Diversity Week

Diversity Week is a full week of events, primarily organized by student organizations, to educate the Chicago-Kent community about the importance of bringing a diversity-informed perspective into the law school and the legal profession.

Past Events

Diversity Week 2021 flier

Monday, March 2

5:00–7:00p.m.
Zoom

"Can I Ask That?" A Discussion about Microaggressions (Student Diversity Council and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Tuesday, March 3

2:15-3:00 p.m.
Zoom

A Conversation with Tammy Duckworth (APALSA)

5:00–7:00p.m.
Zoom

LGBTQ+ Disability and Elder Justice in Action(DALSA and Lambdas)

Wednesday, March 4

3:00–4:00 p.m.
Zoom

Diversity Job Fairs & Affinity Groups: Chicago-Kent Alumni Speak(Career Services Office)

4:00–5:00 p.m.
Zoom

Navigating Law School & The Legal Profession with The Honorable Justice Jesse G. Reyes (First-Generation Law Student Association)

Thursday, March 5

1:00–2:00 p.m.
Zoom

Bystander Intervention Workshop(Muslim Law Students Association)

5:00–6:30 p.m.
Zoom

"Spanish for Lawyers” with Salvador Cicero(Hispanic Latino Law Students Association)

Friday, March 6

2:00-3:00 p.m.
Zoom - Chicago-Kent access through SBA Calendar

Never Fully Free: The Continuous Vice Grip of the Criminal Legal System (Racial Equity and Advocacy Alliance)
4:00-5:00 p.m.
Zoom
Reading Discussion with Prof. Batlan on Intersectional Feminism (Society of Women in Law)

Diversity Week 2020 flier

Monday, March 2

9:00–10:00 a.m.
Front Lobby

Diversity Week Kick-Off Breakfast (Chicago-Kent Staff Committee)

12:00–1:00 p.m. Mindful Monday

5:30–7:30 p.m.
10th Floor Morris Hall

LGBTQ+ Disability and Elder Justice in Action (DALSA and Lambdas)

Tuesday, March 3

12:00–1:15 p.m.
Room 170

Diversity Week Class: The Property Tax Foreclosure Crisis in Detroit: Modern-Day Structural Racism, with Professor Bernadette Atuahene

5:30 p.m.
Morris Hall

WIL Movie Night: The Judge

Wednesday, March 4

12:00–1:00 p.m.
Front Lobby

Diversity Week Food Fair (Student Bar Association)

1:00–3:00 p.m.
Room 545

APALSA & SALSA Table Talk & Tea Tasting (APALSA)

3:00–4:00 p.m.
Room 580

Navigating Diversity Job Fairs (Career Services Office)

6:00–8:00 p.m.
Morris Hall

Breaking Down Barriers Panel and Reception (Black Students Law Association)

Thursday, March 5

1:00–2:00 p.m.
Room 345

Panel: Law Student to Lawyer: Retaining Our Identity (Muslim Law Students Association)

5:30–9:00 p.m.
Lobby

Judges' Night (Hispanic Latino Law Students Association)

Friday, March 6

Time TBA Service Day (SBA)

Diversity Week 2019 flier

Monday, March 4

9:00 - 10:30 am
Front Lobby

Diversity Week Breakfast, hosted by the Chicago-Kent Staff Committee

5:30 - 7:30 pm
10th Floor Morris Hall

Diversity Week Reception, by the Black Law Students Association

Tuesday, March 5

12:00 - 1:00 pm
7th Floor

Namastate of Mind, by the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association

12:00 - 3:00 pm
Front Lobby

Faces of Islam, by the Muslim Law Students Association

Wednesday, March 6

12:00 - 1:00 pm
Front Lobby

Diversity Week Food Fair, by the Student Bar Association

3:00 - 4:00 pm
Room C50

Diversity Job Fairs Panel, by the Career Services Office

3:00 - 5:00 pm
5th Floor Student Lounge

Hygiene Kits for Homeless Women, by the Society of Women in Law

5:30 - 9:00 pm
Front Lobby & Ogilvie Auditorium

HLLSA Judges' Night, by the Hispanic Latino Law Students Association

Thursday, March 7

6:00 - 8:00 pm
Room 370

Queer & Trans Criminal (In)Justice, by the Lambdas

Friday, March 8

9:00 am - 1:00 pm
3rd Floor Outside the Spak
Public Service Activity, by the Student Bar Association

