THE FARRISE LAW FIRM

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2 2011 SPECIAL ADVERTISING FEATURE THE FARRISE LAW FIRM Mesothelioma changed my life, says Farrise, a people s lawyer SIMONA A. FARRISE, ESQ., LL.M

3 President s Welcome I am extremely delighted to welcome you to the 34th Annual California Association of Black Lawyers Conference. On behalf of the CABL Officers, Board of Directors, and the Conference Committee, it is my pleasure to welcome you back to Southern California. This year s Conference Committee has worked diligently to plan a productive, informative and successful event. The legal education seminars, conducted by our distinguished panelists, will enhance your legal skills and stimulate your professional interests. The conference will also feature a Welcome Reception, Judicial Luncheon, President s Reception, Installation and Awards Gala and a Prayer Breakfast. We invite you to network, exchange ideas and socialize with your colleagues. During the conference, we will honor attorneys and judges who have excelled in the legal profession as well as those individuals who have provided extraordinary service to the community. We will also recognize the Officers and Board of Directors for their significant contributions to CABL s mission to promote diversity in the legal profession and advocate for justice in disadvantaged and underserved communities. Please join us on Saturday evening at the Annual Installation and Awards Gala as I pass the leadership baton to Vernon C. Goins, who will serve as the President of CABL. It has been my honor and privilege to serve as President of CABL. I appreciate your attendance and continued support of CABL. Enjoy the conference. Linda R. Rosborough President, California Association of Black Lawyers

4 History OF CABL ORIGIN & HISTORY OF THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF BLACK LAWYERS The California Association of Black Lawyers (CABL) has an illustrious history and lineage of courage, activism and participation in the political process. During the 1976 National Bar Association Convention in Houston, Texas, several California attorneys and judges met and discussed the need for a statewide bar organization to address issues facing black lawyers and judges in California. After that NBA Conference, a series of informal meetings were held in Northern and Southern California. After several meetings, held both in Oakland and in Los Angeles, it was decided that a statewide association should be formed and that the initial meeting should be held in Los Angeles in April. This meeting was sponsored and planned primarily by the leadership of the Charles Houston Bar Association and the John M. Langston Bar Association. They were assisted by the Black Lawyers of San Diego County (now the Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association) and the Black Women Lawyers of California. On April 23, 1977, at the Airport Marriot in Los Angeles, Robert L. Harris, President of the Charles Houston Bar Association, called the first session of this historic meeting to order. The initial bylaws of the association were adopted and thereafter several panel discussions were held on current issues. The key panel of the morning dealt with reverse discrimination. The case discussed was Bakke v. U.C. Regents, which was working its way through the judicial process at the time. Moderated by Judge Ben Travis and Judge Stanley Malone, the panel consisted of several noted legal scholars, including Elihu M. Harris, Billy Hunter, Professor Emma Jones, Professor Charles Lawrence, and Judge Robert M. Takasugi. After the luncheon address, which was delivered by Justice Wiley W. Manuel, who a month earlier had become the first Black Supreme Court Justice in California s history, the afternoon session opened with Robert L. Robertson, President of the John M. Langston Bar Association, presiding. To ensure the viability of the Association, elections were held to guide the Association into its first year of operations. Upon the nomination of Assemblyman Willie L. Brown, Jr., Donald McCullum of Oakland, California, a noted civil rights and longtime NAACP attorney,

