CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF CDEI

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION EFFORTS

BY NIYA FONVILLE, CAMPBELL UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW | COMMITTEE FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION 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, August 26 at the WCBA and Tenth offices, 5 - 6:30 p.m. for food, fun and fellowship.There will be Remembering the Past, Celebrating the Present & Embracing the Future N VN HO 0 R VR D NC N 71 T T P 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 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? 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. How do you think contributing to the endowment can help the WCBA reach these goals? 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 T 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 Past Chairs Day Matthews (2012-2014) Benn Brewington (2015) Jane Paksoy (2016) Judge Vince Rozier (2017) Yvonne Armendariz (2018-2019) Niya Fonville (2020-2021)

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 & Design downtown. Phyliss Pickett moderated the panel, which included Yvonne Armendariz, Gabriel Jimenez, Christina McCoy, Benn Brewington and David Baker. We had around 50 members attend. Four our first event, it was a hit!" - Day Matthews "Where do I begin? In 2020, two accomplishments stand out. First, the name change itself. Using the foundation of I 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 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 a discussion to propose solutions to the blind spots. This resulted in a report and recommendation being submitted to Senior Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway.

In 2021, a highlight has been awarding CDEI inaugural Equity & "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 in conjunction with FDIVERSITY,EQUITYANDINCLUSI NEFFORTS 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 the WCBA Social and Membership committees. The social began at Jose & Sons followed by games and friendly competition at Boxcar Arcade. We had great participation from members, including our Superior and District Court judges. Many bragging rights were earned that evening at the arcade!" - Yvonne Armendariz

ANEVENTHO

THE FUTURE Finally, we will embrace our future through action. CDEI has decided to include a voluntary giving component to this celebration during the August 26 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 mission 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 today 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 MatthewsJoinusforaneveningofcelebrationaswehonorpastchairs, highlightthegrowthandworkofthecommitteeandcastvision forourfuturealongsidetheWCBAFoundation. THURSDAY,AUGUST26 712W.NORTHST.,RALEIGH 5-6:30P.M.

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

Future

"As a member of the Endowment Scholarship Committee, I see the real impact our 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, 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 As we gear up for this momentous occasion, I implore you to get excited with us. Save the date, bring a friend, and commit to promoting DEI work. WBF

ANEVENTHONORING10YEARSOFDIVERSITY,EQUITYANDINCLUSIONEFFORTS Join us for an evening of celebration as we honor past chairs, highlight the growth and work of the committee and cast vision for our future alongside the WCBA Foundation. THURSDAY, AUGUST 26 712 W. NORTH ST., RALEIGH 5-6:30 P.M.

The Wake County Bar Association & Tenth Judicial District Bar Committee for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion presents Remembering the Past, Celebrating the Present & Embracing the Future

AN EVENT HONORING 10 YEARS OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION EFFORTS

Join us for an evening of celebration as we honor past chairs, highlight the growth and work of the committee and cast vision for our future alongside the WCBA Foundation. THURSDAY, AUGUST 26 712 W. NORTH ST., RALEIGH 5-6:30 P.M.

We'd like to thank our past leaders for further supporting our continued CDEI efforts by serving as hosts for the evening: Ted Edwards, 2012 WCBA President

Day Matthews Jane Paksoy Yvonne Armendariz