Magazine and the NY and LA Times. During thetumultuous year of 2020, Nichol still found time to engage with the community during a profoundly troubling time when our nation greatly needed to hearfrom its leaders. Amidst the task of continuing on-the-ground support, she also served as a panelist and/or keynote speaker for The Future of Accessibilityin Youth Sports presented by LeagueApps, the 2020 Social Innovation Summit, MLB”s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programming and the Lunch with aLeader Series presented by the Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy to name a few. While the pandemic has undoubtedly impacted all communities, urban communities have been disproportionately suffering resulting in Nichol shiftingLADF’s operations to be part of the immediate solution. With a firm belief that each person has the power to positively impact a life, Nichol's journeycontinues to be full of inspiration and hope as she fights for young people to realize their dreams. Nichol is a Fall 2021 Fellow at the University of Southern California. She teaches a course entitled, Non-Profit Leadership: Advancing the Mission inUnprecedented Times.Nichol resides in Los Angeles with her husband Timothy and two sons, Timothy Jr. and Nicholas.Community Community Impact AwardImpact AwardNICHOL WHITEMANChief Executive OfficerLos Angeles Dodgers Foundation13
Shirley Nash Weber, Ph.D. was nominated to serve as California Secretary of State by Governor Gavin Newsom onDecember 22, 2020 and sworn into office on January 29, 2021. She is California’s first Black Secretary of State and onlythe fifth African American to serve as a state constitutional officer in California’s 170-year history.Weber was born to sharecroppers in Hope, Arkansas during the segregationist Jim Crow era. Her father, who leftArkansas after being threatened by a lynch mob, did not have the opportunity to vote until he was in his 30s. Hergrandfather never voted as custom and law in the South, before the Voting Rights Act of 1965, systemically suppressedvoting by Blacks. Although her family moved to California when Weber was three years old, it was her family’sexperience in the Jim Crow South that has driven her activism and legislative work. She has fought to secure andexpand civil rights for all Californians, including restoring voting rights for individuals who have completed their prisonterm. Weber attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she received her BA, MA and PhD by the ageof 26. Prior to receiving her doctorate, she became a professor at San Diego State University (SDSU) at the age of 23.She also taught at California State University at Los Angeles (CSULA) and Los Angeles City College before coming toSDSU. She retired from the Department of Africana Studies after 40 years as a faculty member and serving severalterms as department chair.Before her appointment, Secretary Weber served four terms as an Assembly Member representing California's 79thAssembly District, which includes parts of the City of San Diego as well as several cities and communities in the SanDiego region. Weber also served as a member and chair of the San Diego Unified School District and has twice servedas a California Elector, including chairing the California College of Presidential Electors on December 14, 2020.During her tenure in the Assembly, Weber chaired the Assembly Elections and Redistricting Committee, AssemblyBudget Subcommittee on Public Safety, and Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health. Weber was the first AfricanAmerican to serve as the chair of the Assembly Budget Committee. She also served as a member of the StandingCommittees on Education, Higher Education, Elections, Budget, Banking and Finance. In addition, Weber chaired the Select Committee on Campus Climate, which was created to examine and mitigate hatecrimes on California’s college and university campuses. The committee also explored student hunger, sexual assaults,homelessness, and freedom of expression. She formerly created and chaired the Select Committee on HigherEducation in San Diego County, which explored the need for an additional higher education facility in San Diego andways to improve the quality, affordability and equal access of higher education in the region. From 2019 - 2020, she served as chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), which consists of the state’sAfrican American legislators and has the goal of promoting equal opportunity for California’s African Americancommunity. Weber broke records during her tenure by garnering extraordinary support for CLBC’s efforts and itsprojects. Weber’s genuine passion and tireless quest for equality and fairness in all sectors of life have resulted in her pursuit ofreforms in education and criminal justice. Her equity-oriented legislation includes: school finance and accountability,classroom safety, ethnic studies, early learners, attendance and dropout rates, quality instruction, law enforcements’use-of-force and body camera practices, reparations, the CalGangs’ database, Affirmative Action, inclusive juryselection and instruction, predatory lending, resources for exonerees, restorative justice, racial profiling, among others.Weber has also pursued public policy changes related to health, senior citizens, veterans and military families.Secretary Weber is a mother of two adult children, three grandchildren and was married for 29 years to the lateHonorable Daniel Weber. She is number six in a family of eight children. Her Parents, David and Mildred Nash, aredeceased. Her hobbies are reading and travelingPublic Service Public Service Impact AwardImpact AwardSHIRLEY N. WEBER PH.DCalifornia Secretary of State15
