The WMU-Cooley Law Review honored attorneys Steven Helton, Ann Sherman, Chris Allen, Kyla Barranco and Tonya Jeter during the organization’s 37th annual Distinguished Brief Award ceremony on March 2. The ceremony recognizes the most scholarly briefs filed with the Michigan Supreme Court in 2022.

Pictured: (left-right) are Melissa Bianchi, WMU-Cooley Law Review associate editor; Justice Richard Bernstein, Michigan Supreme Court Justice; Aniela Bosca, WMU-Cooley Law Review associate editor; WMU-Cooley Professor and Law Review Faculty Advisory Mark Cooney.

These briefs were evaluated by a panel of judges using seven set criteria: question presented, point headings, statement of case, argument and analysis, style, mechanics and best overall brief. The purpose of the award is to promote excellence in legal writing. The judges included: Michigan Supreme Court Justice Megan K. Cavanagh, Michigan Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth M. Welch, Judge Amy Ronayne Krause, Judge Michelle M. Rick, Judge Michael J. Riordan, Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, and WMU-Cooley Professor Christi Henke.

The winning briefs will be published in an upcoming edition of the WMU-Cooley Law Review.

Helton, Assistant Defender with the State Appellate Defender Office, was honored for his brief in the case of The People of the State of Michigan v. Robert Lance Propp. This case involved the type of showing indigent defendants are required to make to establish their right to a state appointed expert and whether prosecutors would be permitted to establish a defendant’s propensity to commit domestic violence through hearsay evidence.

Four attorneys from the Michigan Attorney General’s office, Solicitor General Ann Sherman, Assistant Solicitor General Chris Allen, and Assistant Attorneys General Kyla Barranco and Tonya Jeter, were also honored. The attorneys drafted the Michigan Supreme Court brief in the Rouch World, LLC v. Department of Civil Rights case decided in July 2022. The brief argued that the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act’s prohibition of discrimination “because of . . . sex” necessarily encompassed sexual-orientation discrimination because those concepts are intertwined.

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Richard Bernstein delivered the keynote address at the ceremony, saying in part, “Ultimately, our picture of the law goes beyond the court. The reason why these awards are so significant is because for the most part, cases are won and lost off of the briefs that are submitted. The brief brings the case to life. It brings the facts to life, it brings the issue to life, it brings the clients to life, and it brings the law to life.”

WMU-Cooley Law School recognized Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May with a virtual Community Conversation event, featuring Mark S. Chang, senior manager and specialty compliance and ethics.

Chang, who provides value-added guidance to cross functional stakeholders in the cyber security and data privacy risk management fields, reflected upon the contributions and influence of Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States.

“As a legal professional, we want to be as resourceful as possible whether we are presenting in court, presenting a case, or doing volunteer work in the community, and be mindful of the vast diverse of Asian American communities,” said Chang, a native of Taiwan. “There’s a huge spectrum of socioeconomic levels and educational differences amongst this entire big group.

He also spoke about how those in the educational setting could help those with minority background. 

“Something that’s very important from a legal perspective or a legal education perspective is to continue to broaden your networking circle, not just within your particular group or class,” Chang said. “Being at Cooley we have a fortunate bank of all the alumni across the world. It doesn’t matter where you go whether in the United States or a different part of the world, you will have that resources available if you want to reach out. It is important to volunteer and help out and reach out to people at your school and people in the community who can be impacted.”

Additionally, Chang spoke on how the minority population often has a negative connotation in America. 

“Is it bad to be a minority? If you change your mindset, that might not be a bad thing after all. How do you utilize your uniqueness to excel and overcome all of those challenges that may systematically stack up against you? I think that’s something that I was able to learn through this process and realize what am I good at and what are you not good at; then analyze the situation and try to create your own path. Because that is a minority mindset – being a pathfinder, being that entrepreneur who’s creating a new way, creating an innovative way to be successful and create your own version of the American Dream. Because the American Dream is not just to America, it’s the concept of making it your life. Whatever you’re given and what you deal with in life – no matter what part of the world you’re in – finding that freedom to make that choice to achieve your own goals you set up for yourself is valuable.”

During the conversational event, Chang also spoke about what he learned from his educational experience in America. 