Thursday, March 14

5:00 - 8:00 pm
Front Lobby
LGBTQ Judges' Night, by the Lambdas

Diversity Week 2018 flier

Monday, February 26

8:00 - 10:00 am
Front Lobby

Diversity Week Kick-Off Breakfast, hosted by the Chicago-Kent Staff Committee

12:00 - 1:00 pm
Room 370

Why Diversity Matters: It's More Than a Resume Booster, by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion

5:30 - 7:30 pm
Morris Hall

Connecting the Culture Alumni Panel & Reception, by the Black Law Students Association

Tuesday, February 27

12:00 am - 1:00 pm
Room 170

Walk in Our Shoes: Stories Told by Muslim Law Students, by the Muslim Law Students Association

1:00 - 3:00 pm
5th floor lounge

Henna Tattoos, by the Muslim Law Students Association

Wednesday, February 28

12:00 - 1:00 pm
Front Lobby

Diversity Food Fair, by SBA and the Diverse Student Organizations

1:00 pm
Room 170

Building Cultural Competence: What It's Like to Study and Work Abroad, by the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association
 

3:00 pm
Room 370

Diversity Career Fair Tips, by the Lambdas
 

5:30 pm
Oglivie Auditorium

The T in LGBT, by the Lambdas
 

Thursday, March 1

5:00 - 7:00 pm
Room 590

Project Law Track: CBA Event for the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana, by the Women in Law
 

5:30 pm
Front lobby

Judges' Night: Honoring Judge Franklin U. Valderrama, by the Hispanic Latino Law Students Association

Dress in business attire.

Friday, March 2

9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Outside 3rd floor Spak
Service Day, by SBA Diversity & Philanthropy Committee

Diversity Week 2017 flier

Monday, February 27

8:30 – 10:00 am
Front Lobby

Diversity Week Kick-Off Breakfast, hosted by the Chicago-Kent Staff Committee

4:00 – 6:00 pm
10th Floor Morris Hall

BLSA  — Implicit Bias Workshop

Identify your biases before you come by taking the Harvard IAT.

Tuesday, February 28

11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Room 270

Intercambio — Spanish/English language group kickoff

12:45 – 2:45 pm
Room 170

MLSA  "Ask Muslims Anything" session
Participants will be allowed to submit anonymous questions, and the panelists will respond to the questions.

5:00 – 7:00 pm
Auditorium

APALSA/ILSA — "How Will the Presidency Impact International Law?" panel discussion

Join APALSA & ILSA for a discussion on the new presidency and the future of international law! Featured speakers include Dr. James Nolt of NYU, Dean Edward Harris of Chicago-Kent, Prof. Bartram Brown of Chicago-Kent! Topics to be discussed include travel ban and immigration issues (H1B, F1/J1, EB5), free market and trade war (especially between U.S. and China), conflict of interest of Trump's business, human rights policy, nuclear and environmental issues, etc.

This is a free admission event with a reception to follow.  RSVP online.

 

Wednesday, March 1

11:00 – Noon
Room 580

WIL — "Sexual Assault and Implicit Bias"

Noon – 1:00 pm
Front Lobby

Diversity Food Fair
 

3:00 – 4:30 pm
Room C40

C-K Lambdas and the CSO — "Navigating Diversity Job Fairs"
 

5:00 – 7:00 pm
Room 370

"Addressing Gender Nonconformity Issues in the Legal Community"

Thursday, March 2

Noon – 2:30 pm
Room 580

SBA, Faculty Diversity Committee, Institute for Law and Human Rights — Screening of the documentary "Thirteenth" followed by a panel discussion
 

6:00 – 9:00 pm
Auditorium and lobby

HLLSA — Judges' Night

Business attire. If you plan to attend, you must RSVP online.

