REMEMBERING THE PAST, CELEBRATING THE PRESENT & EMBRACING THE FUTURE

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION EFFORTS

B Y N I Y A F O N V I L L E S WI N T | C O M M I T T EE F O R D I V E R S I T Y , E Q U I T Y & I N C L U S I O N I M M E D I A T E P A S T C H A I R

Editor's Note: This article is reprinted from the Third Quarter 2021 Bar Flyer, updated with information for the rescheduled celebration and comments from the current CDEI chair.

JOIN THE COMMITTEE FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION (formerly the Leadership Development Committee), as we celebrate 10 years of great work toward pushing the conversations of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) within the legal profession forward. To commemorate this milestone, the CDEI invite you to a social on Thursday, October 13 at the WCBA and Tenth offices, 5:30 - 7 p.m. for food, fun and fellowship. There will be a 15-minute short program, but the majority of time will be spent socializing and networking with peers. Our theme, Recognizing the Past, Celebrating the Present and Embracing the Future, will take us on a journey down memory lane as well as focus on walking boldly into the next season of what’s to come in DEI work within the legal profession. Each part of this event, from marketing to final program execution, will center around these three areas.

THE PAST In order for our bars to fully appreciate where we are and appropriately prepare for future DEI work, we must acknowledge where we’ve been and who led the way. To that end, we will revisit the past by honoring CDEI’s leaders: Ted Edwards, the WCBA President who started the conversation, and its six past chairs, Day Matthews, Benn Brewington, Jane Paksoy, Judge Vince Rozier, Yvonne Armendariz and Niya Fonville. As with any endeavor, an organization’s leader sets the tone for the group’s work. CDEI is fortunate to have a well-respected, dedicated attorney who laid the foundation. What better way to recognize the Committee’s past than with a chat with Mr. Ted Edwards himself?

What prompted you to organize LDC and why was it important to you to focus on Leadership Development? I wanted to create a systematic pathway to increase diversity in bar leadership. I wanted to help the Wake County Bar identify and nurture minority lawyers in areas outside of programs that were specifically targeted towards minority lawyers. I wanted to see more minority lawyers speaking at CLEs within their practice area and leading the various bar committees. My experience had been that these things did not just happen organically, so I felt it was necessary to create a committee with the responsibility for identifying problems which hinder inclusion and opportunities for making positive change within our Bar.

The program’s theme is Remembering the Past, Celebrating the Present, and Embracing the Future. What do you envision for the WCBA specifically, and the legal profession generally, in the space of DEI over the next 10 years?

of change. Diversity benefits everyone, especially our clients and the community that we serve. I hope that everyone will feel welcomed and respected both in the WCBA and in our profession generally.

How do you think contributing to the endowment can help the WCBA reach thesegoals?

It takes money to make progress. The WCBA endowment allows the WCBA to invest in programs supporting equity and inclusion. Our participation gives us the right to hold the WCBA accountable and encourage the WCBA to continue to invest in furthering these efforts.

What message do you have to attorneys who wish to be allies in the space of equity and inclusion? Speak up! I think that most attorneys want progress in this area but many are hesitant to confront their friends or colleagues when they see bias occurring. It may seem risky to confront someone when they are not being directly affected by the behavior, but our profession often requires us to take action when we become aware of violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct. I believe that we have a duty to our profession and to each other to take action to rid our profession of discrimination. We don’t have the luxury of looking the other way. We have a responsibility to make things right.

As a veteran attorney, what message can you share with attorneys from minoritized identities as they continue navigating a profession that was created without them in mind?

Set your goals and make a plan to get there. There are many people that will help you get where you want to go, but you have to be willing to ask for help and take risks. Success is rarely a straight line, but it is obtainable if you are persistent, humble enough to accept advice and assistance, and willing to learn from your mistakes.

Ted’s insight and vision began CDEI’s journey, and subsequent chairs helped it expand and grow. While we will highlight the chairs in the coming weeks, we would like to acknowledge them in this publication and share some of their thoughts on the committee and its work.

Committee for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Leadership

Day Matthews | 2012 - 2014 Benn Brewington | 2015 Jane Paksoy | 2016 Judge Vince Rozier | 2017 Yvonne Armendariz | 2018 - 2019

Niya Fonville Swint | 2020 - 2021 Tawanda Foster Artis | 2022

THE PRESENT The second prong of this celebration involves highlighting the committee’s work, including its recent shift in focus. I asked past chairs to relay a memorable achievement or activity during their tenure. Responses included:

Having the committee’s first inaugural event – a panel discussion on the importance of diversity and inclusion in our profession and our association, followed by a reception. The event took place at the Center of Architecture and Design downtown. Phyllis Picket moderated the panel, which included Yvonne Armendariz, Gabriel Jimenez, Christina McCoy, Benn Brewington and David Baker. We had around 50 members attend. For our first event, it was a hit! - Day Matthews

