Narratives of women of color in law: Part 1

BY BRITTNEY CHANNER

Welcome back to another prosperous week filled with lots of sun and high hopes for the arrival of spring. If you’re like me, you’ve been counting down the days till t-shirt weather returns, where you will be able to bask in all the sunshine. Keep holding on Toronto, summer will be arriving at your doorsteps very shortly.

Anyways, this week I’d like to tell you about my experience attending a women in law conference at the University of Windsor’s Law school. For those who know me personally, being a lawyer is something that has been a real dream of mine for years and every so often I like to participate in stimulating discussions about the profession that I and anyone else who has a passion for law, will be entering.

This conference provided thought-provoking information as it not only spoke about issues pertaining to being a woman of color in the legal profession but it acknowledged the much-needed work that needs to be done in order to create an environment that is equity-based.

There was a panel of four female lawyers, all of different backgrounds and races. They all discussed their difficulties and experiences managing their way through law school and their careers, especially within a male-dominated profession. Topics of discussion stemmed from equal pay, acts of prejudice, racism and being true to oneself.

Out of the four lawyers on the panel, I personally connected with the story of Charlene Theodore. Charlene is a graduate of the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University where she has a background in public policy and government relations. In addition, she is the 2^nd Vice President of the Ontario Bar Association where she is the 10^th woman to fill such a role and the 1^st black woman to lead the OBA since its founding in 1907.  When speaking of her journey to law school and after completion, Charlene proudly admits that she knew at a very young age that she wanted to be a lawyer.

However, specific to being a woman of color, the challenges that Charlene faced and many other women of color in the legal profession became more apparent once they arrived at law school. Issues surrounding having other students, professors and those outside and inside of the profession take you seriously, having people make assumptions about what areas of law you should practice based solely on your race, was, unfortunately, the ugly side of the legal experience.

Nevertheless, Professor Beverly Jacobs, an Aboriginal law school professor at the University of Windsor, who was also a part of the panel, told the small audience that when faced with an individual who possessed particular prejudices, she made it her mission to sit beside them and educate them directly whether it be through holding a conversation with them or confronting them directly on their incorrect notions.

Being someone who is highly interested in this profession, I must admit her comments in this regard instilled fear within me. Dealing with other individual’s prejudices and discrimination has always been an area of challenge for me. Sitting on the fence of whether to educate or to leave someone bathing in their pool of ignorance has always been the dichotomy that has plagued my mind. For those who are thinking of a career in the legal profession, this may be a hurdle that you’ll possibly have to jump over.

Another challenge and a very important element that Charlene Theodore brought up in the discussion was the idea of generational wealth and the possible impact it had on her attaining a legal education. For many people of color, the idea of generational wealth hasn’t been a concept that has fully been attained or established in this country in comparison to other races or classes. The idea of income continues to be a barrier for many students of color and therefore the starting line into the legal realm is often unbalanced.

The idea of generational income really resonated with me in particular as I carefully took note of everything that was being said. Coming from a single parent household, I have constantly run into the question of affordability when it came to any type of higher learning. As exasperating as it may seem to answer the same question repeatedly, the difficulty remains and continues to act as the main barrier for many people of color. If you come from a family that has not generated such type of wealth, the goal may be more challenging but definitely not unachievable.

Maneuvering around such complex career choices can be exhausting, especially when you are dealing with paths that involve a high financial commitment. It is necessary to understand fully what these difficulties entail and how you can prepare yourself to tackle them head-on. No matter what the profession, there are challenges in every career choice one may take; especially being a person of color. However, with proper preparation, mentorship, and guidance, you can refrain from being consumed by them.