5 was elected CABL s first president. Other officers elected were Naomi Young as Vice President - North, Ivey Dailey as Vice President - South, Irma Brown as Secretary, and John L. Burris as treasurer. Judge Ben Travis was elected Chair of the Judicial Section of CABL. The primary motivating factor for the organization s formation was to change the face of the judiciary in California and to influence the course of events pertinent to black people. The objectives and purposes included the stimulation of black lawyers in organized bar activities, to seek out and eradicate the roots and causes of racism, and to prepare the high standards of integrity, honor, and courtesy in the legal profession. Other objectives included to vigorously defend black people from those who would consciously or otherwise deny them basic human and legal rights. This historic gathering of the first statewide conference of Black lawyers and judges attracted over 200 prominent attorneys, judges, and other interested dignitaries and legal giants including the President (Carl Character of Cleveland) and the President- Elect (Mark T. McDonald of Houston) of the National Bar Association ( NBA ). Others attending included Tom Daugherty, David Cunningham, Lawrence Jones, Clinton W. White, Vince Monroe Townsend, Maxine Thomas, George Holland, Thomas Broome, Horace Wheatley, and Dan Weber, to name a few. Governor Jerry Brown and the State Attorney General also spoke at the conference. From its inception, the organization has challenged inequities in the legal system and has grown both in membership and influence. CABL continues to be instrumental in increasing the number of African-American judges throughout California. Meeting regularly with members of the State Legislature and the Governor s Judicial Appointments Secretary, CABL has been effective in its advocacy of issues facing African Americans and others of similar experience and situation. Moreover, CABL is proud to have produced six distinguished presidents of the NBA. They include Robert L. Harris (the first Californian ever to be elected an officer of the NBA), Thomas J. Broome, James O. Cole, the Honorable Allen J. Webster, Randy K. Jones and Demetrius Shelton. Today, the California Association of Black Lawyers represents 6,000 African-American attorneys, judges, law professors and students. CABL is proud of its history and the principles upon which the association was founded, and maintains a steadfast commitment to Advancing Justice and Equality.

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9 Featured Speakers Seminar 1 Seminar 2 Seminar 2 Seminar 2 Robert Bobby Grace Danny Andrews Lawrence C. Hinkle II Goldie Gabriel Office of the District Attorney Managing Partner Partner Director, Legal and Business Affairs Law Offices of Danny Andrews Blank Rome LLP Warner/Chappell Music, Inc Seminar 2 Seminar 2 Seminar 3 Seminar 3 David C. McGriff Nyanza Shaw Hon. Patricia J. Titus Hon. Lia R. Carter Strook & Strook & Lavan LLP Managing Attorney Los Angeles County Superior Court Los Angeles County Superior Court Shaw Esquire & Associates Seminar 3 Seminar 3 Seminar 3 Seminar 3 Hon. Dolly M. Gee Hon. David V. Herriford Justice William J. Murray Jr Alice Salvo United States District Court Los Angeles County Superior Court California Court of Appeal Chair, Judicial Nominees Third Appellate District Evaluation Commission Seminar 3 Seminar 4 Seminar 4 Seminar 4 Hon. Bobbi Tillmon Hon. Marion Johnson (ret.) Leon Jenkins Blair H. Taylor Los Angeles County Superior Court Los Angeles County Superior Court President, NAACP President, Los Angeles Urban League Los Angeles Branch Seminar 4 Luncheon Gala Gala Greetings Prayer Breakfast Lei-Chala Wilson Mistress of Ceremony Master of Ceremony Demetrius Shelton Princeton Irvin Parker President, NAACP Hon. Marguerite D. Downing Hon. Allen J. Webster President Olive Grove Church of God in Christ San Diego Branch Los Angeles County Superior Court Los Angeles County Superior Court National Bar Association

10 Conference Program Schedule Thursday, April 28, :00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. Registration - CABL Suite 5:00 p.m. 6:30 p.m. Board of Governors Meeting - CABL Suite 7:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m. Welcome Reception Friday, April 29, :00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Registration - Crocker Foyer 10:00 a.m. 11:30 a.m. Seminars Seminar 1 The Death Penalty: How Did We Get Here and Where Are We Going? Bradbury Room Robert Bobby Grace -Moderator- Los Angeles County District Attorney s Office Seminar 2 Hot Entertainment Topics in Music, Film and New Media - Rose Room Lawrence Hinkle Moderator- Blank Rome LLP Danny Andrews- Managing Attorney, Law Offices of Danny Andrews, PC Goldie Gabriel- Director, Legal Affairs, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc. David C. McGriff, Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP Nyanza Shaw- Managing Attorney, Shaw Esquire & Associates 11:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Judicial Reception - Bunker Hill Foyer 12:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. Judicial Luncheon Watercourt Room Chairs: Honorable Marguerite D. Downing and Honorable Bobbi Tillmon Honorees Honorable Diana Becton Contra Costa Superior Court Honorable Richard T. Fields Riverside Superior Court Honorable Ramona Garrett Solano Superior Court Justice William J. Murray, Jr. California Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District 2:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. CABL Judicial Section Meeting - Watercourt Room 3:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. Seminar 3- So, You Want to Be a Judge - Rose Room Honorable Patricia J. Titus Moderator Los Angeles County Superior Court Alice Salvo, Chair, Judicial Nominees Evaluation (JNE) Commission Honorable Lia R. Carter, Los Angeles County Superior Court Honorable Dolly M. Gee, United States District Court Honorable David V. Herriford, Los Angeles County Superior Court Justice William J. Murray, Jr., California Court of Appeal Honorable Bobbi Tillmon, Los Angeles County Superior Court 7:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m. President s Reception Sponsored by John M. Langston Bar Association

