After a year of active involvement in BLSA as a 1L representative, I would like to run for next year's BLSA chairperson. My work in BLSA has allowed me familiarity with the inner workings of the board and time to consider how we can continue to improve our organization. BLSA's strength lies in its membership. The general body's commitment to BLSA rests on BLSA's commitment to the general body. As chairperson, I would emphasize the need to put on programs that cater to the academic and professional concerns of the group while continuing to foster a welcoming, comfortable environment. A greater emphasis on programming would also create more opportunities for financial contributions from firms, thus ensuring our viability moving forward.
Further, I would advocate for BLSA's visibility to extend beyond the Columbia walls and branch out further into the community at large. Though our primary objectives here are academic, BLSA should not lose sight that being in our position of privilege, it is our responsibility to extend the hand of service where needed.
2.Vice Chairperson (Candidates: Misan Ikomi)
Misan Ikomi
My name is Misan Ikomi and I’m presently a 1L. I’m running for the position of BLSA Vice-Chair because I think that BLSA plays such an important role at Columbia and I want to be able to assist in managing that role. With its abundant resources, BLSA really creates a supportive community for students. My participation in BLSA has been one of the highlights of my 1L experience. Frankly, I really don’t know how I would have done without the support and advice of BLSA members and leaders concerning classes, exams, jobs, etc. Becoming BLSA Vice-Chair would be a great avenue to give back to other students in the same manner that the organization has been of immense help to me and I would gladly embrace the opportunity to do just that.
Thanks,
Misan
3.Director of Community Service (Candidates: Sheila Adams, Danielle Toaltoan)
Sheila Adams
Dear BLSA Community,
I respectfully request your support of my candidacy for the position of Director of Community Service for the 2009-2010 school year.
As a Harlem native, I grew up not far from Columbia and have seen the drastic impact that the University has had on the surrounding neighborhoods over time. I decided to come to Columbia Law to be able to positively impact these communities while also pursuing my legal education. I believe that the privilege of attending an institution like Columbia requires that we give to others while we simultaneously strive to improve circumstances for ourselves. BLSA is a unique position to have a real impact in Harlem and beyond. My vision for the position of Director of Community Service and for the organization is to reinforce and augment BLSA’s visibility in the greater community.
While organizations such as the High School Law Institute and Harlem Tutorial Project, among others, provide tangible benefits to the larger community, BLSA itself can also play a pivotal role in reaching out to residents in surrounding neighborhoods, both on its own and in collaboration with other graduate schools and the College. In addition to continuing the service programs implemented by former directors of community service, three potential initiatives for BLSA can be: 1) the implementation of a BLSA-specific tutoring program with a public school that has a high need for our membership’s skills and talents; 2) the continuous dissemination of pamphlets on legal services offered by Columbia’s clinics and student-run projects, and on non-Columbia organizations to residents in surrounding neighborhoods; and 3) an ongoing BLSA-specific pro bono project. As Director of Community Service, I would prioritize reaching out to little-known organizations with the greatest need for volunteers, especially in Harlem. Above all, I believe it is important to solicit membership feedback on desired service projects on a continuous basis, as I recognize that membership support would be critical to the success of any community service project.
I appreciate your consideration of my candidacy. Thank you for your time.
Respectfully,
Sheila Adams
Class of 2011
Danielle Toaltoan
The Director of Community Service position is a new board position—next year will be its third year. In order to make community service an integral part of BLSA, the position requires someone effective and committed. I believe I can rise to the occasion because not only would such a position be a continuation of my prior experiences mobilizing and organizing people around service but also because I have some ideas particular to the position. First, capacity building and continuity is crucial. I want to honor Betre’s work this past year by mimicking his successes. This means connecting immediately with the partnerships he has cultivated and building off these relationships to implement successful projects. Second, I want to formalize BLSA’s connections with Black students who are already spearheading projects in Black communities and inquiring with them how we, as BLSA members, can better support what they already do well. Third, I want to capitalize on the excitement and eagerness of the IL class as they orient to Columbia. We all know that ILs become jaded quickly—doom sets in around November. I believe it is important to capture them at the first BLSA meeting, reinforce the importance of community service to the BLSA membership, and guide them right into projects established at the beginning of fall semester. Fourth, I believe BLSA’s community service ventures will be successful if BLSA members feel ownership of the projects. I would like to distribute a survey at the first BSLA meeting which reflects what projects BLSA membership feels most passionate about, what days and times are best for their schedule, and in what way they believe they can best contribute. Thank you so much for taking the time to read/listen to this platform, and please feel free to approach me with any questions and/or concerns.