Friday, March 3

2nd and 3rd floor Spak

Service Day — Decorate Composition Books for the GirlForward Organization

 

Saturday, March 4

9:30 am – 3:30 pm
 

Discover Law High School "So You Think You Want to be a Lawyer" program

Diversity Week 2016 flier

Monday, February 29

8:30 – 10:00 am
Front Lobby

Diversity Week Kick-off Breakfast, hosted by the Chicago-Kent Staff Committee

4:00 – 5:30 pm
10th Floor Morris Hall

BLSA  — Out of Office Etiquette panel discussion

Come join BLSA for a fun, interactive way to learn how to conduct yourself outside of the office. This BLSA event will provide students with tips on being professional at social events outside the office, such as lunches with attorneys and/or clients, happy hours or other networking events. All are welcome!

Tuesday, March 1

11:45 am – 12:30 pm
Front Lobby

WIL — Self-Defense Workshop
 

12:45 pm – 2:45 pm
Front Lobby

MLSA/SALSA — Henna Tattos, Indian Food & Music

Come learn about a unique facet of Arab, South Asian, and Islamic culture by joining the Muslim Law Students Association (MLSA) for henna tattooing in the front lobby! 
 

5:00 pm –7:00 pm
10th Floor Morris Hall

SBA Diversity Committe and the CSO — "Diversity in the Legal Profession" 
(Followed by reception)

The SBA Diversity Committee and the Career Services Office will host a panel discussion as part of Chicago-Kent's Diversity Week. Panelists, including diverse alumni and a law firm diversity professional, will discuss the importance of diversity and inclusion in the legal profession.

Featured Speakers:

Michelle Silverthorn, Diversity and Education Director at the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism

Jami de Lou, Associate Director of Talent Development, Diversity & Inclusion, Jenner and Block

Temi Oduala '12, Associate, HeplerBroom

Judge Barbara Flores '05, Arbitrator, Illinois Worker's Compensation Commission

Colleen Bisher-Fry '10, Assistant Public Defender, Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender

 

Wednesday, March 2

Noon – 1:00 pm
Front Lobby

Diversity Food Fair
 

3:00 – 4:30 pm
Room 580

C-K Lambdas and the CSO — "Diversity Job Fairs: The 411"

Please join the Career Services Office and the Chicago-Kent Lambdas for "Diversity Job Fairs: The 411." Learn about the many diversity job fairs available to Chicago-Kent students and hear from Chicago-Kent alumni and hiring committee representative, Stephanie Seay Kelly '01, partner at Ice Miller, about application, resume and interview tips and student panelists who have attended diversity job fairs.
 

5:30 – 7:30 pm
Auditorium

WIL — Women in Sports Law panel discussion
(Followed by reception in first-floor lobby)

The Sports Economy School, in partnership with the Society of Women in Law, will host an inaugural panel on "Women, Power and Leadership." The panel is an intimate social gathering, and will feature empowering conversations with executives breaking ground in society and culture across the growing dimensions and diverse layers of sports, including media, science, technology, management and athletics.

Thursday, March 3

Noon – 2:00 pm
Room C40

APALSA — Jiro Dreams of Sushi screening

Come join APALSA for a screening of Jiro Dreams of Sushi and lunch.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi is the story of 85-year-old Jiro Ono, considered by many to be the world's greatest sushi chef. He is the proprietor of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a 10-seat, sushi-only restaurant inauspiciously located in a Tokyo subway station. Despite its humble appearances, it is the first restaurant of its kind to be awarded a prestigious three-star Michelin Guide rating, and sushi lovers from around the globe make repeated pilgrimages, calling months in advance and shelling out top dollar for a coveted seat at Jiro's sushi bar.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a thoughtful and elegant meditation on work, family and the art of perfection, chronicling Jiro's life as both an unparalleled success in the culinary world and as a loving yet complicated father.

6:00 – 9:00 pm
10th Floor Morris Hall

HLLSA — Judges' Night honoring Judge R. Fernandez '96 

(Dress code: business casual)
Join the Hispanic Latino Law Student Association for the 2016 Judges' Night. Mingle with Chicago-Kent alumni and students as well as Hispanic and Latino attorneys from throughout Chicago at a reception honoring the Honorable Rossana P. Fernandez '96 for her contributions to the Latino community and the advancement of Latinos in the legal profession.