“I learned to pick up the growth mentality – you can always find your own piece of the pie,” he said. “For me, education didn’t stop at commencement, that’s where it starts because, now you’re given an educational tool – an ‘intellectual’ Ferrari or Tesla, a very incredible machine, that allowed me to grow, which is a lifelong commitment and journey.”

WATCH THE CONVERSATION HERE

WMU-Cooley Law School graduate Daniel Cardwell has been named the 2023 International Graduate of the Year by the International Legal Honor Society of Phi Delta Phi.

Law students from the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, and Poland compete for this recognition, which is the society's highest award given to one graduate each year. The award recognizes outstanding academic achievements, dedication to professional service, and overall merit.

“Being selected as the 2023 International Graduate of the Year for Phi Delta Phi is an incredible recognition,” said Cardwell. “My goal is to consistently compete with myself for personal improvement, and it is truly an honor to see daily, consistent efforts accumulate into this recognition.”

Cardwell’s notable achievements, which contributed to him receiving the honor, include: graduating ninth in his class at WMU-Cooley, winning national recognition and publication for his contribution to the Judge Constance Baker Motley DEI Essay Competition, winning the 2021 Staying in the Game Essay Competition, both sponsored by the Federal Bar Association; serving as chair of the Professional Values Committee for the Association of College & Research Libraries; and interning at the Department of Justice, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida, and the Second District Court of Appeal for Florida. He also serves as an adjunct professor of English and tutored students at the Academic Success Center at Hillsborough Community College’s Brandon Campus.

Additionally, Cardwell received the Society of Scholars Scholarship through the Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity. He completed the Business Transaction Concentration, earning elective credits in bankruptcy law, taxation of business entities, securities regulation, and UCC Article III negotiable instruments. He was the clerk and 2022 Convention Delegate for the Janet Reno Chapter of Phi Alpha Delta.

Cardwell received a Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, and Master of Arts degrees from the University of South Florida and a Master of Arts degree from Northern Arizona University. 
 

Graduates of Cooley Law School’s Tampa Bay campus were honored during a graduation ceremony on April 15 at the law school’s auditorium in Riverview.

Juris doctor degrees were conferred to 30 members of the law school’s Justice Joseph McKenna Class. Chosen by her peers, Jessica Sivillo presented the valedictory remarks. The keynote address was presented by the Hon. Jigisa Patel-Dookhoo of 18th Circuit Court in Viera, Florida.

Sivillo spoke on how meaningful moments in individuals’ lives disappear in the blink of an eye, and asked her classmates, “how did we get here today?”

“We have been waiting for graduation to come for what seems like a very long time, but it will soon be over in a few short hours,” said Sivillo. “Law school challenged us all to adapt and to grow. We made it to that big day we’ve all been waiting for. Here we are today. We did it!”

Pictured, from left: The Hon. Jigisa Patel-Dookhoo, Cooley President James McGrath, valedictory speaker Jessica Sivillo, and Professor Christine Church.

While speaking about next steps that graduates may face, Sivillo said, “one of the most important things to do right now is to take in this very moment. The phrase ‘take in this moment’ has so much meaning to this graduating class. This journey required sacrifice, dedication, and a long-term commitment. We got here with each other. We got through law school together and we will always cheer each other on.”

Sivillo also spoke about the importance of graduates taking on the next chapters of their lives.

“Let’s take the time to slow down and remember our purpose. Be proud of the goals we have achieved and the people we have become. Let’s be grateful to the people who support us and cheer us on.”

During the keynote, Patel-Dookhoo spoke about how she felt during her graduation from Cooley’s Michigan campus.

“I recall the emotions that I felt. The first was pride. I was the first of my family to graduate with a doctorate degree. The second emotion was fear. Fear is an amazing thing; it can lead to two results. First, fear can cripple you – if you let fear overcome you, you may not be able to move forward.  Second, fear may motivate you. Let it motivate you, because in 2009, when I graduated, I would have never guessed that I would have had a job before passing the bar, or guessed that today I would be the first Indian-American women to serve on the judicial circuit here in Florida.”

While sharing how she achieved her goals after graduation and her success and fears, Patel-Dookhoo said, “I want to inspire at least one person to see their self in a position that they had never imagined.”

Patel-Dookhoo also spoke about the importance of achieving goals as an attorney, and using those skills to help others in the community.

