Gould Associate Dean Nickey Woods (Photo by Andrew Svistunov) |
Continuing efforts to develop a culture of diversity and inclusion in law schools and the legal profession took center stage at “Intersectionality and Social Movements: A DEI Tool for Coalition Building in Legal Education,” a recent symposium co-sponsored by the USC Gould School of Law and the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) RISE Alliance. The Jan. 13 event at the law school was orchestrated by Dr. Nickey Woods, USC Gould’s associate dean for student affairs, diversity, inclusion and belonging.
From right: USC Gould Dean Andrew Guzman, PSU Dickinson Dean Danielle Conway, and Jay Austin, executive director, RISE Alliance |
“Diversifying legal education and the legal profession benefits everyone, and building coalitions among students, faculty and staff is a powerful way to enhance diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging,” she said. “There is still so much work to be done, but there is no ‘one right answer’ or ‘one size fits all.’”
TaWanda Hunter Stallworth, Penn State Dickinson Law |
Other presentations were given by Vice Dean Anahid Gharakhanian and Associate Dean Natalie Rodriguez of Southwestern Law School, on their efforts to end exclusionary admissions practices, and Woods, along with Kathy Northern, associate dean for diversity and inclusion at the Ohio State Moritz School of Law, on outcomes from DEI fellowship programs at both law schools. A student panel on activism and coalition building, featuring students from USC Gould, UCLA, Loyola Law School and Southwestern Law School was followed by a closing keynote address by Gould Professor Jody Armour.
USC Gould Assistant Dean Akita Mungaray |
Spring 2023 DEI events include the California Law 8th Annual Pathways Summit in mid-February, hosted by USC Gould, as well as a series of DEI-related events that correspond with recognition months including Black History Month and Women’s History Month, coordinated by Akita Mungaray, assistant dean of diversity, equity and inclusion and director for student affairs at USC Gould. Woods and Mungaray are also working with Gould’s affinity group leaders to explore Gould’s principles of community to ensure Gould’s law school community is actively reflecting those principles.