The evening begins 6 p.m. with networking at over drinks and heavy hors d'oeuvres, followed by a ceremony for Judge Fernandez at 7:15 p.m.

(Dress Code: Business Casual)

If you plan to attend, you must RSVP online.

Friday, March 4

2:00 – 4:00 pm
5th Floor Student Lounge

Chicago-Kent Staff Health & Wellness Committee and Sportfeasors — Mental Health & Wellness Workshop and Yoga Class

As part of Diversity Week, the C-K Health and Wellness Committee along with the Sportfeasors would like to present a mental health wellness day.

They will offer an "Avoiding Self-Sabotage" workshop and a yoga class. This event is open to students, staff and faculty

Isadora Baum, a health coach at Live for You, will present on creating healthy habits through diet, exercise, self-confidence and stress reduction, and avoiding a "self-sabotage" effect that can come from extremist attitudes towards achieving goals and feelings of impotence amidst a hectic, busy lifestyle.

This workshop will be followed by a yoga class taught by our very own Jin To!

Saturday, March 5

9:30 am – 3:30 pm
 

Discover Law High School Mock Trial Program hosted by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Multicultural Affairs and Professional Development and by the Admissions Office 

Chicago-Kent in partnership with the Law School Admission Council's (LSAC) DiscoverLaw.org Outreach Initiative is hosting the "So You Think You Want to Be a Lawyer" project in spring 2016 for interested high school students. This two-part series is open to new and returning participants and will be held on Saturday, February 27, and Saturday, March 5. Participants will discuss strategies they can use to prepare for law school while in high school and college and more. All of the programs will be interactive, allowing participants to engage in hands-on activities and meet current law students and attorneys. See the attached flyer for ways to participate and how to RSVP.

Monday, March 2

8:30 – 9:30 am
Front Lobby

Diversity Week Kick-off Breakfast, hosted by the Chicago-Kent Staff Committee.

11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Morris Hall - 10th Floor

WIL — "Breaking Through The Glass Ceiling: How Female Attorneys Can Prosper" with Chicago-Kent alumna and personal injury/wrongful death trial attorney Lyndsay Markley '05.
Please join the Society of Women in Law to learn about gender-based inequalities in the legal field and how we can work for change. In addition, learn some tips and strategies to jumpstart your legal career! Light refreshments will be served.

5:30 – 8:00 pm
Front Lobby

Diversity Reception with Alumni, hosted by the Chicago-Kent Alumni Association.

 

Tuesday, March 3

12:00 – 2:00 pm
Front Lobby

MLSA — "Henna Tattoos."
Join the Muslim Law Student Association as they introduce you to the art of Henna (or its alternate name ‘Mehndi', depending on the country you are from), where it is used, and the role it plays in different cultures. First come, first serve!

6:00 – 8:00 pm
Front Lobby

SALSA — "Indian Dancing Lessons."
Join the South Asian Law Student Association as they teach you a new style of dancing. Food and drinks will be provided, so come hungry!

Wednesday, March 4

12:00 – 1:00 pm
Front Lobby

Diversity Food Fair
 

3:00 – 4:00 pm
Room 210

C-K Lambdas and the CSO — "Diversity Job Fairs: The 411."
Learn about the many diversity job fairs available to Chicago-Kent students, hear from an employer about application, resume and interview tips, and listen to students who have participated in Diversity Job Fairs. The panel features Chicago-Kent alumnus Michael A. Wilder, partner at Littler Mendelson P.C., and students who have attended diversity job fairs. Light refreshments will be served.

4:30 – 5:30 pm
Morris Hall - 10th Floor

BLSA & HLLSA — "Out of Office Etiquette."
Come join BLSA & HLLSA for a fun, interactive way to learn how to conduct yourself outside of the office. Hear your peers and professionals give tips on the "do's and don't's" of networking, fine dining with clients and co­workers, and office outings. Food and drinks will be provided.

5:30 – 8:30 pm
Front Lobby

SBA — "Meet and Greet."
Stop by to meet and chat with your SBA representatives. They are looking forward to meeting you! Snacks and drinks will be provided.

