A quarterly newletter by the Boston Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators
Home> Newsletter>Remembering Diversity
Athletes from 86 countries recently came together to compete in the Winter Olympic Games in Turino, Italy. The people of Turino welcomed the world into their city. Together, they showed us the glorious things that can happen when we embrace diversity.
Immediately before its broadcast of the Closing Ceremony, NBC aired a segment about African-American soldiers who helped liberate Italy in WWII. Until 1944, the military did not permit African-Americans to see action. It would not allow an African-American to command white troops. When finally assigned to combat duty, however, African-American soldiers performed brilliantly. Many deserved our highest military honors. Regrettably, none of these brave men received recognition beyond a Silver Star because that was believed to be reward enough for a black man. In 1997, our country corrected this injustice and awarded our highest military honor, the Medal of Honor, to seven African-Americans who served in WWII. In his remarks at the ceremony, President Clinton stated:
A soldier who receives the Medal of Honor usually needs no further description. But we must remember something else here today: these heroes distinguish themselves in another almost unique way. In the tradition of African Americans who have fought for our nation as far back as Bunker Hill, they were prepared to sacrifice everything for freedom even though freedom’s fullness was denied to them.
The press asked Vernon Baker, the only one of the seven still alive when the Medals of Honor were finally awarded, about the lack of respect and honor after all these years. He responded, “Give respect before you expect it, treat people the way you want to be treated, remember the mission, set the example, and keep going.”
As legal administrators, we must try to form our own Olympic teams. We must seek out the best “athletes” available regardless of race, color, creed or gender. We must create an inclusive environment that fosters respect for individuals, their ideas, differences and contributions. We must strive to meet the expectations of our diverse client base.
We should all be proud of how far we have come in recognizing diversity since the days of WWII. When we think about the importance of continuing to adopt these principles at our firms, we must never forget the words of Vernon Baker.
Kevin Costello, Executive Director, Campbell Campbell Edwards and Conroy, (on behalf of ALA Communications Committee)