“They see you and need your word of advice to pull them back into a position of a better place,” she said. “I ask you to know that you are more than capable of what you can imagine. Take risks and build your career, but at the end of the day, be happy.”

Following the presentation of diplomas, Cooley Professor Christine Church was presented with the Stanley E. Beattie Award for Excellence in Teaching. Church was chosen by the members of the graduating class for the honor.

Each Cooley Law School class is named for a distinguished member of the legal profession. The commencement ceremony for Cooley’s spring 2023 graduating class honors Justice Joseph McKenna.  

As a young child, McKenna’s family moved from Philadelphia to California. At the age of 15, his father passed away. As the Civil War raged far away from California, he and his mother worked to keep their bakery afloat while McKenna studied law at the Benicia Collegiate Institute. He graduated from the law department in 1864. The following year, he was admitted to the California Bar, and within six months he was elected to the position of Solano County district attorney. In the mid-1870s, McKenna won a seat in the California legislature. In 1885, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he won passage of legislation extending railroad land grants, and improving port facilities. In 1892, President Benjamin Harrison appointed McKenna to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, where he served for five years until he was nominated as Attorney General by President William McKinley. A year later, McKinley nominated McKenna to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court. He was the last justice to take a seat on the Supreme Court in the 19th century. He retired from the bench in 1925.

On Thursday, Sept. 21, Cooley Law School Distinguished Professor Emeritus Joseph Kimble was awarded the 2023 Roberts P. Hudson Award from the State Bar of Michigan during its Presidential Inauguration and Awards Luncheon at the Detroit Marriott Troy. The Hudson Award is considered the highest award conferred by the professional organization.

The Hudson Award is presented periodically to lawyers for “an unselfish rendering of outstanding and unique service to and on behalf of the State Bar, the legal profession, and the public.”

“I’m deeply honored to receive this award, since it recognizes the decades I’ve spent trying to advance the cause of plain legal language – published a few books; taught law students for 30 years; served as drafting consultant on the projects to rewrite the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and Evidence, and Bankruptcy Procedure, and recently the Michigan Rules of Evidence,” Kimble said during the award ceremony. “But above all, perhaps, the award recognizes my 30-plus years on the Bar Journal’s Publications Committee, and especially the Plain Language column. Next year will be the column’s 40th year. That is just unbelievable, even to me.” 

Kimble said that legalese not only brings disrespect on the legal profession but also wastes everyone’s time, energy, and money—and is not necessary. He added: “If you learn to write plainly, your readers, including your clients, will be exceedingly grateful. And you’ll make the world a better place. As the former chief justice said in a 2021 column, ‘access to justice requires plain language.’ Almost 40 years on, the column is still committed to these ends.”

Besides serving as editor of the Bar Journal’s Plain Language column for 35 years, he is a senior editor of The Scribes Journal of Legal Writing and contributes a writing column called “Redlines” to the Judicature journal. He is a past president of the international organization Clarity and was a founding director of the Center for Plain Language.

Kimble has published dozens of articles on legal writing and has written three books—“Lifting the Fog of Legalese: Essays on Plain Language”; “Writing for Dollars, Writing to Please: The Case for Plain Language in Business, Government, and Law”; and “Seeing Through Legalese: More Essays on Plain Language.” During his career, Kimble has lectured on writing to legal organizations in the United States, Canada, Europe, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

Since 2000, he has served as a drafting consultant on all new and amended federal court rules, and he led the work of redrafting the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Federal Rules of Evidence—for each of which he received a prestigious Burton Award for Reform in Law. And he was the drafting consultant on the recently approved Michigan Rules of Evidence.

Kimble has received honors from many state and national organizations, including a “Plain English Champion Award” from the Plain English Campaign in England; the first Plain Language Association International Award for being a "champion, leader, and visionary in the plain-language field"; a lifetime-achievement award from the Section on Legal Writing, Reasoning, and Research of the Association of American Law Schools; and the John W. Reed Lawyer Legacy Award from the State Bar of Michigan. In 2017, Scribes—The American Society of Legal Writers—created the Joseph Kimble Distinguished Service Award. In 2021, Michigan Lawyers Weekly selected him for its Hall of Fame Class.