A fierce advocate for justice and families, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove is proudlyrepresenting California’s 37th Congressional District which covers a diverse area within Los AngelesCounty.Born into a family of politically active creatives, Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove attended theUniversity of Southern California as a political science major and member of the Zeta Phi Betasorority. While she was at USC, the 1992 riots following the Rodney King verdict erupted. Thatcatalytic event motivated Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove to work with Rebuild LA and the LosAngeles Festival, two nonprofit organizations that advanced job creation and public arts programs torestore broken communities.Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove spent her career advocating for communities and families. In 2013,Kamlager-Dove was appointed to the Los Angeles County Commission on Children and Familiesand in 2015, she was elected to the Los Angeles Community College Board. During her time on theboard, she fought to make higher education and career training affordable and accessible toeveryone, with a special focus on underserved communities and students who were previously in thefoster care system or incarcerated.Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove successfully ran for California State Assembly in 2018 andCalifornia State Senate in 2021. While in the California State Legislature, Kamlager- Dove got herbill, the CRISES Act, signed into law. This law provides for trained, community-led teams to respondto non-violent 911 calls – instead of police – making communities safer and saving lives.She also worked to establish the California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program to helpsmall business stay afloat, coauthored the Plastic Pollution Reduction Act which would reducesingle-use plastic packaging in landfills by 75%, and authored the Affordable Prescription Drug act toprocure low-cost medicine for Californians.As a Freshman Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Congresswoman Kamlager-Dovecarries with her the experience of serving the people of Los Angeles. She will always be a strongvoice for justice and our most vulnerable community members as she continues her commitment inthe House of Representatives.Political Service Political Service Impact AwardImpact AwardSYDNEY KAMLAGERCongresswoman-electCalifornia's 37th Congressional District 17
19Judge Tillmon received her Bachelor of Arts degree and her Juris Doctor from the University of SouthernCalifornia. After 15 years of private practice, she was elected in 1994 as a Los Angeles County Superior CourtCommissioner where she served for 12 years. In 2006 she was elected, then appointed by GovernorSchwarzenegger as a Superior Court Judge. During her 27 years on the bench, she has presided over a FamilyLaw Court, a Homeless Community Court, Criminal and Civil Courts. Judge Tillmon has volunteered to serve as aTeen Court Judge through the nationally acclaimed Los Angeles County Superior Court program and has servedas a judge for the award-winning Loyola Law School Young Scholars program for high school students. JudgeTillmon Is the Supervising Judge of the West District where she is currently assigned to the Santa MonicaCourthouse hearing civil trials.Judge Tillmon has participated as a panelist and lecturer in numerous continuing legal and judicial educationprograms. She has participated on many state and national task forces, committees, and community educationprograms. She is active in the California Judges Association serving on the Judicial Fairness CoalitionCommittee. Judge Tillmon sits on Governor Newsom’s Judicial Selection Advisory Committee for the LosAngeles Region. She is a life member of the: National Bar Association (and a member of its Judicial Council);California Association of Black Lawyers (CABL) and its Judicial Council; John M. Langston Bar Association; BlackWomen Lawyers of Los Angeles, Inc.; and the Association of African American California Judicial Officers, Inc.