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4 ¦ JULY 6, 2020 NEWS

¦ From SHORTAGE on PAGE 1 determine why diversity matters
A member of the George W. to them and be honest about their
Crawford Black Bar Association diversity issues.
for four years, Bowie graduated
from Wake Forest University
School of Law in 2016. He sat with Bowie, who begins the What are your immediate
the Connecticut Law Tribune to one-year term Wednesday, short-term goals as association
answer five questions. president?
takes office amid two
The answers have been edited national crises facing the Bowie: Given the limitations
for space and clarity. Black community: a massive created by COVID-19, my most
call for police reform in immediate short-term goal is to
continue to provide our normal
the wake of the May 25 programming to our members
Connecticut Law Tribune:
Since 2017, you have been a killing of George Floyd at and service to the community.
Bar associations have been im-
member of the Connecticut Bar the hands of Minneapolis pacted severely by the pandemic,
as we largely operate by hosting
Association’s Diversity and In- police and the COVID-19 large in-person meetings. To ob-
clusion Committee. Where is epidemic’s disproportionate serve social-distancing protocols
the bar today with regard to di- effects on communities of and other legal requirements, it
versity and inclusion, and what
still needs to be done? color.

Alan Bowie Jr.: As a result will be necessary to move to an
of the hard work and vision of entirely virtual platform until fur-
the committee, at least 38 orga- ther notice.
nizations have signed onto the Substantively, one of my prima-
Connecticut Legal Community’s ry goals is to focus on the second
Diversion and Inclusion Pledge and Plan. point of Crawford’s mission, which is “to focus at-
Through this pledge, the committee can track tention on legal, political and social issues which
diversity at the organizations and hold them affect members of the Black community, and to ad-
accountable for increasing diversity, equity and in- dress those issues as a unified body.”
clusion. This is a huge step in solving the diversity During my tenure as president, Crawford will
issue, however, more work must be done. work actively with its various partners to address
It is no secret the number of Black law firm part- issues of institutional racism, anti-Blackness gen-
ners, and partners from other diverse backgrounds, erally and police brutality. Further, as this is an
has been virtually the same for the past 40 years. election year, Crawford will be active in the upcom-
The same can be said for black attorneys with high- ing national and local elections and will continue
level positions at nonlaw firms. I can name each to advocate for policy reforms that affect the Black
of the Black law firm partners, executive directors community.
and general counsels at each legal organization and
can likely count them on less than two full hands. The CBA has established the policing task
Further, I practice in a city where there has not force, which will, among other things, facilitate
been, at least to my knowledge, a single Black asso- conversations with a diverse group of community
ciate promoted to partner at a major law firm. This leaders, law enforcement officials and attorneys
is problematic and can likely be said for any diverse to hear concerns and discuss potential solutions
category of attorney.
and recommend police reforms. What will your
To spur meaningful change and to fix the diver- role be with the task force, as Crawford presi-
sity problem, we must make diversity, equity and dent, and are you optimistic there can be lasting
inclusion a top priority. Legal organizations must change?

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