Hasina I. Lewis, a member of the Class of 2012 at Elon Law, published an article entitled "Cultivating Diversity in the Law School Classroom," featured in the January edition of the Law Student Division Bulletin of the North Carolina Bar Association.
In writing about diversity in law schools, Lewis adds to a national discussion on the importance of diversity more broadly in the legal profession.
In the article, Lewis explains the importance of cultivating, encouraging, and supporting the diversification of the law school classroom.
“Knowledge will diversify our legal community because the more exposure students have to programs [that prepare minority students for law school] and other legal education scholarships, the more our profession will start to resemble the many faces of America,” Lewis writes.
Lewis also calls for strong mentoring programs to support minority students.
“It is crucial for minority law students to have access to mentors due to the scarcity of minorities within our profession,” Lewis writes.
Lastly, Lewis calls for greater understanding about the diverse experiences of those entering law school from backgrounds not traditionally represented in the profession.
“Before we start to diversify our legal classroom…everyone must be willing to listen and understand the lives and experiences of people from different cultures for us to reach a common ground,” Lewis writes. “Diversifying our minds will help us understand the law better and that understanding will assist in our practice of law.”
When asked why she wrote on the topic, Lewis said, “It is important that the legal community reflect the diversity of the people that we will serve in practice. Law schools are where the foundation for service is laid, and to cultivate diversity there is to support the service of humanity in its many different colors.”
By Tiffany Atkins, L’11