During his tenure at Cooley Law School, Kimble taught Research & Writing and Advanced Research & Writing. He is now senior director of Cooley's Kimble Center for Legal Drafting.

WATCH JOSEPH KIMBLE'S ACCEPTANCE SPEECH HERE

Photo: Pictured with Kimble (center) are State Bar of Michigan President Daniel Quick (left), and outgoing State Bar President James Heath (right)

On March 3, 2023, in celebration of Women’s History Month, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the U.S. District Court of the Middle District of Florida held an All-Women Naturalization Ceremony at Cooley Law School’s Tampa Bay campus on Friday. The ceremony, which included the Oath of Allegiance, was the final step to citizenship for 55 candidates.

“What these ladies have already accomplished by getting to this place is remarkable,” said Cooley Assistant Dean Katherine Gustafson. “The distances they have traveled, the obstacles they have overcome, and the efforts they have made to put down roots here should always be sources of pride and of satisfaction to them and their families.”

The 55 citizenship candidates originate from 30 countries: Albania, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Ghana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Latvia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Sri Lanka, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Venezuela and Vietnam.

“This is the American Dream. The American Dream is not about money, or a house, but it is the opportunity to be an American while being able to keep your culture,” added Gustafson. “Now, these women are just as American as their neighbors who were born here, just as American as those who trace their lineage to the Mayflower, or just as American as those whose ancestors served at Gettysburg or Valley Forge.”

U.S. Magistrate Judge Amanda Sansone of the Middle District of Florida administered the oath this afternoon. The Oath of Allegiance has led to American citizenship for more than 220 years.

Graduates of WMU-Cooley Law School’s Lansing campus were honored during a graduation ceremony on April 8, at Michigan State University’s Wharton Center.

Fifty juris doctor degrees and six master of laws degrees were conferred to members of the law school’s Joseph McKenna Class. Hannah Leah Ortiz was chosen by her peers to present the valedictory remarks. Presenting the keynote address was John S. Brennan, son of WMU-Cooley founder Thomas E. Brennan Sr. A former WMU-Cooley professor, John Brennan is now a partner at  Fahey Schultz Burzych Rhodes.

During the valedictory remarks, Ortiz thanked the law school’s faculty for educating the members of the graduating class, challenging them, and questioning their life’s choices. She shared how fear helped her and members of the graduating class get through law school.

“It’s not about what we’ve been through, but what we’ve overcome. Your past is not your identity. It is your preparation. The fear is the preparation. The fear of waiting for a final grade, or whether the exam software will work, or if you will be called on by a professor,” said Ortiz. “I would think often that I just need to stop, stop law school and say to myself ‘what am I doing, why am I here.’ I know many of you have the same feelings, that was your fear. I realized it isn’t right to make our goals smaller. We should be making our goals bigger. Don’t let the fear stop you. Everything we want is on the other side of fear. The grit, the persistence, and the fortitude it takes to become a lawyer is evident as only .36 percent of the population are lawyers.  That means that we did it.”

Brennan shared examples of why individuals should not only “hold onto hope, but increase hope.”

“You are about to embark on a fulfilling and successful career in law,” said Brennan. He shared inspirational stories of success about former law students who have stayed in touch with him since they graduated from WMU-Cooley. While sharing their stories he noted five traits that each former student has in common. “One, they were all ambitious. That is a word that some people feel is bad, but it is not. Without ambition, Cooley Law School would have never been founded. It means you want to better yourself. Two, each of them have a passion for the law. They love being lawyers. Being a lawyer is not a job for them, it is a calling.  Number three, they were not afraid to ask for help. They got that help by developing real relationships and friendship. You do not become a success by isolating. Number four, they persevered. They lost cases or lost elections, but that did not deflate them. They learned from the losses and used that knowledge strategically. The last and most important quality they share is that they are humble. They know who they are, where they came from, know they are still learning, and they appreciate that there are others that are more talented, smarter, or better positioned than they are. Instead of letting that bring them down they celebrate the success of others and are inspired by it to bring success to themselves.”

Each WMU-Cooley Law School class is named for a distinguished member of the legal profession. The commencement ceremony for WMU-Cooley’s spring 2023 graduating class honors Justice Joseph McKenna.  

