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Sixth Annual Pathway Virtual Summit February 17-19, 2021

DAY ONE

Webinar Recording

Wednesday, February 17

2:00 to 2:35 PM

WELCOME & INTRODUCTION

Dave Smith, Cal Law Board Chair

DAY 1 PROGRAM OVERVIEW & KEYNOTE INTRODUCTION

AJ Howell-Williams, Cal LAW Board Member

OPENING KEYNOTE

"ENCOURAGE YOUR MINDFULNESS: The Inner Work of Racial Justice- Healing Ourselves and Transforming Our Communities Through Mindfulness”

KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

Rhonda V. Magee is a Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco and an internationally-recognized thought and practice leader focused on integrating mindfulness into higher education, law and social change work. A prolific author, she draws on law and legal history to weave storytelling, poetry, analysis and practices into inspiration for changing how we think, act and live better together in a rapidly changing world.

Born in North Carolina in 1967, Rhonda experienced a childhood of significant trauma and challenge. Yet, she was gifted with the insight that through a life of caring engagement, self-development, and service with others, she could find a way up and out. She has dedicated her life to healing and teaching in ways that support others in a journey to wholeness and justice

2:35 to 3:50 PM

PLENARY PANEL

"DESTRESSING IN A STRESSFUL WORLD – Doing well in spite of Covid-19”

MODERATOR:

Nicole Banks designs and coordinates emotional support programs for undergraduate and graduate students attending Santa Clara University. Her work identifies students' struggles and builds programs that move them from striving to thriving. Recent work includes: SCU Bootcamp (a 30-day intense academic and emotional support program for students struggling in a COVID-19 world), Tea Chats (peer emotional support groups focused on relieving specific college stressors), and Unique4You (a 1:1 coaching program delivering life, emotional, and academic strategies in 15-30 micro-coaching sessions). Nicole has received awards for psychosocial programs from the University of California Berkeley, Ministry of Education in Malaysia, and Kirkby College.

As a trained therapist with a Master’s in Counseling Psychology from John F. Kennedy University, she has been called on to provide her expertise both in and outside of the United States. Her areas of interest include resilience (mindfulness and success methods), leadership, and social justice.

PANELISTS:

George Flowers, Founder/Principal of Invisible Hurdles
Tomoko Ha, Principal/Founder, TKO Consulting
Nicole Yuvienco, Santa Clara School of Law, Class of 2022
Katrina Traylor Rice, Consultant and former lead, Jesse Bethel Law Academy

3:50 to 3:55 PM

TRANSITION BREAK

3:55 to 5:15 PM

BREAKOUT SESSIONS

OPTION ONE: “GETTING STUDENTS READY FOR THE WORKPLACE” | CCC, Undergraduate & Law Schools Track

Webinar Recording

Work experience either through actual job placements or internships are a tremendous value to law students. It allows students to try out career paths, be prepared for what practicing law will be like, and gives them a head-start in getting a job once they become attorneys. In this session you will learn about securing, developing, and sustaining internship placements; developing contacts for job placements for students; job shadowing and mentors; practical training through legal clinics; how to set up a professional dress loaner program; guide students through the interview process, including how to identify and successfully navigate explicit and implicit bias, and participate effectively in diversity hiring practices and policies.

MODERATOR:

Sylvia Macias, Esq. is an Assistant Professor of Law and the Director of Law Programs, which includes the Paralegal AA and Certificate and Pathways to Law School programs, at Los Angeles Mission College. Prior to teaching, Professor Macias was a compliance administrator at Los Angeles Pierce College and at the Los Angeles Community College District Offices and practiced business litigation and employment law in the Los Angeles area.

Macias earned her Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from California State Unversity, Los Angeles and her Juris Doctorate from Southwestern Law School. She currently lives in Glendale with her husband George and their German Shepard, Jake.

PANELISTS:

Carol Ross-Burnett, CRB Global LLC/Trusted DEI Advisor/Corporate & Personal Coach/Speaker & Author
Nancy Schiff, Executive Director/Center for Youth Development through Law
Claudia Ramirez-Yaglian, Director/Career Center/Los Angeles Mission College
Kenneth Chaiprasert, Faculty Champion, East LA College, Los Angeles

OPTION TWO: "SURVIVING AND THRIVING AMIDST THE PANDEMIC” | High School Teaching Team Track

Webinar Recording

MODERATOR:

Linda Kingston, Director Master Schedule and Instruction, Sacramento Unified School District

Linda Kingston has been a public educator for 28 years. Currently serving as the Director for Master Schedule and Instruction for Sacramento City Unified School District, she has extensive experience with California Partnership Academies (CPA’s) from providing curriculum support, to master scheduling challenges to building partnerships with advisory boards and local community colleges.

