Each year, Black History Month recognizes the contributions, sacrifices, and legacy of Black Americans who have shaped the culture of the United States.
During February and throughout the year, the Commission celebrates the achievements and cultural heritage of Black lawyers and judges, and highlights the work of bar associations and other legal organizations that focus on issues and barriers facing the Black community.
I recently spoke to Weeya Baysah Young, President of the Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago (BWLA). BWLA’s mission is to address issues unique to African American women in the legal profession as well as advancing civil and human rights.
Below, I asked Young about BWLA’s initiatives this year and how bar associations can encourage and empower the next generation of Black lawyers to take on leadership roles.
What is the theme of your bar year?
The Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc.’s bar year theme is “Bright. Bold. Balanced.” I selected this theme with BWLA past presidents and our membership in mind.
Black women lawyers are bright and bold while striving for a sense of balance in our lives. The path is not easy yet, as Black women lawyers, we persist with brilliance, grit, and grace.
We operate with poise as elite advocates in the courtroom and as leaders in our communities. We show up for our families while advancing as partners at law firms, chief legal officers, general counsels, and leaders of government agencies and non-profits.
We are safeguarders of justice and mentors shaping young minds – law students. Black women lawyers balance many roles and responsibilities, without losing a sense of self or our moral compass in the process.
We are Black women lawyers – bold in our convictions, bright in our legal expertise, while striving for a sense of balance in our lives. For these reasons, “Bright. Bold. Balanced.” seemed fitting.
What is one project the BWLA is working on that you are really excited about?
As the BWLA president, I am really excited, with the support of the BWLA Board of Directors and Scholarship Fund Board, to host BWLA’s Annual 2025 Spring Fundraiser Gala, “Forging Ahead: Celebrating Her Legal Prowess,” which will be held on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at the Epiphany Arts Center in Chicago.
During the Gala, which will include an evening of dining and dancing, we will honor, highlight, and recognize the successes and triumphs of Black women in the legal profession, particularly those who have forged ahead with continued strength and resilience in the face of challenging times and circumstances. We will also award scholarships to support the bright futures of law students.
This event and our monetary investment in the next generation of lawyers would not be possible without the generosity and commitment of sponsors. Please visit 2025 BWLA Spring Fundraising Gala for more information. I, along with BWLA, appreciate the support.
How do you successfully encourage and empower the next generation of Black lawyers to take on leadership roles in the profession?
My commitment as BWLA president is to lean into the “bright” component of this year’s bar theme [“Bright. Bold. Balanced.”]…our law students.
To ensure that the BWLA builds a pipeline of leaders, I found it appropriate to appoint three law students – Maryah Person, Leah Hall, and Jordan Bernard of the UIC School of Law – to serve as co-chairs of BWLA’s Law Student and Outreach Committee.
BWLA is kept apprised of law student needs and how we as an organization can assist them in their journey in the legal profession. We also provide a platform and experience for law students to serve as leaders in the organization, with the goal that they will continue post-graduation.
This approach has been extremely beneficial in fostering professional relationships between the BWLA and law students while encouraging law students to become leaders in their own right.
I am also a proponent of mentorship, which is exemplified through BWLA’s mentorship dinners and various social activities to which law students are always invited.
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