As a young child McKenna’s family moved from Philadelphia to California. At the age of 15, his father passed away. As the Civil War raged far away from California, he and his mother worked to keep their bakery afloat while McKenna studied law at the Benicia Collegiate Institute. He graduated from the law department in 1864. In 1865 he was admitted to the California Bar and within six months he was elected to the position of Solano County district attorney. In the mid-1870s, he won a seat in the California legislature. In 1885, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives where he won passage of legislation extending railroad land grants, and improving port facilities. In 1892, President Benjamin Harrison appointed McKenna to the U.S.

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, where he served for five years until he was nominated as Attorney General by President McKinley. A year later McKinley nominated McKenna to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court. He was the last justice to take a seat on the Supreme Court in the 19th century. He retired from the bench in 1925. 

WMU-Cooley Law School hosted a Bar Panel Discussion on June 15, featuring five graduates of the law school who recently passed the Florida Bar Exam. 

During the event, the panelists discussed a variety of topics, including how to study for the exam, prep courses, simulation days, and the value of having a professor mentor to help students prepare for the exam. 

 

“The Florida Bar exam is very passable, but requires a dedicated, focused commitment,” said WMU-Cooley Law School graduate and panelist Jim Johnson. “Studying for the bar exam is a marathon, not a sprint. Like a marathon, be sure you can go the distance, and prepare not only for the content, but also simulate and undertake the conditions of the bar exam.”

Karen Smithman, Esquire, who moderated the panel discussion, shared: “It’s important to be prepared for every possible subject on the bar exam because you never know what subject will be on the test. I suggest taking a few bar classes when you are in law school. Family Law, Florida Evidence, Constitutional Law, Civil and Criminal Procedure are all testable on the bar exam and can be too much to learn for the first time when studying for the bar. Higher GPAs often correlate to a higher possibility of passing the bar – presumably because it means you learned it well the first time and now you only need to review.”

Smithman explained studying for the bar is a strenuous marathon, and can affect one’s mental health.

“Taking regular exercise breaks, getting enough sleep, and maintaining a healthy diet are essential for releasing tension and stress. Our brains need intermittent breaks to absorb the complex exam information and our bodies need time to recoup from the intense preparation,” she told the group. “If you are working, try reducing your hours while preparing for the exam, if possible. Otherwise, deferring to the next bar administration is another option if you feel you need additional time to prepare. Also, lean on your family and friends to help – bring you food, run errands, clean the house — whatever you need to help you focus on studying.”

Smithman also advised reviewing hundreds of multiple choice questions, practicing using a mechanical pencil bubbling in the answer sheet, doing full bar simulations – two back-to-back days of testing, and building up your testing endurance. She encouraged students to use their bar prep program, follow their advice, and visit the Florida Bar website to find, write or issue spot as many essay exams as possible.

“You don't want to sit down and do 100 multiple choice questions in a three-hour block for the first time at the bar,” Smithman said. “Treat bar prep like a full time job – create a study schedule that works for you and put in the hours. This is not a time to procrastinate and put it off until the last couple of weeks. Bar prep is primarily a solo activity - it is very tough going even for the most successful law students. Keep your head down, stay in your seat and digest every single thing you can until the big day.”

One of the most important pieces of advice Smithman shared with the group: “Having a positive mental attitude on exam day. If you walk into the bar exam feeling like you’re going to fail, that mindset will carry through with you for the entire duration of the exam. Walk in there knowing you’ve got this – because you do.”

Past President of Alabama State University Dr. Joseph H. Silver Sr. will be the keynote presenter during Cooley Law School’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day commemoration. Silver’s presentation, Maintaining the Vision of Freedom, Justice, and Equity, is part of the law school’s Community Conversation Series.

Silver is president of Silver and Associates, a full-service higher education consulting firm. For over a 25-years, the firm has assisted colleges and universities with solving complex problems, accreditation issues, and developing sound strategic planning.

Before leading Alabama State University, Silver served as provost and vice president of Academic Affairs for Clark Atlanta Univeristy. He is credited with being the architect of the university’s new strategic plan and its implementation. 

Silver is Chair of the Higher Education Committee for the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. and serves as a mentor for the next generations of scholars and leaders in higher education, business, and in the community. He is the author of several publications in political science and higher education and is the immediate past chair of the Governing Council of the African University College of Communication in Ghana, Africa. Silver is also chair of the International Board of Trustees of the Pan-African Heritage World Museum.