Our committee had an incredible time during our headline social events in 2018 & 2019. In 2018, our social mixer was held at the NC Museum of Art for the screening of Black Panther. We enjoyed music, drinks, and light hors d’oeuvres from Iris Restaurant as well as a Wakanda-inspired fashion show. Our event was so much fun, we were one of the last groups to leave the museum! In 2019, our committee held a Camaraderie + Connections social event in conjunction with the WCBA’s Social Committee. The social began with drinks and light fare at Jose & Sons Bar & Kitchen followed by games and friendly competition at Boxcar Arcade. We had great participation from our Wake County Superior and District Court judges as well as from attorneys from our bar. Many bragging rights were earned that evening at the arcade! - Yvonne Armendariz

Where do I begin? In 2020, two accomplishments stand out. First, the name change itself. Using the foundation of credibility past chairs laid, our members felt it was time to unequivocally indicate who we are—a group aiming “to guarantee that our bar creates and maintains an environment of inclusivity, in words and deed, where members’ voices are heard, experiences acknowledged, and contributions valued.” The second was CDEI’s partnership with the Bench Bar Committee for a collaborative community forum and CLE. Legal Niya Fonville Swint professionals who engage with Wake County courts were invited to identify blind spots in interactions between the courts and its personnel and historically under-supported communities. More importantly, 60+ practitioners came together for a facilitated discussion to propose solutions to the blind spots. This resulted in a 4-page report and recommendation being submitted to Senior Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway. In 2021, a highlight [was] awarding [the] CDEI inaugural Equity Champion recognition. While the final execution happened within my tenure, this is a prime example of leaders paving the way. An annual award was Yvonne’s desire, so I was thrilled when it became reality. It serves as a reminder that delayed is not denied, which is helpful on this journey of DEI work. - Niya Fonville Swint

THE FUTURE Finally, we will embrace our future through action. CDEI has decided to include a voluntary giving component to this celebration during the October 13 social. We intend to build the Wake County Bar Foundation’s endowment, which currently awards annual scholarships to law students with Wake County ties. Executive Director Whitney von Haam shares: “[a]s the foundation is being reorganized and is trying to grow, the hope is that we will be able to broaden that reach and impact.” With a mission to be “lawyers serving our community by promoting justice,” the Foundation intends to achieve this by: • Providing grants to Wake County-based organizations with projects and services that serve the public, provide access to justice, or promote the rule of law; • Supporting programs that enhance professionalism, well-being and collegiality among Wake County lawyers; or • Awarding scholarships to law students with Wake County ties.

If we want to have long-term impact in the profession’s DEI work, then we must support community partners, educate lawyers on DEI issues, and help remove the financial barrier of entering the profession. CDEI intends endowment contributions from our 10-year celebration be used to advance these goals.

When asked what they envision for the WCBA or the legal profession in the space of DEI over the next 10 years, chairs offered:

The next decade will be filled with opportunities to meet the challenges of the past. The divisions revealed last year have highlighted the unfulfilled promise of our nation. We have been reminded of the imperfections of our Union. Meanwhile, we have been able to see how our professional service and [CDEI] can serve our legal community. I expect that we will meet this challenge directly. - Judge Vince Rozier

At our local WCBA level, I see us being at a place where we’ve successfully fought off DEI fatigue (you know, that place where so much attention is paid to issues of diversity that at some point folks become disengaged) and are continuing our efforts to acknowledge and yes, celebrate our DEI wins, just as we are doing with this upcoming celebration. Having successfully fought off this fatigue, I envision us being an organization that continues to show its intentionality by reaffirming, year after year, a strategic plan that places DEI at the top of its priority list. - Day Matthews

Finally, when asked how building the endowment can help ensure what we envision is realized, thoughts included:

scholarships have on promising law students who will soon become practicing attorneys. The need demonstrated by applicants is staggering. Building the endowment will allow us to grant more aid to more applicants and further the WCBA’s impact. - Jane Paksoy

The WCBA can meet the challenges of the future by learning from its past while also reevaluating its present culture. In doing this, [the] WCBA has proactively taken steps to promote the advancement of our profession by establishing an endowment. The endowment further supports our ongoing efforts. It allows space and backing to promote those entering the profession who will represent the future of our profession with the mindset of addressing the past. - Judge Vince Rozier

It is important to invest in the long-term success and sustainability of diversity, equity and inclusion principles within our bar. Diversity increases not just operational and organizational performance, but it also fosters more group innovation, creativity, and satisfaction. Having an endowment dedicated to DEI goals will ensure the sustained support of these principles for our members. - Yvonne Armendariz

