Push For Greater Diversity At Law School With Only Four Black Students And One Black Professor

Vancouver Sun, Black Law Students Push For Increased Diversity at UBC Law School:

Rebecca Barclay Nguinambaye always had a keen interest in social justice — and she was lucky enough to have the family support and mentorship that made a career in law seem possible.

“It’s not the reality for many students,” Nguinambaye said at UBC’s Peter A. Allard School of Law.

Nguinambaye, one of a handful of Black law scholars among approximately 600 students in Allard’s program, wants to ensure other Black students have access, opportunity and support to pursue careers in law.

The 27-year-old is the co-president (with Dinah Holliday) of the Black Law Students’ Association at Allard, and this year the duo — who make up half of Allard’s four Black law undergrads — is organizing the first Black Pre-Law Conference to invite Black undergraduate students to consider law school.

The BLSA, a national organization founded in 1991, provides community, networking opportunities and advocacy. ...

Allard has one Black tenure-track faculty member, said Nguinambaye.

“Like many law students, I had a keen interest in social justice,” said Nguinambaye. As a member of a marginalized group, she said, those issues were magnified. “I was interested in helping others and identifying areas of improvement in society and law, to some extent, it encourages a critical lens and advocacy”