The 25th Anniversary Students of Color Dinner was our biggest ever

The dinner celebrated the achievements of the graduating 3Ls who are part of the Black, Latin American and Asian-Pacific American law students associations. A record crowd filled the grand ballroom of the Buffalo Niagara Marriott for the event, which culminated in the traditional “passing of the torch” ceremony in keeping with the event’s theme, “Lift as We Climb.”

The evening’s keynote address was given by Alphonso O’Neil-White, who recently retired as president and chief executive officer of HealthNow New York. O’Neil-White recalled arriving at his undergraduate college in 1968 to find that he was the only African-American student there. “I was a poor country boy from the peanut capital of the world, with $8 in my pocket and three days worth of clean underwear in a single suitcase,” he said. “I was ready to change the world. As it turned out, the world changed me.”

As he began his legal and business career, O’Neil-White said, “I found myself in many similar situations where there was a complete absence of racial diversity. In other words, I was the diversity element.” And he advised the students, “Like me, you should work on developing some skills and tools to not only survive, but thrive. You will be in positions of great power and influence. While we have made great strides since 1968 in this country, you’ll still find situations where there’s this dearth of diversity.”

He also said that a diverse work force is key to the renaissance of American cities. “I’ve observed that the successful cities that have experienced significant growth and prosperity have many things in common,” he said. “One is the ability to appreciate the full range of their cultural, racial and ethnic heritage. They are able to use this mosaic as a fuel of progress and growth.

“Buffalo is on the verge of making a great leap forward. It’s hard work to achieve diversity, and it’s harder still to maintain it and use it to the community’s advantage. We naturally seek out our own kind and seek the company of those like us. But if we are to be successful, we’ve got to resist these primal instincts and embrace these differences while working hard to make sure there is opportunity for all.” 

Two Distinguished Alumni Awards were presented, the first to Kenya Mann Faulkner ’89, vice president for legal affairs and general counsel for the University of Cincinnati. Faulkner thanked those who have mentored her along the way, saying, “I can’t tell you enough about the people who will help you on your journey after you leave law school.” And she shared a short list of wise advice for new lawyers, including, “The legal community is very small, whether you’re in Dallas or New York City or here in Buffalo. Don’t let those sharp elbows get in the way. Your reputation is all you have.”

The second recipient of a Distinguished Alumni Award was Randall F. Inniss ’97, director of security for the National Basketball Association. Inniss, who was a New York State Police officer for 10 years before he entered law school, said the investigative skills of law enforcement are “the same skills that are utilized by great lawyers.” “As law students, you should know that one of the most astute things you can do in terms of your job search is to become a good investigator,” he said.

The Trailblazer Award was presented to Jessica Ortiz ’05, an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York. She cautioned the students that the legal profession is “not as glamorous as you thought. It’s hard. It’s a tough profession. You have to work hard and you have to keep at it. When you step into that first job, that’s when the learning begins, and every job you take after that, you will continue to learn. And that’s the only way to be successful.”

Professor Luis E. Chiesa, who serves as LALSA’s faculty adviser, received the Jacob B. Hyman Professor of the Year Award. A new addition to the Law School faculty, he said he was hesitant about the honor, but accepted because he realized that “our own unique experiences, which are all very different in special ways, can inspire people. … I choose to view the award as more of a vote of confidence for the kind of teacher I’m going to be rather than as a recognition of past accomplishment.”

The organization’s “Lift as We Climb” scholarship was awarded to UB senior James Lopez, a psychology major who plans to go to law school, and the Monique E. Emdin Scholarship Award was given to Lizeth Castillo ’14.