President’s Message
MARCH 2024
As we move toward spring, it is a good time to look back on the many programs and events we have sponsored and attended in the past nine months. It has been a fulfilling year so far, and we have been very productive.
We began the summer of 2023 at our WBASNY Convention in Hershey, Pennsylvania. It was a time of learning, visiting with our sister chapters and each other, and enjoying Hershey Park. In July, we put on a wonderful presentation at our What It’s Really Like to Practice Law as a Woman program at the City Bar. We supported the students of the Northeastern Black Law Students Association at their August job fair. In September, we held a panel discussion on Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and UNC. Our Membership Reception in October, as always, was extremely well-attended and provided excellent networking options and giving opportunities. Also, in October, we had a presentation by the lead attorneys in Oster v. Goldman Sachs about the landmark employment discrimination case. We participated in the creation of a joint bar association letter on “The Importance of a Diverse Judiciary,” which was included in our November newsletter. The letter was published in the New York Law Journal and reprinted by 346 other news organizations. In December, Senator Liz Krueger spoke to us about the makeup of the ERA bill, the philosophy behind it, and the urgent need to pass it in New York. In January and February, we put tremendous work into our membership drive, spending much of our free time calling and emailing around this effort. We are thankful for every renewal and every new member who has joined us. Over the past year, we have held dozens of CLE programs, board presentations, and panel discussions. Even though we only have three more months left in the year, we have numerous other exciting events planned. Stay tuned for announcements and sign up to join us when you can.
March 8th is an important day. It is International Women’s Day. The international campaign theme for this year is Inspire Inclusion. This is a theme we have worked hard on all year. We continue to be inspired by diversity. We strive for inclusion. The benefits are obvious: when women of diverse cultures come together, there grows a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment. We are all better for it.
In recognition of International Women’s Day, our Domestic Violence, Immigration, and International Women’s Committees are presenting a CLE program on March 6th, at 1 pm, entitled DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND IMMIGRATION: Loss of Status and Other Dilemmas. We were only able to plan this with the support and participation of HALANY (Haitian American Lawyers Association) and Her Justice. Thank you to Sandra Dieudonne, Esq., newly elected President of HALANY, for her interest and help in putting together this program.
In researching international women’s issues, I looked at the U.S. State Department website and read about its Office for Global Women’s Issues. The mandate of the Office is “to promote the rights and empowerment of women and girls throughout U.S. foreign policy.” The Office has identified four areas that the U.S. addresses as part of its foreign policy. These are:
- Women, peace, and security
- Women’s economic empowerment
- Gender-based violence
- Adolescent girls
(see https://www.state.gov/policy-issues/global-womens-issues/).
Let us focus on ways we can support women and girls here and abroad in the four categories set out by the Office for Global Women’s Issues. Clearly, our March CLE program is one way we will do that. We have historically been very active in educating our members about the practice areas of domestic violence and immigration law, and we will continue to do so. Thank you, in advance, to these three committees for taking on this important work.
Another way to support women and girls in New York is by advancing protective legislation. I looked into positions that our statewide organization, WBASNY, has taken on laws affecting women and girls in New York. Back in 2016, WBASNY supported a bill prohibiting genital mutilation. The bill was signed into law that year. Thankfully, genital mutilation of girls is now a felony under NY Penal Law § 130.85 (2016). Very recently, WBASNY took up the issue of Senate Bill S104B, which will prohibit virginity examinations. WBASNY voted to support this bill, as well. NYWBA has delegates who attend the meetings where these important issues are discussed and weigh in with their opinions, on behalf of you. These bills (one of which is now law) are only a couple of examples of how the NYWBA stays involved in protecting women and girls in New York.
We are looking forward to our Annual Judiciary Reception to be held at the Yale Club on March 5th, beginning at 6 pm. We encourage you to join us for this energizing event. Go to our website at nywba.org or watch for the weekly e-blast to register.
The first day of spring is March 19th, the Vernal Equinox. It is a day of equal daylight and equal nighttime. As the days start to grow longer and we welcome in the new season, let us look ahead to flowers blooming and many sunny days ahead.
In the words of Harriet Ann Jacobs, an African American abolitionist and writer, “The beautiful spring came, and when nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also.”
Sabrina