CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION EFFORTS BY NIYA FONVILLE, CAMPBELL UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW | COMMITTEE FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION CHAIR
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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, August 26 at the WCBA and Tenth offices, 5 - 6:30 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 we end by 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
Remembering the Past, Celebrating the Present & Embracing the Future
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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?
How do you think contributing to the endowment can help the WCBA reach these goals?
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 WAKE BAR FLYER
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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.
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What prompted you to organize LDC and why was it important to you to focus on Leadership Development?
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.
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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.
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My hope is that we can continue to accelerate the pace 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.
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?
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legal profession generally, in the space of DEI over the next 10 years?
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Committee for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion presents
REMEMBERING THE PAST, CELEBRATING THE PRESENT & EMBRACING THE FUTURE
Committee for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Past Chairs Day Matthews (2012-2014) Benn Brewington (2015) Jane Paksoy (2016) Judge Vince Rozier (2017) Yvonne Armendariz (2018-2019) Niya Fonville (2020-2021) THIRD QUARTER 2021
