Narratives of women of color in law; Part 2: Mentorship

BY BRITTNEY CHANNER

Hello Again!

Welcome back to another week filled with insightful conversation on the ideas and topics that don’t get as much press as we’d like. Real life, real stories, providing you with real solutions. Here I go sounding like the intro of some informative docu-series. HA! Anyways, I would like to continue where I last left off on with my entry two weeks ago. For those who are just joining us, I discussed some of the key points I took away from a conference I attended at the University of Windsor law school.

The conference was entitled Narratives of Women of Colour in Law and there was a panel of four lawyers of color who gave their opinions of the hardships of being a lawyer and the difficulties, whether financial or social, that surrounds being a law student of color. Themes of generational wealth, financial commitment, prejudice within the legal world and more, brought forth some thought-provoking conversations amongst current and prospective lawyers; including myself.

As I sat there and took in as much information as possible, an interesting thought crossed my mind; how come there are minimal role models within the legal profession? Now, as a disclaimer, I will say that if you are a lawyer currently volunteering your time to students who have expressed an interest in the profession; please know that you are appreciated. However, throughout the years, finding a black mentor within the legal field has been an ongoing challenge for me.

I remember back to an event I had attended in Toronto with a friend where the discussions surrounded “Getting to Know Your Rights”. What I found amazing about this event was that in attendance were black lawyers from different parts of the United States as well as lawyers from Toronto’s downtown core. For anyone who knows me personally, being in this type of environment was a dream. Being surrounded by professionals who look like you, who are all successful and have made a name for themselves in such a difficult career path is beyond inspiring to me.

However, what was first perceived as excitement, quickly turned to displeasure and astonishment as the event ran its course. The entire event felt like a big ego contest where some of the lawyers pompously expressed who they were, who they know, and why their work is important. As the discussion progressed, I noticed a foul smell of competition and ego, not amongst the common folk within the audience but by the other lawyers on the panel. At this point, I was not impressed; if anything I was sadly disappointed.

After the event, I tried to gain some feedback from some of the lawyers in attendance, on what someone such as myself should do in order to gain meaningful experience through the entire law school experience, and to my shock, only one individual was willing to chat with me for five minutes. It seemed as if everyone else I asked made me feel as if I was interrupting their precious time. This experience leads me into one of the most important points that were made at the Narratives of Women of Color in Law conference by some of the lawyers who spoke and that is, the importance of genuine mentorship.

Charlene Theodore, one of the female legal panelists at the conference discussed the importance of having a mentor that can guide you through some of the hurdles of a difficult profession. Also, being able to identify with your mentor can essentially make the process as a whole somewhat simpler knowing that someone before you has done it and made it to the end.

Throughout the years, I can say I have been mentored by some of the most brilliant minds who have helped me in my journey to becoming a legal professional. The benefits of having a mentor are far greater than one can imagine, however, due to reasons unbeknownst to me there seems to be a lack of interest by those within professional settings to give back and assist the newer generation in similar career paths.

The all too common phrase of “No one gave me a handout, why should I help you?” question continuously rings through my ears and usually finds itself as a basis for why many people do not want to help others. Nevertheless, getting past this line of thinking and helping others who are starting out in their careers is a huge sign of humbleness and helps to stimulate personal growth. The future generation relies on your useful tips, and experiences in order to create change amongst our community and within themselves.

Remember: “Somewhere along the way, we must learn that there is nothing greater than to do something for others”- Martin Luther King Jr.