Tawanda Foster Artis Tawanda Foster Artis, the current chair of the CDEI, is excited about the future of CDEI and building on the contributions of the past leaders and chairs who saw the need and answered the call to move this organization forward in its efforts around inclusivity. Tawanda’s progressive vision for advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the legal community is rooted in building consensus and finding common ground that also acknowledges the need for everyone to engage in this work. Minority attorneys cannot and should not bear the weight of advancing these issues alone. As we continue to move forward we are looking to our allies to help shoulder this load. It will take a combined effort of all attorneys across all levels of the profession to continue to elevate equity and lead inclusively. Then, as a collective force we can work to dismantle the barriers that persist and guard against systemic injustices in our communities." - Tawanda Foster Artis

During her tenure, Tawanda is looking forward to the upcoming CDEI-sponsored breakfast CLE on microaggressions (September 21), revamping the Equity Champion award process, and reengaging practicing attorneys in the Connections mentorship program to ensure the continued development of talented law students and impact the leadership pipelines for minority attorneys. As racial and political divides have widened in recent years, it is more salient than ever that we all have a role to play in advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the legal profession. CDEI is prepared and positioned to lead the way. We hope all of our colleagues and allies will join us. As we gear up for this momentous 10th Anniversary Celebration, I implore you to get excited with us. Save the date, bring a friend and commit to promoting and advancing DEI work. WBF

("WISE WOMEN," CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE )

Carlyn Poole WCBA & Tenth, 1991 Sally Scherer Tenth,1996 Bonnie Weyher WCBA,1997

Judge Jane Gray WCBA & Tenth, 2001

Hannah cites the investment of time in these projects as challenging for her at the time as a small firm lawyer, but the reward greatly exceeded the work. "Our members work for our organizations and for our community,” she recalls. Hannah was also mindful of her example as leader, citing an incident that was a teachable moment for her about the duty of professionalism: “I watched a lawyer who had been in very lofty leadership positions treat the waitstaff at a dinner very poorly. The food was less than stellar, but rarely does the waitstaff select or prepare the food. I could not help but think about what impression he left on them in terms of how lawyers behave.”

For Christie Roeder, WCBA & Tenth President 2011, her tenure began in the aftermath of the recession of 2008: “Many practices were suffering. Previous ‘rainmakers’ in firms were suddenly struggling to bring in new business, and new attorneys faced a dismal job market. We tried to plan programs, discussions and assistance in different forms for our members, but it was their resilience and determination to get through the crisis that left me with an even stronger impression of our great members. It also reminded me of how important we are to one another.” Our ongoing WCBA breakfast discussions began during her tenure, and she remembers meeting at the Mecca Restaurant in downtown Raleigh for the first time. The discussion centered on the dissolution of a private practice and the difficulties of being in practices where a partner died unexpectantly. This topic was new not just to Christie but to the entire bar at the time: “It was eye-opening and interesting to me, and like many discussions we have had since, I felt it was one that I wished everyone in private practice had heard.” She also recalls that the WCBA executive director at the time, Alice Roman, resigned the year before her tenure. “Whitney quickly made the beginnings of her mark, and it did not take long to realize we had a new gem,” she recalls fondly.

For Ashley Campbell, WCBA & Tenth President 2017, the warm, positive, inclusive culture of the WCBA is one of its most marked characteristics: “I wanted every member to feel welcome and included in the organization. I also wanted to be intentional about promoting diversity in our committee and board leadership.” Campbell’s favorite experiences during her tenure involved areas of inclusivity and diversity: “To promote inclusivity, I asked board members to write handwritten welcome letters to each new member and had special name tags for new members at the bar luncheons so that we could welcome them. To promote diversity, I asked our Leadership Development Committee (now, the Committee for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) to help us identify new talent, which led to us recruiting and promoting more leaders of color in the organization. I also led a change in our nominating structure which encouraged members to apply for leadership positions they are interested in, thereby broadening the pool of members considered for leadership in the nominating process.” As a personal side note and as current president of the WCBA, I attribute my involvement in the leadership of the Bar to the intentional and thoughtful example of Campbell, who I continually seek out for guidance and inspiration.

Terri Gardner WCBA & Tenth, 2004 Catharine Arrowood WCBA & Tenth, 2007

Nan Hannah WCBA & Tenth, 2010

Christie Roeder WCBA & Tenth, 2011

Circling back to the earlier years of female leadership in our Bar, Carlyn Poole, WCBA & Tenth President 1991, cites three accomplishments that she remembers with pride: “We started a public service committee chaired by Jim Fuller that, in its first year, raised money to build a Habitat for Humanity house. The second was beginning a professionalism committee (Maria Lynch was the first chair) that started the Joseph Branch Professionalism Award. My year as president of WCBA also included being president of the Tenth Judicial District Bar which had grown sufficiently to be eligible to send a delegate to the ABA national meeting. I think we had to have 2500 lawyers in Wake County to meet this threshold.” Poole’s best memories, however, are of all the lawyers who pitched in on various projects and graciously contributed their time. “People almost never said ‘no’,” she fondly recalls.