Jesse Bethel High School Law Academy in Vallejo, California was built under her leadership while she was the principal. During her tenure Bethel’s Law Academy established a Restorative Practice Youth Court where law academy students processed school discipline cases through Restorative Practices. Created a partnership with Solano Community College for the Law Academy seniors to take two of the Law pathways courses in their senior year. As well as building strong relations within the community to support the students which was imperative for the Law Academy’s success.

As a 5th generation Californian she believes in the public-school system. High Schools have an amazing energy. Dreams are created and supported, relationships matter, and it takes the whole community to support the child through high school. She looks forward to continuing the work of California LAW to ensure that the educational dreams of our students are fulfilled.

She graduated with a BA in History from California State University of Fresno and a MA in education from University of California Berkeley.

PANELISTS:

Katrina Traylor Rice, Jesse Bethel High School Law Academy, Vallejo
Carlos Garcia, Florin High School Law Academy, Elk Grove
Jeff Hittenberger, Chief Academic Officer, Orange County Dept of Education

OPTION THREE: “WHAT I WISH I KNEW ABOUT COLLEGE AND LAW SCHOOL” | Student Track

Webinar Recording

MODERATOR:

A.J. Howell-Williams is the Associate Director of Admissions at Santa Clara University. A.J. is a native of San Jose, CA but has spent time in each of the four corners of the country. A former transfer student and athlete, A.J. oversees the transfer process and is the Admission liaison for Athletics recruitment for Santa Clara University. A.J. has worked in higher education for over 15 years and is a published author. His most recent book, “It Ain’t Rocket Science: College Counseling for Everyone” was published in May 2019. A.J. joined the Cal LAW Pathways Board in 2020.

PANELISTS:

Nicole Yuvienco, Santa Clara University School of Law 2022
Nam Kang, De Anza HS Law Academy Law Coordinator
Samuel Elias, UC Hastings School of Law 2022
Michael Luong Nguyen, Past Chair-ABA Men of Color Committee, Young Lawyers Division
  • Asia Thompson, DeAnza HS Law Academy 2014, UCLA School of Law 2021

DAY TWO

Webinar Recording

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18

2:00-2:03 PM

WELCOME STATEMENT

Dave Smith, Cal LAW Board Chair

2:03- 2:05 PM

DAY TWO PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Patricia Lee, Cal LAW Board Member

2:10- 2:25 PM

Featured Video and Reflections: "The Hill We Climb" by Amanda Gorman

2:25 to 3:00 PM

KEYNOTE INTRODUCTION

Ruthe Ashley, Cal LAW Board Member/ Executive Director Emeritus

KEYNOTE

Rob Bonta was elected to the California State Assembly's 18th District in 2012, where he represents the cities of Oakland, Alameda, and San Leandro. He became the first Filipino American state legislator in California’s then 160-plus-year history. Rob currently serves as the Assistant Majority Leader. He promotes policies that embrace California’s values of justice, inclusion, equity and opportunity.

Rob began his career as a publicly-elected official at the local level, first as a Director of the Alameda Health Care District and later as Vice Mayor of the City of Alameda. In the State Assembly, Rob currently serves as the Assistant Majority Leader. He serves on the Appropriations, Communications and Conveyance, Governmental Organization, and Health Committees. He has authored significant legislation that promotes and defends our California values of Justice, Inclusion, Equity and Opportunity.

Rob believes legal training is one of the most powerful ways to effect positive change in the lives of those who need it most. He worked his way through college cleaning laundry rooms and, with the help of financial aid, was able to achieve his dream of going to college and law school, obtaining his Juris Doctorate from Yale Law School after attending Yale College and Oxford University in England. He also paved the way for the advancement of students of color as a mentor and worked with children and families in nearby public housing neighborhoods. His legal career included work as a Deputy City Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco, and as a private attorney, where he fought to protect Californians from exploitation and racial profiling.

