Perspectives of Black Men in Law School, Part 2

Monday, January 8, 2024 8:00 am EST

Black men make up less than 5% of lawyers in the United States. Though drastically underrepresented in the legal profession, Black men are overrepresented in the number of incarcerated people in the US, where one out of every three Black boys born today can expect to go to prison in his lifetime. It’s rare that we get a chance to hear the perspectives of Black men in the legal profession and understand their experiences.

In part two of this two-part interview, Max sits down with Jakim Aaron ’24 J.D., Joshua Mannery ’24 J.D., and Jamal Wilson ’24 J.D.; three Black men who are law students at Notre Dame to discuss their perspectives and experiences in life and law.

The DEI Podcast with Max Gaston is sponsored by Notre Dame Law School and co-sponsored on ThinkND by the Black Alumni of Notre Dame, the Alumni Rainbow Community of Notre Dame (ARC ND), YoungND, Native American Alumni, Notre Dame Women Connect, Hispanic Alumni of Notre Dame, Notre Dame Senior Alumni, and Asian Pacific Alumni of Notre Dame. Register to receive emails about upcoming episodes of The DEI Podcast.

2:43 – Culture add vs culture fit: discussing being yourself in the workplace versus trying to blend in with your peers and fit in with the law firm culture to find success.

12:02 – Exploring the importance of the mentee-mentor relationship for Black men in the legal profession and what it takes to be a good mentor.

17:14 – Discussing the distinction between mentorship and sponsorship and the fact that being Black does not automatically qualify you to be a mentor.

28:03 – Exploring whether Black men in Gen Z are the most ideologically progressive and culturally open-minded generation of Black men in US history, and if so why.

37:52 – Discussing what it has historically meant to be Black in the US and how the modern climate allows Black men more space than ever before to be vulnerable and embrace different perspectives.

41:54 – The importance of representation and conversations that center different perspectives in advancing positive cultural change.