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school, someone in an Oklahoma History course would have mentioned this terrible event to me. My discovery of this event in history clarified for me the sentiment of many African Americans. See, I thought the inherent distrust that many African American individuals have was because of historical slavery. I did not know that the root was much more complicated for those that lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma and were aware of the destruction of the Greenwood District, “Black Wall Street.” While my career path was settled well before I became aware of the race massacre, I better understood the interactions between races in my hometown. By becoming a part of a profession where African Americans are under-represented, I could do my part to change the narrative in that regard.

Throughout your work in the law, describe any changes in racism you have noted.

I have always been aware of the race division in Tulsa Oklahoma. I knew the geographical boundaries and the predominant racial makeup of individuals in different areas of the city. I attended public schools and saw the different divisions within those schools— so much in elementary school, but more so in middle school and beyond. My parents taught my siblings and me to be kind to others, pursue our dreams and handle conflict appropriately. I attended school with all races, and within the different racial groups, there were nice and not-sonice children. When I attended law school, I participated in the Black Lawyers Association. There were more non-African American students than African American students. As a practitioner, I realized that disproportionate numbers also transcended into my practice of law. I was appointed to the bench in February of 2007 as the first African American female judge to be appointed to the district court bench in Tulsa County. My appointment to the bench held some local historical significance. I found that my friends, family and the larger African American community expressed how proud they were of the appointment. The appointment was also historically significant locally because it exemplified the commitment of the Tulsa County Bench to diversity and inclusion. The media coverage of my appointment not only focused on my qualifications to serve on the bench, but also on the fact that I was appointed as the first African American female to do so. There’s no question that over the past 14 years that I have served on the Tulsa County bench, the issue of racism has moved further and further to the forefront of social issues that need to be addressed. African Americans in general have been under-represented in many areas of society, and the legal profession is no exception. Racism is being recognized and addressed. Society as a whole has been required to consider race, and individuals have been urged to engage in self-evaluation of their own part in the equation. Everyone’s story is different, and we hail from different backgrounds and have different experiences. It may be difficult for non-African Americans to appreciate the implicit bias that African Americans face on a daily basis, including within the legal system. It is refreshing to know that many people are no longer turning a blind eye to the issue of race and that the built-in biases are being addressed slowly in many areas of society including the legal community.

What would you recommend for firms or schools to do in order to promote diversity inclusion in the future?

There are many tools that firms and schools can utilize first to determine if racial bias exists within their organization. I believe that self-evaluation, whether individual or organizational, is a starting point to determine if bias exists. I would encourage firms and schools to take an inventory of their practices in hiring and admitting students to determine whether there are implicit biases in their practices, and then address them. Self-evaluation is a great start to eliminating bias which, in turn, promotes inclusion and diversity.

What can a lawyer, law student, or law school Bar Associations do today to help encourage young persons to be aware and involved in a positive way in diversity issues?

At the risk of sounding redundant, the organizations and individuals can encourage young persons to self-evaluate and address any biases they may have. They can also encourage young people to educate themselves on the reasons why there are diversity issues and why they are seemingly so prevalent today. I believe that if individuals are educated on the necessity of having diversity in firms, schools and the legal profession, they are more inclined to be involved in a positive way.

What are some educational experiences or books you recommend to help others grow or understand?

There are racial justice, diversity workshops and bias trainings offered by different organizations. The Appellate Judges’ Educational Institute offered a roundtable seminar on the issue of racial justice. The Irvin Harris Foundation Professional Development Network has diversityinformed tenets that are available to review. There are several resources available that are relevant to the legal profession.