(AAACJO). Judge Tillmon was the first President of the Association of African American California JudicialOfficers, Inc.Judge Tillmon has served on the Los Angeles County Superior Court’s Executive Committee, the DiversityCommittee and was Chair of the Access and Fairness Committee. She is a member of the Court’s OutreachCommittee for its Judicial Mentor Program. Judge Tillmon is a former member of the California Courts’ JudicialCouncil Advisory Committee on Providing Access and Fairness and is a former member of the State Bar’s Councilon Access and Fairness where she chaired the Judicial Committee.Her civic contributions have been recognized by the Sojourn Center for Battered Women and Their Children andthe Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles Foundation with their Community Service Award. Fromthe California Association of Black Lawyers, she received their Judicial Excellence Award, the President’s Award,a Judicial Council Chair’s Award and in 2019, received the Bernard S. Jefferson, Judge of the Year Award. Shealso received the Cooper-Sandoz Alumni of the Year Award from the Association of Black Law Alumni of theUniversity of Southern California and the Alumnus of the Year Award from the Black Law Students Association ofthe University of Southern California. In 2014, Judge Tillmon was inducted into the John M. Langston BarAssociation’s Hall of Fame. Judge Tillmon has received a President’s Award from the National Bar Associationand received the Raymond Pace Alexander Award at the 2020 National Bar Association Judicial CouncilThurgood Marshall Program. In 2021, she was inducted into the National Bar Association Hall of Fame andreceived a NBA Region IX Living Legend Hall of Fame Award. She has received the prestigious 2022 BenAranda Access to Justice Award presented by the California Judicial Council, California Lawyers Association, andthe California Judges Association. Judge Tillmon is married and has two adult children, and two grandchildren. Judge Tillmon enjoys traveling,photography and making jewelry.Judge Tillmon received her Bachelor of Arts degree and her Juris Doctor from the University of SouthernCalifornia. After 15 years of private practice, she was elected in 1994 as a Los Angeles County Superior CourtCommissioner where she served for 12 years. In 2006 she was elected, then appointed by GovernorSchwarzenegger as a Superior Court Judge. During her 27 years on the bench, she has presided over a FamilyLaw Court, a Homeless Community Court, Criminal and Civil Courts. Judge Tillmon has volunteered to serve as aTeen Court Judge through the nationally acclaimed Los Angeles County Superior Court program and has servedas a judge for the award-winning Loyola Law School Young Scholars program for high school students. JudgeTillmon Is the Supervising Judge of the West District where she is currently assigned to the Santa MonicaCourthouse hearing civil trials.Judge Tillmon has participated as a panelist and lecturer in numerous continuing legal and judicial educationprograms. She has participated on many state and national task forces, committees, and community educationprograms. She is active in the California Judges Association serving on the Judicial Fairness CoalitionCommittee. Judge Tillmon sits on Governor Newsom’s Judicial Selection Advisory Committee for the LosAngeles Region. She is a life member of the: National Bar Association (and a member of its Judicial Council);California Association of Black Lawyers (CABL) and its Judicial Council; John M. Langston Bar Association; BlackWomen Lawyers of Los Angeles, Inc.; and the Association of African American California Judicial Officers, Inc.(AAACJO). Judge Tillmon was the first President of the Association of African American California JudicialOfficers, Inc.Judge Tillmon has served on the Los Angeles County Superior Court’s Executive Committee, the DiversityCommittee and was Chair of the Access and Fairness Committee. She is a member of the Court’s OutreachCommittee for its Judicial Mentor Program. Judge Tillmon is a former member of the California Courts’ JudicialCouncil Advisory Committee on Providing Access and Fairness and is a former member of the State Bar’s Councilon Access and Fairness where she chaired the Judicial Committee.Her civic contributions have been recognized by the Sojourn Center for Battered Women and Their Children andthe Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles Foundation with their Community Service Award. Fromthe California Association of Black Lawyers, she received their Judicial Excellence Award, the President’s Award,a Judicial Council Chair’s Award and in 2019, received the Bernard S. Jefferson, Judge of the Year Award. Shealso received the Cooper-Sandoz Alumni of the Year Award from the Association of Black Law Alumni of theUniversity of Southern California and the Alumnus of the Year Award from the Black Law Students Association ofthe University of Southern California. In 2014, Judge Tillmon was inducted into the John M. Langston BarAssociation’s Hall of Fame. Judge Tillmon has received a President’s Award from the National Bar Associationand received the Raymond Pace Alexander Award at the 2020 National Bar Association Judicial CouncilThurgood Marshall Program. In 2021, she was inducted into the National Bar Association Hall of Fame andreceived a NBA Region IX Living Legend Hall of Fame Award. She has received the prestigious 2022 BenAranda Access to Justice Award presented by the California Judicial Council, California Lawyers Association, andthe California Judges Association. Judge Tillmon is married and has two adult children, and two grandchildren. Judge Tillmon enjoys traveling,photography and making jewelry.Bernard S. JeffersonBernard S. JeffersonJudge of the YearJudge of the YearHONORABLEJUDGE BOBBI TILLMONLos Angeles Superior Court, Santa Monica