11 Conference Program Schedule Saturday, April 30, :00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Registration - Crocker Foyer 9:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. General Membership Meeting & Elections - Bradbury Room National Bar Association Region IX Annual Meeting 10:00 a.m. 11:30 a.m. Seminar 4 Lawyers in Partnership with the Community: Being a Social Engineer Rose Room Honorable Marion Johnson (ret.) Moderator Los Angeles County Superior Court Leon Jenkins President, NAACP Los Angeles Urban League Blair H. Taylor - President, Los Angeles Urban League Lei-Chala I. Wilson President, NAACP San Diego Branch 12:30 p.m. 1:30 p.m. National Bar Association Region IX Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drum Major for Justice Advocacy Competition Sponsored by MetLife 6:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. Reception - Bunker Hill Foyer 7:00 p.m. 11:00 p.m. CABL Installation & Awards Gala - Bunker Hill Room Sunday, May 1, :30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. Prayer Breakfast - Hershey Room Eulanda Lynn Matthews - Facilitator Princeton Irvin Parker, Olive Grove Church of God in Christ 10:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m Board of Governors Meeting - CABL Suite

12 Master of Ceremony Judge Allen J. Webster, Jr. Judge Allen J. Webster, Jr. was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. At age two, he moved to South Central Los Angeles, California, attending public and parochial schools. After graduating from Centennial High School in Compton, he attended Compton College and Pepperdine University receiving a B.S. Degree in Business Administration in After a brief stint in the military, he commenced working for the Bank of America as a loan officer. After two years, he became a deputy probation officer for the County of Los Angeles. He enrolled in the evening division at Southwestern University School of Law receiving a Juris Doctorate Degree in In 1972, he started practicing law as an associate at English Square Law Center. From 1973 to 1985, he was a partner in the firm of Hairston, Webster and Johnson. He practiced law as a sole practitioner while developing business as a named partner of Whitaker, Curls, Levine and Webster. In July 1995, he became a commissioner for the Compton Judicial District and in April 2001 was appointed a judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court by Governor Gray Davis. He presides over a felony criminal calendar and is the Assistant Supervising Judge for the South Central Judicial District. Allen has been very active in legal and community activities. He was President of Langston Bar Association form , President of California Association of Black Lawyers in 1986 and President of the National Bar Association from He was on the Executive Committee of the Law Practice Management Section of the California State Bar as well as a Founding Committee Member of the Los Angeles County Bar s Indigent Criminal Defense Committee and Panel. He served on the American Bar Association s Task Force on Minorities and the Justice System; State Bar of California s Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation and the Los Angeles County Solo and Small Law Firm Executive Committee. He is a past president of Southwestern University School of Law s Alumni Board and served as a Member of the Board of Trustees at the law school. He served on the American Bar Association s Council on Racial and Ethnic Justice for four years, a faculty member of the B.F. Witkin Judicial College for five years and is former chair of the National Bar Association s Convention Committee and Men s Task Force. Currently, he serves as a member of the State of California s Access and Fairness Advisory Committee; Member of the Los Angeles Superior Court s Fairness and Access Committee; Co-Chair of the American Bar Association Judicial Division s Standing Committee on Minorities in the Judiciary; Judicial Advisor and Member of the Board of Directors of the California Association of Black Lawyers; Member of the Executive Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Indigent Criminal Defense Panel and Co-Chair Convention Committee of the Nation Bar Association. Judge Webster is active in the National Bar Association, American Bar Association, California Association of Black Lawyers, and the John M. Langston Bar Association. His active community involvement includes the following: Curator and Member; Board of Directors for the Museum of African-American Art and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. He works very closely with the youth of the community, encouraging them to pursue their education, set and achieve their goals and strive to be leaders in a global society. Allen is married to the former Margaret C. Hendricks, Assistant Superintendent of High Schools for the Long Beach Unified School District, and they are the proud parents of Alana a recent college graduate. In his spare time, the judge enjoys attending jazz festivals, international travel and collecting African-American and Mexican Folk Art.

