NBLSA National Chair's Mid-Year Message

Dear NBLSA Family, Partners, and Friends:

Yesterday, many of our local chapters and Regions recognized our Founders Day - October 26, 1968. On this day, Algernon J. Cooper and six other Black law students convened the first meeting of the National Black Law Students Association (then called the Black American Law Students Association) at New York University Law School.

This meeting gave birth to more than a student organization, but rather a powerful force for uplifting Black and minority law students across the nation. Our commemoration of that date is not simply a celebration, but it is a re-dedication to the critical mission of our great organization. For fifty years, men and women have toiled to provide quality programming, advocacy, and fellowship to our members and have worked to advance the cause of diversity, inclusion, civil rights, and social justice.

As the NBLSA National Board reflects on the past six months of the current year, we recognize that this is a moment to truly appreciate the richness of NBLSA's legacy. We, as a community have much to be proud of today. Our members include activists, military officers and veterans, and brilliant legal minds. Our network of over 15,000 alumni includes judges and lawmakers on all levels, corporate and general counsel of major companies, partners of major law firms, brilliant academic minds, as well as the 44th president of the United States and his amazing former first lady. As we celebrate these fifty years of service, we, in so doing, must more fervently commit ourselves to advancing the mission that gave life to our organization.

As to the work of the 50th National Executive Board and the six Regional Boards, I could not be prouder to share their successes with you. The National officers and Regional Boards give voluntarily of their time and talent to produce programs, events, and resources for law students, pre-law students, and alumni - all while being students, themselves. Their sacrifices and passion for the mission of NBLSA are unparalleled, and it is through them that Founder Cooper's highest vision for this organization is realized. I humbled to serve as their Chair, but more so than that unique honor, I am blessed beyond measure to call these amazing servant-leaders colleagues and friends.

I invite you to read and share our 2017-2018 Mid-Year Report. I also invite you to visit NBLSA's website - www.nblsa.org - to find more information on our recent activities.

Thank you to Founder Cooper and those first trailblazers for giving us NBLSA, and thank you all for the work you do to support its great legacy.

In NBLSA Service,

Mark A. Dunham, Jr.

48th NBLSA National Chair

chair@nblsa.org | 202-907-4753