4.Secretary (Candidates: Temilola Sobowale)
Temilola Sobowale
If elected to serve on BLSA’s Executive Board as Secretary, I will focus my efforts on improving interactions between its members and the board. Increasing the level of transparency about projects the Board is planning is one way to increase involvement from the membership, and, strengthen the connections between the two groups. This year there were many innovative ideas, such as, assisting high school students with college essays, which may have received greater interest from the membership if presented at an earlier date. Even before an idea is “fleshed out,” I think it is important to share proposals with the rest of BLSA, and that is a task for the Secretary. Members should be aware of activities the Board is planning, and I intend to make sure that effective communication between the two groups occurs so that this can happen.
I would also seek to develop a sense of continuity between boards. While the Secretary is a liaison between BLSA members and the Board, the position also requires effective communication between committee chairs. During my time as Editor for Current, a division of Newsweek, I learnt the importance of maintaining dialogue between boards that may seem opposing in nature. Therefore, I feel that entertaining suggestions and gathering input from other committees, as well as those on the Board, may lead to ideas that will allow chairs to coordinate events more effectively. The Secretary’s position provides the individual with the ability to obtain information about what each committee is planning, and I will be sure to take advantage of this by connecting the chairs with individuals that will ensure the success of their event.
BLSA has been an integral part of my experience at Columbia so far; I would value the opportunity to participate in this organization in a substantive capacity. Serving as BLSA’s Secretary would give me the opportunity to put my organizational skills to work on something other than outlines, and would be an experience I would greatly enjoy.
Many thanks for your consideration.
Temilola Sobowale
5.Treasurer (Candidates: Melvin J. Kelley IV)
Melvin J. Kelley IV
Dear BLSA Executive Board and the General Membership:
I have not chosen to pursue an education and a career in the field of the law as much as one might think, but rather, my life experience has demanded that I follow this path. I was born some twenty years after the end of the Civil Rights Movement, but my impoverished, urban community was a testament to the reality that work was still needed to advance the prospects of equality of opportunity.
The culmination of my experiences and intellectual insight have instilled me with a deep sense of self and a corresponding need to empower communities of African Ancestry. I believe BLSA is the most appropriate venue to actualize these ambitions. I am running in particular for the position of Treasurer because in light of our current economic climate, I want to do all that is possible to ensure that funding is not an issue as we seek to empower not only those of us at Columbia Law, but our broader community constituency as well.
The uncertain economic environment will present new challenges on the frontline of fundraising and I intend to be fully prepared to meet them. The days of relying on corporate law firms to fund our initiatives may come to an end, and instead we may have to rely on other creative measures to fulfill our needs. To this end I would suggest we seek to utilize the talents of our community to establish culturally relevant events that could simultaneously serve not only as source of entertainment, but for funds as well.
The life of a law student can be very stressful at times, particularly so for 1Ls. However, the support and encouragement from a community of your peers helps alleviate the anxiety that comes with the territory of law school. I certainly can attest to the truth of this from first hand experience; my name is Keita Rose-Atkinson and I'd like to be your Social Coordinator for 2009-2010. The position of BLSA Social Coordinator serves an important function in providing the opportunities for BLSA members to connect and fosters an environment of support within the community. My experience with BLSA this year, both as a member and serving on the social committee, makes me an excellent choice for Social Coordinator. As a member of the social committee and based on my past experiences organizing events, I can successfully fulfill the responsibilities of Social Coordinator and would do so with the commitment and dedication deserving of the position. Moreover, my involvement with other activities this year allows me the vantage point to form and maintain the connections necessary to not only help build the BLSA community but help its members form relationships with other student groups at Columbia and within the BLSA Northeast region. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me and I hope you will vote for me for Social Coordinator.
Thanks,
Keita
3L Representative Candidates
Alexandra Awai
Dear BLSA,
I hope to provide continuity to the Board and continue serving this great organization as your 3L Representative. Aside from assisting the 2009-2010 Board in whatever capacity is necessary and representing 3L interests, I plan to work closely with the new Secretary on the website and to continue organizing BLSA’s voluminous documents and media records in the new digital spaces that the current Board has obtained.
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