Silver is the recipient of the leadership award from the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education-LMI (AABHE-LMI) and, going forward, the award has been named the Joseph H. Silver, Leadership and Mentoring Award. A leadership award is also named in his honor at Clark Atlanta University. He received the Distinguished Alumni Award from St. Augustine’s University in 2022, and was awarded the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from St. Augustine’s University and Jarvis Christian University in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
Members of the public are encouraged to attend the virtual event by signing up below.  

Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2023
Noon-1 p.m.

WATCH THE EVENT ON YOUTUBE NOW

WMU-Cooley Law School held a Community Conversation event on June 19 in celebration of Juneteenth, the day which marks the end of slavery and signifies freedom for African Americans in the United States. The event featured lifelong social justice advocate, historian, author, poet, and storyteller Valada Parker Flewellyn. During the event, Flewellyn began by reading two poems, "The Storyteller" and "The Evolution of the African American," from her first book, "Poetically, Just Us."

The poems reflected on the history of slavery in America, and what slavery looked like in the 1800s compared to present day with the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in 2020. 

“The Emancipation Proclamation has assumed a place among the greatest documents of human freedom,” said Flewellyn, noting Floyd and Taylor’s deaths called “international attention to the ongoing racial inequities in the justice system, as well as the legacy of slavery evidenced and encounters between Black people and the police.

“The public was made to clearly see how slavery took on a new form in our legal system. Mass incarceration more than 150 years after enslaved Africans and their descendants were released from bondage through ratification of the 13th Amendment, which reads, ‘Neither slave nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment for crime, where off the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist with the United States or any place subject to their jurisdiction.’ That slavery exception continues to encourage massive incarceration and permits the exportation of incarcerated individuals as low-cost labor.”

While the signing of Juneteenth as a national independence day by President Joe Biden in 2021 marks Juneteenth as a federal holiday, not all states recognize it as a holiday.

“Juneteenth is a day of reflection, a day of renewal, a prideful day,” said Flewellyn during the event. “It is a moment in time taken to appreciate the African American experience. It is inclusive of all races, ethnicities, and nationalities. The day encourages us to keep the idea of freedom top of mind. Juneteenth represents the joy of freedom, the chance for a new beginning. Unless we expose the truth about the African American slave experience, Americans won’t truly be free. Never must we forget the people who endured one of the worst slave experiences in human history. Every American has benefitted from the wealth Blacks created through more than 200 years of free labor. Juneteenth allows us to acknowledge that debt to encourage every former slaveholding state to make Juneteenth a state holiday, recognizing that every day in America, Blacks are reminded of the legacy of slavery.”

Flewellyn continued, “Even on the journey to discovery, to discovering who we are, Juneteenth allows us to reflect on where we have been, where we are and where we are going as a people. Never give up hope is the legacy that slave people left. It was this legacy that produced Black heroism in the Civil War and help launch the modern civil rights era. It is this legacy that we celebrate today to proclaim for all the world to hear that human rights must never again become subservient to property rights. History books have only told a small part of the story. Juneteenth gives us a chance to set the record straight. 

Flewellyn echoed the words of songwriter Solomon Burke, “And there are people still in the darkness and they just can’t see the light. If you don’t say it’s wrong, then that says it is right. We got to try to feel for each other and let our brothers know that we care. We got to get the message, send it out loud and clear: None of us are free. If one of us are chained, none of us are free. To the enslaved Black people in America, the message of freedom did not ring clear until it was transmitted to every enslaved ear. None of us are free until all of us are free.”

Flewellyn is a founding member of the Alliance for Truth and Justice and an affiliate of the Equal Justice Institute. Her books include: “Poetically, Just Us” (c.1990), “Yours Truly” (c.1994), “Jack & Jill of America into the New Millennium” (c.2000), and “African Americans of Sanford,” an Arcadia Publication (c.2010). Flewellyn’s most recent publication, "For the Children: The History of Jack and Jill of America Incorporated" (c.2018), explores the history of the oldest African American family organization.  

The full Community Conversation can be viewed at WMU-Cooley’s YouTube Channel.