December DEI – NALA DEI Committee 2024 Year in Review
December 2024
NALA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee had an exciting and productive year. The purpose of the DEI Committee is to (1) further the goals of NALA to encourage, support, and maintain high standards in diversity, equity, and inclusion; (2) monitor diversity, equity, and inclusion trends and issues; (3) work to address diversity, equity, and inclusion to foster meaningful, open, and constructive dialogue throughout NALA; (4) work within NALA to celebrate the diversity of its members and leaders; and (5) strengthen diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives throughout NALA.
Over the past several years, DEI initiatives across the country have garnered negative attention from some in the political and policy arenas. The opponents of these types of initiatives and programs often express concerns that these policies are not about fairness or inclusion; they are about imposing an ideological agenda that prioritizes identity politics over qualifications.
As detailed in its purpose statement and throughout all its work, NALA’s DEI Committee does not adhere to this interpretation of DEI initiatives. As we seek to incorporate DEI strategies throughout the association, the goal is to ensure all members and potential members feel welcomed and included in their association and their profession. Strategies to ensure this include fostering meaningful, open, and constructive dialogue and celebrating our diversity by recognizing the strength it brings to NALA, its members, and the legal profession.
Other programs and organizations seek to clarify further the true intent of their DEI initiatives and address the negative connotations associated with them by implementing alternative programs such as ABIDE, DEIAB, JEDI, and IDEA. These programs strive to continue the efforts for inclusion, provide economic equality, and advocate for diversity in the workplace, institutions of higher learning, and banking programs.
A key challenge to advancing inclusion initiatives is the discomfort some individuals may feel when adapting to a more equitable environment that values diversity and includes historically marginalized groups.[i] The concept that equality can sometimes feel unsettling to those used to a different status quo has been discussed for decades. Trailblazing tennis player Billie Jean King, who fought for gender equality in sports, is often attributed with the quote, “When you are accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.”
Ultimately, true inclusion means creating a world where everyone has equal access to opportunities, fair compensation, and basic human rights. This ensures that all individuals, regardless of background, can live and thrive without fear of retaliation, exclusion from economic or educational opportunities, physical or mental harm, or an inability to provide for their families.
DEI is the practice of eliminating bias and enhancing diversity by granting everyone access to the same economic opportunities. NALA advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion within the paralegal profession. We recognize that, to continue to strive to meet our vision of “ensuring paralegals are known and valued as an integral part of the legal ecosystem,” we must build on and derive strength from diversity, equity, inclusion, and the initiatives that promote it.[ii]
NALA DEI Committee 2024 Year in Review:
Committee Members: Terri R. Walters, ACP (Chair); Kristine Custodio Suero, ACP (Past Chair); Dana Fischel, ACP; Krystyl Jenkins, ACP; Angela Oberle, ACP; Candace Russell, ACP, NCCP
NALA Leadership: Vanessa (Vinnie) Finley, MBA, CAE and Cheryl Nodarse, ACP
Standing Committee Meeting: Every third Wednesday of the month at 12:00 pm CT
The DEI Committee published the following monthly online articles:
– SCOTUS’ Color-Blind Doctrine: A Brief Look at the Ban on Race-Conscious Affirmative Action in Higher Education by Oyango A. Snell, Esq., CAE – January 2024
– Interview with Tanganica Turner, Esq., of Musick Peeler & Garrett LLP by Terri Walters, ACP – February 2024
– Trailblazing Women in Law and NALA’s 50-Year Journey – March 2024
– Interview with Jeremy Evans Regarding NCAA Student Athletes by John Robinson – April 2024
– AAPI Heritage Month Interviews – May 2024
– A Guide for Paralegals: Supporting Transgender Clients with Sensitivity and Empathy – June 2024
– What is DEI? DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION! by Terri Walters, ACP – August 2024
– The DEI Imperative: How Paralegals Can Lead the Charge Toward a More Inclusive Legal Profession by Tracey Perkins – September 2024
– Unconscious Bias and You by Krystyl Jenkins, ACP, PHR, CFM – October 2024
– Anti-Rural Bias and Paralegals by Angela A. Oberle, ACP – November 2024
The DEI Committee submitted the following Facts & Findings articles:
– Celebrating Caribbean Heritage by Terri Rasay Walters, ACP, Q3 – September 2024
– What Do Mosquitoes and Ageism Have in Common? by Dana Fischel, ACP, CAS, Q4 – November 2024
– Navigating the Intersection of AI and DEI by Morvareed Z. Salehpour, Esq., Q1 – January 2025
Committee member Candace Russell, ACP, NCCP, submitted content for a November 2024 NALA social media post encouraging members to vote.
The NALA DEI Committee looks forward to overcoming the challenges of 2025. We encourage our members to submit articles, suggest topics for discussion, and get involved. NALA welcomes your comments on how to achieve greater diversity within our association, our affiliated associations, and the paralegal profession.
[i] Including women, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, people over 40, veterans, and racial, ethnic, and religious minorities
Categories