Listed amongst the Most Influential People of 2021 by TIME100, Ebony Magazine’s Power 100 Most Influential AfricanAmericans, The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Lawyers, and the 2014 NNPA Newsmaker of the Year, Attorney BenCrump is referred to as “Black America’s Attorney General.” Through a steadfast dedication to justice and service,renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Benjamin Crump has established himself as one of the nation’sforemost lawyers and advocates for social justice. His legal acumen has ensured that those marginalized in Americansociety are protected by their nation’s contract with its constituency. He is the founder and principal owner of BenCrump Law.Crump’s tireless advocacy has led to legislation preventing excessive force and developing implicit bias training andpolicies. He has represented families in several high-profile civil rights cases including Trayvon Martin, who was killedby a neighborhood watch volunteer in Sanford, Florida, in 2012; Michael Brown, who was killed by a law enforcementofficer in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014; and Stephon Clark, who was killed by police officers in Sacramento, California,in 2018. Crump represented 9 of the 13 black women who were victims in the Holtzclaw Oklahoma City Police rapecase in 2015 and worked on the precedent-setting U.S. Supreme Court case involving excessive police force againstRobbie Tolan in 2008. Most recently, Attorney Crump has represented the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor,George Floyd, the residents of Flint, Michigan, who were affected by the poisoned water of the Flint River, as well asthe family of Henrietta Lacks in a landmark reparations case. Crump has helped reach historic settlements and verdictsfor families that have faced injustices. Crump won a $411 million verdict for Duane Washington who was horriblyinjured in a truck accident, he helped reach a $641 million settlement for the children of Flint, Michigan, he reached a$27 million settlement for the family of George Floyd, a $12 million settlement for the family of Breonna Taylor, andover $200 million in settlements in banking while Black cases, among others.Crump is the President of the National Civil Rights Trial Lawyers Association and previously served as President of theNational Bar Association. He was the first African-American to chair the Florida State University College of Law Boardof Directors and is the founder and director of the Benjamin Crump Social Justice Institute. In 2021, St. ThomasUniversity College of Law, one of the most diverse law schools in the nation, announced the Benjamin L. CrumpCenter for Social Justice in his honor, which will open doors for minority students pursuing law degrees.Among dozens of accomplishments, Attorney Crump has been recognized with the NAACP Thurgood Marshall Award,the SCLC Martin Luther King Servant Leader Award, the American Association for Justice Johnnie Cochran Award,and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Eleanor Roosevelt Medallion for Service. He hosted the critically acclaimed legal docudramas “Evidence of Innocence” on TVOne and “Who Killed Tupac:The Search For Justice” on A&E, and served as executive producer and writer for the documentary, “Woman inMotion,” about Nichelle Nichols, one of the first African-American TV actresses. He is a frequent contributor toMSNBC, CNN, and USA Today. Crump’s book, published in October 2019, Open Season: Legalized Genocide of Colored People, reflects on thelandmark cases he has battled, and how discrimination in the courthouse devastates real families and communities. Crump graduated from Florida State University and received his law degree from FSU College of Law. He is married toDr. Genae Angelique Crump.Loren MillerLoren MillerLawyer of the YearLawyer of the YearBEN LLOYD CRUMPPresident & FounderBen Crump Trial Lawyer For Justice22
Thank you to the Scholarship DonorsThank you to the Scholarship DonorsTHANK YOUTHANK YOU2023 SCHOLARSHIP DONORS2023 SCHOLARSHIP DONORSLangston Bar is proud to award $150,000 in law student scholarships tonight at the 2023 Langston Gala. Twoof the awarded scholarships will be presented in honor of Past Presidents Karen Nobumoto and Kimberly Willis Gagnier who we lost in 2022.Karen NobumotoApril 1, 1952 - May 10, 2022Kimberly Willis GagnierMay 3, 1971 - April 21, 2022Victor GeorgeCarl DouglasKevin MahoneyGeorge MalloryV. Ahda SandsSamer HathoutMia YamamotoKevin MahoneyJames MontgomeryDennis EllisBernie BrownSo Cal EdisonFavarote Law FirmAlexander Morrison + Fehr LLPTrial Lawyers UniversityThe Reape-Rickett Law FirmLaPolt Law, P.C.Nguyen Theam Lawyers, LLPLimNexusLegally FitKaren Page Book ScholarshipJudge Kelvin FilerKevin McKessonAll Dues Paying Langston Members(100% of membership dues are allocated to the Langston Scholarship Fund) Scholarship Recipient Tables donated by Latham Watkins and Alicia Schwarz.Volunteer Table donated by Nguyen Theam Lawyers, LLP.24
