Leading California Foundation Hosted Leaders Summit, Awarded Scholarships to 32 Diverse California

SAN FRANCISCO - Oct. 4, 2019 - PRLog -- Yesterday, California ChangeLawyers, a statewide foundation empowering the next generation of legal changemakers, conducted a Leaders Summit that was organized on the theme, "Reimagine What A Leader Looks Like." The Summit was highlighted by a fireside chat with former California Senator Pro Tem, Kevin de León. Later in the evening, the foundation awarded $240,000 in scholarships to 32 talented, diverse law students. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra received the ChangeLawyers Leadership & Community Advocate Award and provided the keynote speech for the evening.

Other notable speakers included California Attorney General Xavier Becerra; Spotlight: Girls CEO Lynn Johnson; Transgender Law Center Executive Director, Kris Hayashi; Ella Baker Center for Human Rights Executive Director, Zach Norris; Movement Law Lab founder, Purvi Shah, and playwright Irma Herrera.

Thirty-two law students from 15 different law schools across the state were awarded scholarships in recognition of their promise to become tomorrow's legal changemakers. Almost two-thirds of the scholars were women, and nearly all of the scholars are first-generation law students. A full list of the foundation's 2019 scholars can be found here: https://www.californialeaderssummit.org/scholars

The scholars were selected by the foundation's Board of Directors after a rigorous review process and were chosen because of their grit in overcoming adversity and their demonstrated leadership. The application consisted of a detailed personal statement and recommendations, including law school faculty, private bar members, and judges. There were nearly 200 applications from across the state.

The foundation also gave ChangeLawyers℠ Awards to Rocío Ávila, Policy Director of the National Domestic Workers Coalition, and Rukuyani Tijani, founder of the First-Generation Purpose Project and associate at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP. All of the awardees have shown fearless commitment to breaking the cycle of inequity and advancing systemic change for those who have been denied fairness and opportunity including immigrants, women, and people of color.

California ChangeLawyers Executive Director, Christopher Punongbayan, who received a scholarship from the foundation in 2003, remarked, "We are inspired by both our scholars and our honorees. This country needs diverse leaders who are fearless in their resolve. It is our privilege to be able to recognize them because they are legal changemakers committed to delivering the original American value: justice for all."

The presentations of the scholarships and awards took place at UC Hastings Law School in San Francisco. More than 200 guests attended the event.

About California ChangeLawyers
California ChangeLawyers is a statewide foundation that empowers the next generation of lawyers, judges, and activists to create a more diverse legal profession, a fair justice system, and a better California. Founded in 1990, California ChangeLawyers was formerly known as the California Bar Foundation.