UC Law SF’s Diversity Week Encourages Cultural Awareness and Critical Thinking
A standing-room-only crowd celebrates Lunar New Year with spectacular performance by San Francisco-based Lion Dance Me. Experiencing the dance up close allows community members to immerse themselves in a rich cultural tradition.
UC Law SF’s Diversity Week brought together students, faculty, and staff for five days of meaningful conversations, exhibits, and celebrations. From exploring LGBTQ+ rights history and Black legal excellence to discussing the future of DEI in the legal profession, participants gained insights vital to their future careers. These images showcase moments of growth, connection, and learning that give students critical tools to thrive in a rapidly evolving legal field.
Chancellor & Dean David Faigman welcomes students, faculty, and staff to a lively morning gathering, where community members connected over food and received UC Law SF beanies.
Emma Adams ’25 worked with the Tenderloin Museum to curate a powerful exhibit tracing the history of the LGBTQ+ rights movement. Displays she researched and wrote guide viewers through pivotal moments, from the formation of the nation’s first gay rights groups to a landmark Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in 2015. Read more about Adams’ experiences.
Jessica Ourk, director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Keker Van Nest, joins UC Law SF Chief Diversity Officer Mario Ernesto Lopez ’15 for a discussion on the future of DEI in the legal field. Ourk explains how implicit bias can affect career advancement at law firms and shares advice for students entering the job market. She also emphasizes the need for strong support systems and consistent performance standards to ensure equitable opportunities.
Civil rights attorney Adanté Pointer ’03 discusses how Black attorneys have shaped the U.S. legal system, advancing rights and equality for all Americans. He also shares how their trailblazing work inspired him and influenced his career. He spoke with Assistant Dean Elizabeth McGriff ’96 at an event on “Black Excellence: The History and Impact of Black Lawyers on the Legal System.” Read more about their discussion.
Lajeanne Shelton ’25 introduces lion dance performers at one of several events celebrating global cultures during Diversity Week. Shelton is director of community affairs for UC Law Associated Students, the College’s student government association, which co-sponsored the event.
Lion dancers and musicians fill the UC Law SF campus with colors and drumbeats that enliven the Law Cafe and honor San Francisco’s cultural history and importance. See a video of the performance.
Law students connect with peers over global cuisine and karaoke hits from around the world during Cultural Night at UC Law SF’s 198 McAllister building. The event highlights how shared experiences and cultural expression build community, promote understanding, and prepare professionals to thrive in a diverse society.
Cultural Night spotlights student organizations like Moot Court, which has consistently ranked as a top team in national competitions and draw 2L and 3L students seeking to practice excellence in courtroom settings.
Professor and renowned legal scholar Cheryl Harris traces the historical connections between racial discrimination and economic inequality in a speech titled “On Race, Capitalism, and (Im)possible Futures” during the Racial Capitalism Symposium. Harris is the Wiley Manuel Visiting Scholar and Professor with UC Law SF’s Center for Racial and Economic Justice, which organized the symposium.
Professor Cheryl Harris speaks with symposium attendees after delivering the Mathew O. Tobriner Memorial Lecture and keynote. Her speech was part of an annual series that honors the memory of the late California Supreme Court justice.