graduating, Anisa worked at the biggest and most lucrative recording label in the world,Universal Music Group. There she gained experience and grew her network working as alegal assistant to the Senior Vice Presidents of Republic, Island, and Def Jam Recordings.Anisa currently attends Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, California. AtThomas Jefferson School of Law, she is an Entertainment Law fellow, and an activemember of the Law Review. She also serves as the secretary of the Black Law StudentAssociation, while also being the Communications Director for her region of the NationalBlack Law Student Association. After graduating and passing the bar, Anisa will start herown law firm where she will be protecting the rights and intellectual property of artist andmusicians. ANISA K. ABRAMSThomas Jefferson School of LawAnisa K. Abrams is a second- year law student from Newark,New Jersey. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts as a vocalistfrom Berklee College of Music with a concentration in MusicBusiness. It was at Berklee that she realized she had more of apassion for the protecting artist than being an artist. After Scholarship RecipientsScholarship RecipientsGRACE JACKSONPepperdine Caruso School of LawGrace Jackson is currently a second-year law student atPepperdine Caruso School of Law, located in Malibu,California. Her educational background includes a high schooldiploma from Crossland High School (Temple Hills, Maryland),where she graduated as Valedictorian of her class, and a B.A. in Political Science from Hampton University (Hampton, Virginia). At Hampton, Grace spentmuch of her time volunteering, holding leadership positions in student organizations, andpraise dancing for the campus ministry. Her love for music and movies has driven her toattend Pepperdine and pursue a career as an entertainment lawyer. At Pepperdine, Graceis a member of the Black Law Student Association, the Palmer Center fellowship program,and the Entertainment Law Society. As a first-generation law student, Grace values theopportunity to network with professionals and learn valuable information that can prepareher to successfully protect the interests of entertainers. 26
JOAN KOMOLAFE UCLA School of Law Joan Komolafe is a second-year law student at UCLA Schoolof Law interested in entertainment, public policy, andintellectual property law. Before joining UCLA School of Law,Joan served as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer,gaining valuable cross-cultural competence. Based in the mission to provide and strengthen access to legal aid for marginalized groups in theregion. During her first year as a law student, Joan was one of only 30 students selected toparticipate in UCLA's Public Interest Law and Policy Program, which helps students refinetheir skills in client advocacy. During her 1L summer, Joan split her time, spending the firsthalf as a Summer Legal fellow at Yale Law School's Jerome N. Frank Legal Services clinic.At Yale Law School, she worked directly with local clients on legal issues regarding federaltax compliance and IRS documentation. She spent the second half of her summer refiningher understanding of corporate law through an internship with the Association of CorporateCounsel's Southern California chapter. As a 2L, Joan's coursework now includes clinicalwork in the UCLA School of Law Voting Rights Clinic. The Voting Rights Clinic focuses onstrategies to strengthen the representation of marginalized communities throughout theUnited States. Through courses like Digital Wars, she has also focused on learning how touse copyright and intellectual property laws to protect the rights of new inventors in the ever-changing digital landscape. As a first-generation law student, Joan hopes her experience inlaw school will help her contribute to the legal profession by serving as a mentor, rolemodel, and pipeline for diverse candidates.informed her decision to pursue a legal career representing talent.As a member of Loyola's Black Law Students Association and Woman in Entertainment LawSociety, Justicce is also extremely passionate about community. She endeavors to workwith creatives and innovators of color to increase the economic empowerment of BIPOCcommunities through zealous advocacy for diversity and equality in all facets of theentertainment industry. Eager to get started, she spent this past summer with ARS IPCounsel analyzing how traditional music agreements can be exploitative of emerging talentand studying the importance of copyright law in the music industry from a practical sense.JUSTICCE LABARRIELoyola Law SchoolA graduate of California State University, Northridge, JusticceLaBarrie is a third-year law student at Loyola Law Schoolfocusing on Intellectual Property Law. Her background in musicaltheater and dance taught her early on about the power ofstorytelling and the arts. This, coupled with an interest in the law,Scholarship RecipientsScholarship Recipients28
KAMILAH MIMSUCLA School of LawKamilah Mims is a third-year dual degree law and public policystudent at the University of California, Los Angeles. Shereceived her Bachelor of Arts from the University of California,Berkeley in 2018. At the UCLA School of Law, Kamilah is amember of the Epstein Program for Public Interest Law and Policy and the Critical Race Studies program. She also is a staff member of the UCLA LawReview and is the Academic Chair for the Black Law Students Association. Kamilah hascontributed to the drafting of legislation as a member of the Restorative Justice LegislationWork Group and is also a board member of the Prison Accountability Project, which recentlypublished a report on California state prison conditions during the Covid-19 pandemic.Through attaining a Master of Public Policy and Juris Doctor degree, Kamilah