Thursday, March 5

12:30 – 1:30 pm
Room C35

APALSA — "Fresh Off the Boatviewing.
Join APALSA to watch the first two episodes of "Fresh Off the Boat," the first prime-time television sitcom in two decades featuring an Asian American family. Lunch will be provided.

"Fresh Off the Boat" follows the course of Eddie Huang's Taiwanese family as they make their way from Washington, D.C., to Orlando, Florida, to open up a steak restaurant during the mid-to-late 1990s. The mother struggles with the culture clash of having to move from D.C. to Orlando, the father embraces the "American Dream," and Eddie and his brothers struggle with assimilating into the school.

 

6:00 – 9:00 pm
Ceremony – 7:15pm

Morris Hall - 10th Floor

HLLSA — "Judges Night" honoring Judge Edward Arce '85. 
(Dress code: business casual—will be enforced). 
Please join HLLSA for their annual Judge's Night, where they honor one judge in the Latino community for their contributions to the advancement of Latinos in the legal profession. Food and drinks will be served before and after the award ceremony. Come help honor a great judge and get in some awesome on campus networking!

 

Friday, March 6

Service Project at off-site location.

Saturday, March 7

"So You Think You Want to Be a Lawyer" project.
A "know your legal rights" program for high school students from underrepresented communities. Chicago-Kent faculty and law students will discuss the importance of knowing your rights and what we can learn from the Michael Brown and Eric Garner cases.

Monday, March 3

9:30 am
Front Lobby

Kickoff of Chicago-Kent's Project Smile and Greenhouse Shelter Diversity Outreach Project with coffee and doughnuts, hosted by the Staff Committee.

10:00 am, 12:00 pm & 2:00 pm
Auditorium

Diversity Week Documentary: "A Class Divided"

2:30 – 3:30 pm
Concourse Level

SBA: Coffee Break — Learn more about Project Smile and the Greenhouse Shelter Outreach Project.

Tuesday, March 4

5:00 – 6:30 pm
Room 660
(Please note updated room number.)

BLSA: Panel discussing "Minority Success in the Modern Legal Workforce," with emphasis on implicit bias

6:30 – 8:00 pm
10th Floor Event Room

Women in Law & Immigration Society: "Self-Defense and the Significance of the Violence Against Women Act to Women and Immigrants." This will be a self-defense workshop in conjunction with a presentation on the Violence Against Women Act.
RSVP online.

Wednesday, March 5

11:30 am – 2:30 pm
Front Lobby

Inter-Diversity Mixer & Food Fair

3:00 – 4:00 pm
Room 370

Lambdas & Career Services Office: Diversity Job Fairs: The 411 — Learn about the many diversity job fairs available to Chicago-Kent students; hear from an employer about application, resume and interview tips; and listen to students who have participated in diversity job fairs. The panel features Chicago-Kent alumnus Michael A. Wilder, hiring manager at Littler Mendelson P.C., and students who have attended diversity job fairs. We will have food, courtesy of the Chicago-Kent Lambdas. RSVP to kentcso@kentlaw.iit.edu by March 3.

6:00 – 9:00 pm
Room 370

SALSA: "Veer Zaara" — Bollywood Movie Night with Indian Food

Thursday, March 6

2:30 – 3:30 pm
Room 570

APALSA: Musubi Presentation — Learn how to make Spam Musubi, a traditional Hawaiian dish that has its roots in the Japanese origin

7:00 pm – Reception
8:00 pm – Ceremony

10th Floor Event Room

HLLSA: "Judge's Night" — Recognizing the Honorable Raul Vega for his contributions to the Latino community. Food and drinks will be served. Attire: Business Casual.

Friday, March 7

4:00 – 7:00 pm
Concourse Level

Chicago-Kent Diversity Reception for students, faculty, staff and alumni.

Saturday, March 8

Kick-off of Chicago-Kent’s "So You Think You Want to Be A Lawyer" Project, a three-part series for high school students, targeted toward those students from racial and ethnic groups that are underrepresented in the legal profession. The project is partnership between LSAC's DiscoverLaw Outreach Program and Chicago-Kent's Office of Admissions and Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Multicultural Affairs and Professional Development.

Dates: March 8, March 29 and April 12.