The Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc. (BWLA) recently raised thousands of dollars for its scholarship foundation at its annual spring luncheon held April 13 entitled, "State of the Union: The Role of Race & Gender at the Intersection of Law, Business and Human Rights." The annual spring luncheon included a panel discussion at the Hyatt Regency Chicago before 300 BWLA members and supporters. Discussion topics included how the panelists’ organizations address civil rights (nationally and internationally), the contemporary significance and impact of race/ethnicity in the United States, and the societal effect of how TV networks & other forms of media portray women and women of color. Cheryl Mayberry McKissack (President and CEO, Nia Enterprises LLC) moderated the lively discussion between the panelists, which included Chey Blake (Vice President & Enterprises Counsel, A&E Television Networks), Honorable Wiley Branton, Jr. (Pulaski County, Arkansas), Karen Ripley (Chief Legal Officer, MillerCoors LLC), and Adrien K. Wing (Bessie Dutton Murray Professor of Law, University of Iowa College of Law). With the support of BWLA’s generous sponsors, the scholarship foundation distributed scholarships to the following law students:

• Deborah Baker, Loyola University Chicago, School of Law
• Rebekah Childers, University of Illinois College of Law
• Ariel Fuller, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Inessa Goodman, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Candace Hansford, Chicago-Kent College of Law
• Aisha Pinto, Northwestern University Law School
• Bettina Stanford, The John Marshall Law School
• LeDeidra Turner, The John Marshall Law School

“There are two reasons that BWLA is the exceptional organization that it is today: our dedicated members and our Sponsors’ commitment to supporting the next generation of lawyers of color,” said President, Tonya Wilkes Moore. “Next year we will celebrate BWLA’s 25^th Anniversary Summit.  Plans are already underway to make that anniversary as invigorating and memorable as possible to inspire us for years to come.” BWLA recognized its Platinum Sponsor, Schiff Hardin LLP and Gold Sponsors, Accenture and Kaye Scholer LLP. About the Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc. Founded in 1987, BWLA’s mission is to identify and address issues and concerns unique to African-American women lawyers and judges; to improve the administration of justice by increasing the participation of African-American women and other minorities throughout the legal system; and to advance civil and human rights.