Sally Scherer, Tenth Judicial Bar President 1996, admits difficulty in recalling events 26 years in the past: “What I can say is that it was truly wonderful having two presidents because the Tenth Judicial and Wake County bars are very different, and working with Keith Kapp as WCBA President was a joy. I felt extremely fortunate to be president and have many great attorneys around me. The Tenth was a very special group!”

For Bonnie Weyher, the third female president of the WCBA in 1997, her tenure was filled with wonderful memories: “The first was working with David Long. When we ran against each other, he won the Tenth and I won the WCBA - apparently by a only couple of votes each way. Working with David throughout that year was amazing. I learned a lot from him, and we formed a lasting friendship that continues today. A second great memory was presenting the Professionalism Award to my former partner Charlie Young. Charlie was an amazing man. I was the first woman attorney at Young Moore, and I had a great experience there. Many women have horror stories about being the first, but I have only the best of memories. Third would be having a dinner and roast of Jim Blount. He graciously agreed to do it in support of the WCBA scholarship fund. It was a wonderful evening. I recall that Jim’s 97-year-old mother was in attendance, and he was begging the speakers/roasters not to be too off-color or offensive.” (As a personal note, Bonnie’s memory of a dinner/roast of a prominent, local and willing attorney for a fundraiser will be a future suggestion on my part for a scholarship fundraiser—thank you in advance, Bonnie!)

Ashley Campbell WCBA & Tenth, 2017 Maria Lynch Tenth, 2018 Nancy Grace Tenth, 2019 Carmen Bannon WCBA, 2020

Judge Jane Gray, WCBA and Tenth President 2001, also confesses that after 22 years, memories fade: “As for those three which are fondest, I think of Alice Roman (and the rest of her staff!) who made my service to the WCBA possible. They didn’t panic over the Y2K silliness in which some predicted the end of the world! I so appreciated my predecessor, William Plyler, and successor, Judge Paul Ridgeway, for their advice, support and patience. Lastly, I fondly recall that as a privilege of being president, I was eligible to attend bar leadership training. I got to go to San Diego along with NC State Bar leaders including good friend, Ann Reed Dunn.” Judge Gray also recollects, “I’m proud of being the first public practice attorney who served as WCBA president and among the first group of women to hold the office. Without doubt, we have the best local bar association in the country!”

For Terri Gardner, WCBA and Tenth President 2004, her favorite memories include meeting and working with various members of the WCBA on projects: “I got to know so many attorneys, judges and other individuals active in our Bar. Executive Director Alice Roman was a highlight. She and her team did a wonderful job of guiding me through my duties as president, and there were many of them! I enjoyed our monthly luncheons and social activities. We always had excellent speaker and our bar enjoyed getting together and seeing one another.” As an additional side note, it appears that our bar’s history of having excellent speakers and enjoying getting together and seeing one another has not diminished at all!

Continuing the Bar’s tradition of excellent female leadership, I also heard from our more recent Tenth Judicial Bar Presidents: Mary Lynch 2018 and Nancy Grace 2019. Maria is currently spearheading fundraising efforts for the WCBA Foundation Steering Committee and is an integral and crucial leader in helping to create a vision and plan for our foundation’s philanthropic projects. Nancy Grace continues to be actively involved in the WCBA’s Professionalism, Technology and Nominations Committees. Nancy cites as the three most important qualities before promoting someone to a key role within the bar as (1) reliability, (2) follow through and (3) involvement with the WCBA: “With respect to reliability, I want to know if I can count on this person to attend meetings and make the necessary tasks of the position a priority. What I mean about ‘follow through’ is whether this person will complete the tasks that he/she has been assigned by the deadline without multiple reminders or micromanaging.

And lastly, regarding involvement with the WCBA, for key roles and especially for leadership roles, I think that the best predictor of future success in a key role is whether someone has been actively involved in the organization in the past. I believe that a person who has all three of these qualities is likely to do well in a key role in the bar.”

Last, but certainly not least, is Carmen Bannon, WCBA President 2020, who had the unenviable role as president during the beginning of the pandemic. Carmen was resourceful and effective in transitioning our luncheons to the Zoom platform which continue to be popular and highly attended by our members. Her quick wit and humor are always on display at the irreverent, cheeky and highly anticipated WCBA Bar Awards fundraisers.

It has been a privilege as president of the WCBA to be able to interview and learn from all my previous female predecessors. I am proud of their trailblazing examples and am humbled to not just refer to them as professional benchmarks for young attorneys, but to refer to them now as friends. WBF