February 25, 2025 Category: Our Programs Partnerships

Celebrating Black History Month: A Panel Highlighting Career Representation and Mentorship

The Fresh Air Fund, in partnership with Winston & Strawn LLP, recently hosted an annual Black Excellence in Law Panel, which featured a candid discussion about representation and Black resilience in law and navigating this career path as a person of color. 

Students were able to gain insights and hear advice directly from professionals in the field. The panel was moderated by Kyle Foley, a partner and co-chair at Winston & Strawn LLP. 

The panel offered time for a Q&A with students. (Tiye Rose/The Fresh Air Fund)

Inspiration and Mentorship 

Panelists included Precious Nwankwo, Brent Drenon and Jasmine Bovia, associates from Winston & Strawn LLP in different career stages and specialties. The panelists shared about the importance of developing relationships with peers and finding mentors and support systems to navigate law school.  

Shiloh and her mother Milagros. (Tiye Rose/The Fresh Air Fund)

Several parents attended with their children and left feeling supported and inspired by the conversation. “It means a lot to see folks who look like my daughter in these careers. By listening to their experiences and being my daughter’s support system, I know she can be a lawyer if that’s what she decides she wants to do,” said Milagros Rodriguez, mother of Shiloh, a Career Awareness Program student.  

Seeing a Path to Success 

Fresh Air Fund participant, Shiloh, 13. (Tiye Rose/The Fresh Air Fund)

“The panelists taught me that learning about yourself and your interests can help you learn what you want to do in the future,” said Shiloh, 13. “What I love about the programs here is working with kids my age and with older people, I get tips from older people that I can share with people younger than me.”

Panelist, Precious Nwankwo, spoke about finding community in law school. (Tiye Rose/The Fresh Air Fund)

Cassandra Patterson attended with her daughter Avvi, and spoke about the importance of making these types of careers attainable. “In light of everything that is going on in society now, my child needs this, the Black and Brown kids need this. Because if she wasn’t part of this, we wouldn’t be here. We wouldn’t see these lawyers that look like them in corporate America,” said Cassandra.  “I am just so happy that The Fresh Air Fund offers these opportunities to our children.”