13 California Association of Black Lawyers Installation and Awards Gala Program Welcome and Acknowledgements...Lemuel B. Makupson Introduction of Master of Ceremony...Tangela D. Terry Opening Remarks...Hon. Allen J. Webster Jr. Master of Ceremony Greetings...Demetrius Shelton President, National Bar Association Black National Anthem... Lift Ev ry Voice and Sing Bonnie s Pearl featuring Poncho Williams Invocation... Judge Patricia J. Titus Dinner Presentation of the Bernard S. Jefferson Judge of the Year Award Honorable Bobbi Tillmon, Los Angeles County Superior Court Acceptance of the Bernard S. Jefferson Judge of the Year Award Honorable Otis D. Wright II United States District Court, Central District of California Presentation of the Loren D. Miller Lawyer of the Year Award Vernon C. Goins II President-Elect, California Association of Black Lawyers Acceptance of the Loren D. Miller Lawyer of the Year Award Andre Birotte Jr. United States Attorney, Central District of California Presentation of the David Cunningham Non-Profit Community Service Award Honorable Marguerite D. Downing, Los Angeles County Superior Court Acceptance of the David Cunningham Non-Profit Community Service Award Areva Martin, Esq. Co-founder and President, Special Needs Network, Inc. Presentation of the David Cunningham Corporate Community Service Award Adrienne M. Byers, Los Angeles Office of County Counsel Acceptance of the David Cunningham Corporate Community Service Award James Fugate and Tom Hamilton Owners, EsoWon Books Presentation of the Benjamin Travis Lifetime Achievement Award Honorable Allen J. Webster Jr., Los Angeles County Superior Court Acceptance of the Benjamin Travis Lifetime Achievement Award Leo A. Branton Jr., Esq. Remarks of Outgoing President & Presentation of President s Awards...Linda Rosborough Installation of Officers and Board of Directors Honorable Marguerite D. Downing, Los Angeles County Superior Court Installation of CABL President Honorable Marguerite D. Downing, Los Angeles County Superior Court President s Remarks...Vernon C. Goins II Closing Remarks...Hon. Allen J. Webster Jr. Benediction... Judge Patricia J. Titus

14 Lift Every Voice and Sing Lift every voice and sing, till earth and heaven ring, Ring with the harmonies of liberty; Let our rejoicing rise, High as the listening skies, Let it resound loud as the rolling sea. Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us, Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us; Facing the rising sun of our new day begun, Let us march on till victory is won. Lift Every Voice and Sing (1900) was written by James Weldon Johnson for a presentation in celebration of the birthday of Abraham Lincoln. The music was composed by his brother and songwriting partner, J. Rosamond Johnson. The song was originally performed in Jacksonville, Florida, by children. The popular title for this work is The Negro National Anthem.