3:00 to 5:00 PM

PLENARY

“RACIAL EQUITY AND JUSTICE: EFFECTUATING CHANGE THROUGH CIVIC ENGAGEMENT”

In the aftermath of the extensive outreach and organizing around critical issues facing us in the November elections, now we need to focus on how to achieve multiple policy changes to achieve racial equity and justice.

Using a “TED Talk” format, state and local leaders and community activists will provide insights and tips about their involvement in the policy making arena to effect change, including why and how they got involved, lessons learned and ways our students and pathway partners can make a difference.

MODERATOR:

Jerrilyn Malana, Chair, Civics Engagement & Outreach Committee, California Lawyers Association

Ryan Harrison, Lozano Smith Sacramento, Vice Chair, State Bar Council on Access and Fairness

SPEAKERS:

Terrance J. Evans, Partner, Duane Morris LLP
David Campos, Chief of Staff to San Francisco District Attorney
Lorena Gonzalez, Assemblymember for the 80th District
Nathan Mizell, Student Activist, UC Berkeley 2021, Vice Chair-Berkeley Police Commission

DAY THREE

Webinar Recording

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19

3:00 to 3:35 PM

WELCOME STATEMENT

Dave Smith, Cal LAW Board Chair

DAY 3 PROGRAM OVERVIEW & KEYNOTE INTRODUCTION

Chalak Richards, Assistant Dean- Student Life, Diversity, and Belonging, Pepperdine School of Law

KEYNOTE

Lateefah Simon is a nationally recognized advocate for civil rights and racial justice in Oakland and the Bay Area. She has been the President of Akonadi Foundation since 2016. That same year—driven by the death of Oscar Grant—she was elected to the Bay Area Rapid Transit Board of Directors; she now serves as President. Lateefah is also a member of California State University’s Board of Trustees, and state officials often turn to her for strategic advice on policy matters related to racial justice. Lateefah received the MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Award in 2003—making her at the time the youngest women to receive the award —in recognition of her work as Executive Director of the Young Women’s Freedom Center.

Lateefah previously served as Program Director at the Rosenberg Foundation, where she launched the Leading Edge Fund to seed, incubate, and accelerate bold ideas from the next generation of progressive movement leaders in California. She also held the position of Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area, where she launched successful community-based initiatives, including the Second Chance Legal Services Clinic. Lateefah spearheaded San Francisco’s first reentry anti-recidivism youth services division, under the leadership of then-District Attorney Kamala Harris. Before serving in this role, Lateefah became—at the age of 19—the Executive Director of the Center for Young Women’s Development (no named the Young Women’s Freedom Center), a position she held for 11 years.

3:35 TO 4:00 PM

PLENARY

“LAW STUDENTS BRIDGING THE GAP THROUGH MENTORING”

Students from Pepperdine University School of Law share their personal mentoring project.

Linh Tran
Sean Fox
Deepika Chandrashekar

4:00 TO 5:00 PM

PLENARY

“SHARING THE JOURNEY – OUR LAW PATHWAY CHANGING LIVES”

Hear success stories from students at various stages along the diversity pipeline and how the pathway program has positively impacted their educational journey.

MODERATOR:

Chalak Richards, Assistant Dean - Student Life, Diversity, and Belonging, Pepperdine School of Law

PANELISTS:

Gloria Cabrera, 2021 ELAC Pathway to Law Student
Vincent Demonte, El Dorado High School Law Academy 2021
Manjinder Kaur, DeAnza Law Academy 2014 & USF School of Law 2022

5:00 to 6:00 PM

SIGNING CEREMONY

  • Chapman University
  • Cosumnes River College
  • San Diego Mesa College

AWARDS RECEPTION

Cal LAW Diversity Champion Awards

  • Organization/Law /Firm: SAN DIEGO GAS AND ELECTRIC
  • High School: WILSON HIGH SCHOOL LAW ACADEMY
  • Community College: FRESNO CITY COLLEGE

Ruthe C. Ashley Scholarship Awards

  • Trinity A. Watson
  • Valeria Coronado
  • Mario Verdiguel
  • Laiza Chavez
  • Monica Murga

Education Pipeline Awards

  • Central Valley Regional Pathway to Law Pipeline
  • Organization "Just the Beginning"

Credits:

Created with images by WilliamCho - "justice statue lady justice" • ElisaRiva - "head man person" • Pexels - "dawn graduates throwing hats" • Bob_Dmyt - "team friendship group" • doctor-a - "library people study" • AhmadArdity - "books bookshelf library"