Washington, D.C., partner Johnine Barnes authored an article which was included in "Dear Sisters, Dear Daughters: Strategies for Success from Multicultural Women Attorneys." Published by the Multicultural Women Attorneys Network (a joint program of the American Bar Association's Commission on Women in the Profession and the Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession), the volume presents a collection of letters outlining various road maps for success in the legal profession as a minority woman attorney.
Excerpts from Barnes' article appear below:
As my mother said to me as she made me grudgingly clean up my toys when I was a young girl: "What doesn’t kill you will make you stronger." Those words and that image are clear to me as a mature woman now, and they have guided me during my career as an African-American woman practicing law in a large majority firm. I can tell you many stories of how angry or hurt I have been during my career in being described by my colleagues—including judges—"Darling," "the little Black girl," "having exotic beauty," or addressed as a gentleman when I was the only woman present at a proceeding, or just ignored.
But those moments do not define my career or embody what has directed my career. What has most inspired and defined my career is my embracing being a "Darling," "Black girl," and using moments when I have been ignored to make me stronger and, hence, better. My mother was correct.
Embracing your differences, not apologizing for them or using them as a handicap, does and will make you better. I am an African-American woman, and with that I bring a different background, experiences, and culture to the legal profession. I use all of that to make me a better attorney.
I am the first person in my family, including extended family, to obtain a post-graduate degree. The sacrifices that I make and have made to learn the law and the practice of the same, however, are insignificant compared to the sacrifices my grandmothers made to raise seven and five children on less than a high school education, and less than those made by my parents, who ensured that I was provided every opportunity to receive a good education and develop into a well-rounded person.
From their example, I have learned not to take anything for granted and to expect to work hard for any and all accomplishments that I may achieve. My hard work to learn the law and the study of its practice have helped me to develop into he best lawyer that I can be. So now, when my male or majority opposing counsel look at me and think, "This little Darling does not know what she is doing," he is "blown away," because I am just as good a lawyer as he is, if not better.