A Reading Light to Future Generations of Black Lawyers
Eunice Hutton-Carter, Constance Baker Motley, Barbara Jordan, Pauli Murray, and Charlotte E. Ray. These are among the prominent figures who symbolize the long historical legacy of Black women lawyers in the U.S.
Two Chicago-area women who are committed to sustaining that legacy for Black law school students are Chynnique Ross and Destinee Burrell, founders of the non-profit known as The Light Law.
Their mission?
“……to enhance the ability of minority law students in navigating their law school journey by alleviating the financial burdens they face along with providing training and mentorship to students from under-resourced communities to complete law school and become the next generation of lawyers.”
In finding their story so compelling, I decided to feature them in this latest issue of “Black Books, Black Minds.”
First, my discussion with Chynnique before turning to her co-founder Destinee.
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Chynnique, please share a little about yourself, your early experiences with reading, and the impact it has had on your life.
My name is Chynnique Ross and I am a Business Capital Attorney from Chicago, IL. My parents instilled in me the importance of reading and education at a very early age. So, I learned how to read at the age of three and have loved books ever since. They indulged my reading obsession by always reading bedtime stories to me and purchasing every book I begged for. Through those experiences, I find that books provide another world on each page that I easily get pulled into.
You and I briefly talked about the financial and institutional barriers you faced during your law school journey. Can you share a little about this?
Applying to law school resulted in my having to spend thousands of dollars. This is a common experience among many law students. Between exam preparation courses that are useful in obtaining excellent scores on the LSAT or the Bar exam, the cost of books for six semesters, and the application fees for law school, the costs continued to accumulate.
All of this made navigating law school extremely stressful. Students shouldn’t have to worry about finances while working tirelessly to compete on an already unlevel playing field. Fortunately, I was blessed enough to have a strong support system to supplement living expenses which helped tremendously.
Who are some of the key women figures that have had an impact on your life? What books have you read or hope to read about them?
I admire women with authentic stories who use their platforms to provide access to others. Women like Michelle Obama, Misty Copeland, and Serena Williams all have beautiful origin stories of how they overcame obstacles with grace and conviction that Black women like me face daily.
What book genres do you most resonate with? Who are some of your favorite authors? Do you prefer hardback, paperback, digital, or audiobooks?
I love reading memoirs, autobiographies, essays, and self-help books. My favorite authors include Toni Morrison, Bell Hooks, Warsan Shire, and many more. I prefer hardback. I love having physical copies to read. Currently, I am reading Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype, a book by Jungian analyst, author, and poet Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Ph.D.
Please share a little about Light Law, Inc and your mission to enhance the journey of minority law students through financial and other forms of support.
The Light's mission is to enhance minority law students' ability to navigate their law school journey by alleviating the financial burden and providing training and mentorship to students from under-resourced communities to complete law school and become the next generation of lawyers. Black attorneys represent only 5 percent of the legal profession. Removing financial barriers to the legal education of students from diverse backgrounds helps increase racial justice and equity in the legal system by advancing the voices and influence of those students and, ultimately, those advocates.
Finally, what is your greatest hope in terms of the impact of your cause?
My greatest hope is that we build a community with the Light that works directly to increase the number of Black law students and Black attorneys in the legal field.
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Destinee, tell us a little about you, your early experiences with reading, and the impact books have had on your life.
My name is Destinee Burrell and I am from Kankakee, Illinois. I am entering my second year as a commercial litigation attorney in Chicago, IL, at Husch Blackwell LLP as well as serving as the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Light Law, Inc.
When I think of my early experiences with reading, I always reflect on the pre-school in my hometown of King's Castle, for teaching me to read at four. Also, my parents always emphasized the importance of an education and encouraged my older brother and me to read a lot. These stories allowed me to escape from the present and immerse myself in the book.
As a Black woman, what sort of financial and institutional barriers did you face during your law school journey?
My law school journey started extremely rough, and I almost thought I would not get into law school. The LSAT was the most significant institutional barrier I faced. I took the LSAT three times and never got the score I felt was good enough to fulfill my lifelong dream. After my third attempt, I applied to a few law schools, and the UIC School of Law gave me a chance when no one else did by attending a conditional summer program.
When I finally began my journey into law school, I did not truly realize the enormous financial burden I would face. I was responsible for paying for my entire law school tuition, but I was fortunate to have the support of my aunt and uncle, who allowed me to live with them in Chicago while I attended. The support from my village allowed me to tackle the immense cost of tuition, books, and exams. There were a lot of fees and expenses for specific exams I had no knowledge of.
Who are some of the key women figures that have had an impact on your life? What books have you read or hope to read about them?
Jhene Aiko has had an impact on my life. Since I was a teenager, I have always loved her music and how she uses her platform to bring awareness to mental health and healing. Jhene experienced a lot throughout her life, yet she always carries herself with such love and grace. I have read her poetry book, 2Fish, which includes poems she wrote and kept since she was 12. I hope to read more books about her life journey and how she has healed from the trauma and pain she experienced.
What book genres do you most resonate with? Who are some of your favorite authors? Do you prefer hardback, paperback, digital, or audiobooks?
I really enjoy self-help, non-fiction, and poetry books. I prefer hardback books.
Please share a little about Light Law, Inc and your mission to enhance the journey of minority law students through financial and other forms of support.
The Light Law, Inc. is something God placed in my heart while I attended law school. I understood my privilege, but I also became aware of the financial burden that minority students face while entering the legal field. Black law students make up less than 5% of the legal profession. While I know mentorship is crucial to the success of black law students, I witnessed very few opportunities for students to be alleviated from this financial burden.
What is your greatest hope in terms of the impact of your cause?
My hope for The Light Law, Inc. is that we’ll be able to continue to expand and grow our organization to assist black law students throughout their journey into the legal profession and beyond. We also want to educate others on the financial and institutional barriers these students face. It is also my ultimate hope to encourage and inspire others to help minority students financially in every profession.
Chynnique and Destinee would welcome contributions to Light Law’s Summer Law Clerkship fellowship program. We invite you to donate HERE.