About Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Mission Statement

It is the goal of the ABA Young Lawyers Division to promote diversity within the profession and ensure equal opportunity and inclusion for all lawyers regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity in the membership, leadership, programming, and other activities of the ABA YLD by doing the following:

• Actively recruiting lawyers of color, women lawyers, lawyers with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (“LGBT”) lawyers;
• Fostering an environment of inclusion to assist in retention of lawyers of color, women lawyers, lawyers with disabilities, and LGBT lawyers;
• Identifying and attempting to remove all barriers, whether institutional, attitudinal or behavioral, to the full and meaningful participation of lawyers of color, women lawyers, lawyers with disabilities, and LGBT lawyers in the ABA YLD;
• Actively seeking the participation of lawyers of color, women lawyers, lawyers with disabilities and LGBT lawyers in ABA YLD events and on programs, task forces, and working groups; and
• Providing lawyers of color, women lawyers, lawyers with disabilities, and LGBT lawyers with opportunities and training to take on leadership roles within the ABA YLD.

Read the complete YLD Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan (2020-2021).

Contact Us

If you have any comments or questions about the Division’s diversity efforts please don’t hesitate to contact:

• Managing Director: DeShauna Lee
• Vice Director- Projects: Yvette Donaldson
• Vice Director- Personnel: Paulina Vera
• Men of Color - Chair: Jared Nelson
• Men of Color - Vice Chair: Sachin Java
• Women of Color- Chair: Jennifer P. Siew
• Women of Color- Vice Chair: Nicole Okung
• Access to Legal Services Committee Chair: Vacant
• Access to Legal Services Committee Vice-Chair: Vacant
• S.C.O. Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants (SCLAID) Liaison: Vacant
• Disability Rights Committee Chair: Daniel Yousefzadeh
• Disability Rights Committee Vice-Chair: Vacant
• Commission on Disability Rights Liaison: Vacant
• Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity Committee Chair: Vacant
• Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity Committee Vice-Chair: Vacant
• Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Liaison: Collins Saint
• Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Liaison: Vacant
• Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession Liaison: Yvette Donaldson
• Center on Racial and Ethnic Diversity Liaison (1): Michael Anderson
• Center on Racial and Ethnic Diversity Liaison (2): Vacant
• Women in the Profession Committee Chair (WIPC): Jessica Mazzeo
• Women in the Profession Committee Vice-Chair (WIPC): Samantha Baker
• Commission on Women in the Profession Liaison: Hannah Cottrell
• Commission on Hispanic Legal Rights and Responsibilities Liaison: Servando Martinez
• Scholar: Vacant

National Representatives

• National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (2023): Tryphena Liu
• National LGBT Bar Association (2024): Vacant
• Hispanic National Bar Association (2024): Vacant
• National Bar Association, Inc. (2023): Sydney Jakes
• National Native American Bar Association (2023): Blair Tarman
• South Asian Bar Association (2024): Madiha Merchant
• Federal & Military Bar Association (2024): Christie McGuinness