hopes tocreate systemic change that promotes human dignity and advances the liberation ofoppressed communities through thoughtful, equity-driven public policy.At Elon, Derrick was recognized for his research, as an Elon College Fellow, and for hisleadership in public service, as a 2019 Harry S. Truman Scholarship finalist. Derrick servedin Student Government, and was selected as one of four students on the Elon StrategicPlanning Committee to represent students’ interests in developing the 10-year Universitystrategic plan. At UCLA, Derrick is a member of the Black Law Students Association(BLSA) and the Queer and Trans People of Color Collective (QTPOCC). During his 1Lsummer, Derrick clerked with the Equal Justice Society, where he prepared research andbriefs for race-based impact litigation cases. During the spring semester of his 2L year,Derrick externed with the Center for Public Research & Leadership (CPRL) at ColumbiaUniversity as a graduate consultant for an education organization supporting the needs ofmarginalized students in Houston, Texas. Last summer, Derrick worked as a summerassociate at Kaufman Lieb Lebowitz and Frick LLP, a complex civil litigation boutique inNew York City, where he collaborated with attorneys to develop and execute strategies forcases ranging from disability discrimination in schools to police brutality. Derrick currentlyserves as a Civil Rights Fellow at the Law Offices of Do Kim, APLC in Koreatown. DERRICK LUSTERUCLA School of LawDerrick Luster is a 3L at the UCLA School of Law, earningspecializations in Public Interest Law & Policy and Critical RaceStudies. Derrick graduated from Elon University in 2020 with aBachelor’s degree in Political Science, having minored inSociology and African & African-American studies.Scholarship RecipientsScholarship Recipients30
KENNEDY MYERSUC Irvine, School of LawKennedy R. Myers is a 3L student at UC Irvine, School of Lawand a proud Angeleno. She graduated from Santa ClaraUniversity in 2020, with a degree in Political Science andCommunication. While at Santa Clara University, Kennedyserved as the Director of the Multicultural Center. Kennedywas a member of the IPAT Clinic at UCI and presented to Public Defenders in California,New York, and Minnesota about ending the use of rap lyrics in criminal trials. Sinceattending UCI Law, Kennedy also has served as the 1L representative for UCI Law’sDiversity Equity and Inclusion Committee, the co-chair for BLSA, and a member of the UCIaffinity council. Kennedy has also had the amazing opportunity to extern for the HonorableBobbi Tillmon.Black Law Students Association. Additionally, Phillips co-developed and co-facilitated aworkshop on “Anti-Racist Organizing in the Classroom” for first-year CRS students. She isSpecial Graduate Assistant Tutor and Research Assistant for her first-year Torts professor.Phillips received her B.S. in Physics and Political Science from California State University,Bakersfield, and her M.A. in Teaching, Secondary Education Physical Science from NationalLouis University. Before attending law school, Phillips had a fourteen-year career as aneducator.Phillips is most proud of being named 2008-2009 Teacher of the Year by her students.Phillips is interested in pursuing a career in intellectual property law with a focus on patentprosecution and litigation. She hopes to maintain a robust pro bono practice and remain trueto her commitment to serve and uplift her community. Phillips will work at Perkins Coie SanDiego for the summer of 2023 in their patent litigation practice.AMETHYST PHILLIPSUCLA School of LawAmethyst Phillips is a second-year law student at UCLA Schoolof Law specializing in both Critical Race Studies (CRS) and Lawand Philosophy. She is on the faculty Equity, Diversity, andInclusion Committee as well as the student hiring committee.Phillips mentors first-year law students through CRS and theScholarship RecipientsScholarship Recipients32
COURTNEY TAYLORThomas Jefferson School of LawCourtney is a 2L at UCLA School of Law. Guided by herfamily’s experiences with the criminal legal system, Courtneyhas spent much of her professional and academic endeavorslearning more about the criminal legal system to become anadvocate for families like hers and contribute to developingalternatives to incarceration. Most recently, Courtney externed at the Office of the FederalPublic Defender, Central District of California, in the Non-Capital Habeas Unit and theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Before law school, Courtney earned aMaster of Public Policy from UCLA and studied the design and implementation of the RapidDiversion Program in the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office for her thesis. Priorto returning to school, Courtney worked in government and nonprofits advancing civil rights,criminal legal reform, and improving government operations.worked as a resident assistant, tour guide, and orientation advisor, was a member of theUCSB Cheerleading Team, completed the College of Letters and Science Honors Program,and wrote an honors thesis for the Black Studies Department. Stallworth also won the“Michael D. Young Engaged Scholar Award” for his principled leadership and scholarlyknowledge through his time at UCSB. Upon graduating from UCSB, Michael worked as anApplication