Hispanic Heritage Month is underway and FAWL celebrates the contributions of all Hispanics to our local and legal communities. This is personal for me as I am the proud daughter of parents born and raised in Peru (Arriba Peru!). I am the first person in my family to be born in the United States but being Hispanic was not always so easy. There were very few Hispanic kids when I was in school. I ate food that was different, spoke a language at home that was different and had different customs from most of my classmates. Still, I was always inspired by the fact that my parents made a big sacrifice to leave their families and move to a country without knowing much English.
Clients hire us because they need help navigating a system that uses words and phrases that are foreign to the average person. I imagine that must be much more dauting for a client whose first language is not English. This is why it is so important to have a diverse legal community. Those things that make us unique enhance our ability to provide quality legal services to all types of clients.
I know our members are firmly committed to embracing the differences amongst us. You all inspire me with the programs you create to educate your members or support one another. Our chapters host programs for government lawyers, young lawyers, solo practitioners, new mothers, lawyers in Big Law, in-house counsel, and all types of specialty areas. Your chapters have diverse members committed to our mission of actively promoting gender equality and leadership roles. If no one has told you lately, I want to let you know that you are amazing.
To all my fellow Hispanic lawyers, “¡Feliz Mes de la Hernecia Hispana!” I plan to use this month to embrace my tan skin, enjoy my delicious Peruvian dishes, dance to my favorite salsa music, and speak Spanish loudly. I am proud of my Hispanic roots, and I am grateful to lead an association with such a diverse membership.
Jenny Scavino Sieg
2021-2022 FAWL President
