My Dearest BWLA, Friends and Supporters,
I am honored to serve as the 30th President of the Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc. as the organization embarks upon its 35th year in existence! When I became a member of BWLA 11 years ago, I did not imagine being at the helm of this illustrious organization. Nevertheless, I am greatly encouraged by your trust in me and will do my best to serve your needs and represent you well this bar year.
We are moving beyond a very challenging season. We have been isolated from one another for over a year due to a pandemic. We have witnessed an insurrection of our Nation’s Capital. We have experienced increased police brutality against Blacks which sparked protests across the country and proclamations of solidarity by Corporate America. All of this has magnified the disparities in health, wealth, and safety between white and black and brown communities in the United States. We must all take some time to examine and heal from the lasting effects of these incidents in both our personal and professional lives.
BWLA will continue to provide relevant programming and events tailored to your needs as we transition to the workplace. We encourage your feedback as restrictions in Chicago and the State of Illinois have been lifted for in-person gatherings and events. There are also plenty of opportunities to serve on one of our committees. Please take a few moments to fill out the surveys below as it will help us to serve you better.
In addition to stellar programming, we will continue to be a valuable resource to our community through our signature pipeline programs and committees. Now more than ever, our community should have a resource in BWLA to address civil and human rights issues plaguing our community. We will continue to utilize our legal expertise to educate and empower the communities in which we live and serve.
Finally, this bar year we will honor and celebrate BWLA’s dynamic founders and members as we reflect on our 35-year history. Globally, Black women attorneys have moved beyond the traditional law-firm partner track and have taken their places in the boardroom, the c-suite, the New York Times bestseller’s list, and the White House. Tremendous barriers have been broken by Black women attorneys and BWLA’s members have greatly contributed to that. Throughout the year, we will reflect on the advances we have made to take our seat at tables that were not historically set for us while inspiring and challenging our members to stretch themselves beyond traditional professional pathways.
I hope you are as excited as I am about the possibilities before us this year and beyond. I encourage you to reach out to me with your ideas to make this our most successful bar year yet!
Yours in Service and Sisterhood,
Nakhia C. Crossley
2021-2022 President
#BWLABeyond