Reader for UC Santa Barbara, a law clerk at Boucher LLP, where he assisted onsexual abuse cases against California Catholic Clergy members and employment lawmatters, and completed the SEO Law Fellowship, where he interned at Hogan Lovells USLLP. Currently, Michael is a 1L at UCLA School of Law. During his time at UCLA, Michaelhas served as 1L President, 1L Rep for BLSA, on the Dean’s Student Advisory Committeefor the Technology Student Advisory Group, is a Glazer Scholar through the Critical RaceStudents Program, is a student volunteer for the Labor and Economic Justice Clinic andWorkers’ Rights Clinic, and is a tour guide. Michael’s goal is to become a legal academicand attorney, where he will focus on the areas of litigation, civil rights, education policy, andpolicing.MICHAEL STALLWORTHUCLA School of LawMichael Stallworth received degrees in Sociology and BlackStudies from UC Santa Barbara in 3 years and graduatedsumma cum laude. While at UCSB, Michael co-founded a pre-law organization for Black students called Obsidian Pre-LawAssociation, completed the UCLA Law Fellows Program in 2019,Scholarship RecipientsScholarship Recipients34
JORDAIN THOMPSONUCLA School of LawJordain Thompson is a proud native of Atlanta, GA. In 2022He graduated from Oakwood University, an HBCU inHuntsville, Alabama, with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policywith a minor in Spanish. Jordain currently attends UCLA’sSchool of Law as an Achievement Fellow. His hobbies include being active in campus organizations such as the Black Law Students Association,attending UCLA football and basketball games, and playing golf on the weekends. Aftergraduation, Jordain plans to join a law firm in Los Angeles as a corporate litigation attorneyand invest in residential and commercial real estate.theater and film from California Institute of the Arts. He comes to Southwestern with aninterest in Entertainment Law. His primary focus is to ensure that black artists can be free tocreate with equal protection, fair compensation, and full ownership of their intellectualproperty. With much discourse about the entertainment industry's history of mistreating andmarginalizing creatives of color, he is dedicated to creating industry standards and customsthat are more fair and balanced. After law school, Quentin plans to collaborate with unionslike SAG-AFTRA and major companies like Universal Music Group to change currentindustry practices.QUENTIN WARRENSouthwestern Law SchoolQuentin Warren is a 1L student at Southwestern Law School andtop of his class in the SCALE 2-year accelerated program. Afterspending the last five years in New Zealand, he has returned toLos Angeles to pursue a career in law. Quentin holds a BFA inacting from Howard University and an MFA in producing forScholarship RecipientsScholarship Recipients35
an International Baccalaureate education. At the same time, her low-income public schoolswere introductory sites of racialized discipline and policing. Jaden is deeply committed toending violence against youth in schools and improving the quality of education for Blackstudents. To that end, Jaden has spent her time in law school shadowing movementlawyers at the intersections of juvenile justice and educational equity. She has also spentthe last two years working as a graduate student researcher at the UCLA Labor Centersupporting Black worker initiatives. This year, Jaden will be getting married, graduating,sitting for the California Bar Exam, and continuing her work in Los Angeles to see youthjustice initiatives and Black student achievement efforts realized.JADEN LAJYLL ZWICKUCLA School of LawJaden Lajyll Zwick (she/her/hers) is a third-year law student atUCLA School of Law, specializing in Critical Race Studies andparticipating in the Epstein Public Interest Law and PolicyProgram. Jaden proudly hails from Federal Way, Washingtonwhere she enjoyed foundational leadership development andScholarship RecipientsScholarship Recipients36
John O. AdamsKirsten AlbrechtJ. Bernard Alexander, IIIMichele AndersonSandra Jones AndersonStacey AnthonyLarkin ArnoldNedra AustinShauna Bain SmithSergio BentHon. André Birotte, Jr.Derrick O. BostonMargo BouchetHon. Bob S. Bowers, Jr.Bruce BrodieBernie BrownDamon BrownJanis Paxton BucknorPhilip A. Bucknor, Jr.Hon. Rupert A. ByrdsongHon. Kristen ByrdsongLatrice ByrdsongRene CampbellKatessa Charles DavisTerrye CheathemBrandon CherryHon. Carol D. CodringtonHon. Audrey B. CollinsHon. Candace CooperTanja DarrowShedrick DavisTimothy L. DavisJan DeAndradeRodney DiggsHon. Roosevelt DornFred DortonCarl E. DouglasAustin Dove Dennis EllisKashta EneasGary C. EtoVince EwingGary A. FarwellGeorge FathereeTamara Benefield FaulkMelvin FeltonKarl FenskeEudon FerrellHon. Kelvin D. FilerEmestine ForrestTiffany B. GelottLisa GilfordJennifer Fisher GoldenSamantha GrantTanya GreeneJustin C. Griffin Jamilla HarrisWilmer HarrisShae HarveyHon. Terry J. Hatter, Jr.Carmen D. HawkinsR. Sterling Henderson Charlie HillHon. Deirdre HillHon. Lynn HobbsCraig HoldenAngel James HoracekHon. Altus HudsonAluyah ImoisiliAsher IsaacsRickey IvieKimberly JaimezHon. Jeffrey W. JohnsonMack JenkinsJoshua JohnsonPhilip L. JohnsonLynette JonesTrevor T. KatendeTracey KennedyStephen KingDina LaPoltHon. Michael A. LawsonAaron LewisParis G. LewisAnslyene LloydAnthony LutiDuane LyonsJaaye Person-LynnCapri MaddoxKevin MahoneyGeorge L. Mallory, Jr.Robert MasonEulanda Matthews Marie B. MauriceNicholas J. McGrueByron J. McLainLisa McLeanMarcellus McRaeRasheed McWilliamsTatianna MettersHon. John V. MeigsJohn Meigs, Jr.James MontgomeryArthur MooreAsha MuldroFelton T. NewellQuincy NewellDr. Vanita NicholasKerry O’NeillRonnivashti Whitehead OtienoChristopher PelhamShonte PenlandJulian PettyJessalyn PinderWilma J. PinderAlvin PittmanCarla PittmanChristopher PrinceDaniel PrinceByron M. PurcellRhea L. RicardReggie RobertsDiane RobertsonRenee Delphin-RodriguezJustin SandersJames SargentCal SaundersTrina SaundersAnne D. SaxtonIbiere SeckNyanza ShawDominique SheltonV. André ShermanAlmuhtada SmithHon. Sherman SmithKito Robinson SmithElizabeth StewartBelinda D. StithDavid J. SuttonBrenda SuttonwillsVivienne SwaniganLauren ThibodeauxHon. Bobbi TillmonHon. Patricia J. TitusKimberly ToneyHon. Marcus O. TuckerRosezetta UpshawCharlene UsherAndrea G. Van LeestenLarry WallsNedy WarrenHon. Allen WebsterJohn WellerHon. Gloria White BrownBart WilliamsMarjorie WilliamsChristiane Roussell WillisJabari WillisKimberly WillisJess WomackW. Keith WyattLifetime MembersLifetime Members The John M. Langston Bar Association acknowledges the vote of confidence and supportconveyed by the commitment of its Lifetime Members.37
One of the most prominent African Americans in the United States before and during the CivilWar, John Mercer Langston was one of the first African Americans to hold elective office in theUnited States (he became Brownhelm, Ohio, township clerk in 1855), he helped establish HowardUniversity’s school of law, and he topped off his long illustrious political career by becoming thefirst black man to represent Virginia in the U.S. House of Representatives.Born the youngest of four children as a free black in Louisa County, Virginia on December 14,1829, Langston gained distinction as an abolitionist, politician, and attorney. Despite theprominence of his slaveowner father, Ralph Quarles, Langston took his surname from his mother,Lucy Langston, an emancipated slave of Indian and black ancestry. At fourteen, Langston began his studies at the Preparatory Department at Oberlin College. Knownfor its radicalism and abolitionist politics, Oberlin was the first college in the United States toadmit black and white students. Langston completed his studies in 1849, becoming the fifthAfrican American male to graduate from Oberlin’s Collegiate Department. Langston received aB.A. in 1849 and an M.A. in theology in 1852 from Oberlin. Langston wanted to become a lawyerbecause it was a profession only three black men in the nation had officially achieved nationwidein the early 1850s.In 1854, Langston married Caroline Matilda Wall, who also attended Oberlin College. From NorthCarolina, she was the daughter of an enslaved mother and Colonel Stephen Wall, a wealthy whiteplanter who freed his mixed-race daughters Sara and Caroline, and sent them to Ohio to be raisedin an affluent Quaker household and educated. An intellectual partner of Langston, Caroline hadfive children with him, one of whom died in childhood. In 1855, Langston was elected town clerk of Brownhelm Township in Ohio, becoming the firstblack elected official in the state. In addition to his law practice and activities as town clerk,Langston and his brothers, Gideon and Charles, participated in the Underground Railroad. JohnMercer Langston caught the attention of Frederick Douglass, who encouraged him to deliverantislavery speeches. During the Civil War, Langston recruited black volunteers for the Massachusetts 54th InfantryRegiment, officially the country’s first African American military unit. In 1867, Langston servedas Inspector General of the Freedmen's Bureau, touring the postwar South and encouragingfreedmen to seek educational opportunities. He regularly spoke out against segregated facilities,including churches. For the first two decades of the postwar era, Langston held prominentpolitical and educational appointments.In 1868, Langston moved to Washington, D.C. to help establish the nation’s first black law schoolat Howard University. He became its first dean and served briefly as acting president of Howardin 1872. President Ulysses S. Grant appointed Langston as a member of the Board of Health ofthe District of Columbia, and he was elected its Secretary in 1875. In 1877, President RutherfordB. Hayes appointed Langston U.S. Minister to Haiti. He returned to the U.S. in 1885 and becamepresident of Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute (now Virginia State University).In 1888, John Mercer Langston ran for a seat in Congress as an Independent against a whiteDemocratic opponent. The election results were contested for 18 months. Langston was finallydeclared the winner and served the six remaining months of his term. Langston lost hisreelection bid in 1890. Partly because of his prominence, the Oklahoma Territory town ofLangston, and the college created in the town, Langston University, were named after him. Aftera lifetime of “firsts” and numerous accomplishments, John Mercer Langston died in Washington,D.C. on November 15, 1897 at the age of 67.History and LegacyHistory and Legacy 38
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