15 Greetings Demetrius D. Shelton President, National Bar Association Shelton was born in Bernice, Louisiana and is a long-time resident of Berkeley, California. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles, a certificate in Public Policy/ Administration from the University of California, Berkeley s Graduate School of Public Policy, as an Alfred P. Sloan (Ford) Foundation Fellow, and his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California, Davis School of Law (King Hall). Demetrius Shelton has served on the Board of Governors of the National Bar Association ( NBA ) since Prior to his current position of President, he served as Vice President of the association over regions and affiliates. He has also previously served the association as Special Advisor to the President, Board Member-at-Large, member of the Executive Committee, Regional (IX) Director, Sergeant at Arms, Chair of the Government Lawyers Division (during which time the division was named Division of the Year), member of the Nominations and Federal Judicial Selection Committees, Affiliate Chapter President (Charles Houston Bar Association and the California Association of Black Lawyers), Special Assistant to a number of Presidents, and Co-Chair of the NBA Annual Convention in San Francisco, CA ( NBA by the Bay ). In 2005/2006, Demetrius Shelton served as Vice President of the State Bar of California. He has the distinction of having been elected to the Board of Governors of the State Bar of California in 2003, the largest bar association in the country (210,000 members) and the governing body that regulates the practice of law throughout the state of California. In his victory, Shelton became the first African American in the history of the State Bar of California to be elected to represent the 3rd District (Alameda, Santa Clara, San Mateo and Contra Costa Counties). Shelton is often referred to as one of the most influential African Americans in California s legal community and frequently called upon by local, legal and national media and organizations to provide commentary. Shelton has also served as President of the California Association of Black Lawyers ( CABL ) representing the interests of African American attorneys, judges and law students throughout California. Under his leadership, CABL was the recipient of the Outstanding Affiliate Award by the National Bar Association ( NBA ). Shelton, a municipal law specialist, served as a Deputy City Attorney for the City of Oakland for the past 11 years. Over those years Shelton worked in the litigation division, served as Special Counsel to the Oakland Police Department and lead counsel and policy advisor to a number of departments and agencies, including the City s Code Enforcement Division, the Life Enrichment Agency, the Oakland Public Library and the Oakland Ice Center. Shelton has also served as chief advisor to the Oakland City Council s Life Enrichment Committee and on matters pertaining to Business Improvement Districts and Measure Y the Violence Prevention and Public Safety Act of Shelton currently serves the City of Oakland as its Administrative Hearing Officer. Shelton is also the principal attorney for the Shelton Law Offices which specializes in representing governmental entities throughout California.

16 Benjamin Travis Lifetime Achievement Award Leo A. Branton Jr., Esq. Leo A. Branton Jr., was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas in He graduated from Tennessee State College in Nashville in 1942, and earned his law degree from Northwestern University School of Law in Mr. Branton was admitted to the California Bar in June Mr. Branton s first major case was the defense of a 19 year-old black Airman who had been charged with a double murder in Riverside County. He successfully challenged the systematic exclusion of persons of color from juries, and for the first time a black person was seated. Mr. Branton s next big case involved the First Amendment when he was called upon to represent three members of the Communist Party who were charged with conspiracy to advocate the violent overthrow of the government. While all defendants were convicted in District Court, their convictions were reversed by the U.S. Supreme Court. The reversal practically abolished the use of the law under which these defendants had been tried. During the McCarthy Era, Mr. Branton represented many witnesses before the House Un-American Activities Committee. Mr. Branton s unprecedented trailblazing accomplishments include, he was the first lawyer, black or white, to file numerous cases against the LAPD for the excessive use of force when making arrests. During the 1960s, Mr. Branton made several trips to the south to lend his legal expertise in Mississippi, Arkansas and Virginia. He was commended by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for his work in Virginia. In 1972, Mr. Branton defended pro bono members of the black panther party who were charged with various felonies after a shoot out with the LAPD; all 13 defendants were eventually acquitted of all major charges. Mr. Branton has been honored by the John M. Langston Bar Association, Black Women Lawyers, the National Bar Association, and most recently has been honored by the American Civil Liberties Union for Lifetime Achievements in civil rights and civil liberties.

17 Bernanrd S. Jefferson Judge of The Year Honorable Otis D. Wright II United States District Court, Central District of California Judge Otis D. Wright II was born in Tuskegee, Alabama. He received his B.A. from California State University at Los Angeles in 1976 and a J.D. from Southwestern Law School in 1980 where he attended in the evenings while working as a Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff. In 2002, he was elected to Southwestern s Board of Trustees. Judge Wright began his legal career as a Deputy Attorney General in the Criminal Appeals Section of the California Department of Justice. Three years later he joined the international law firm of Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & Dicker, LLP, specialists in all matters related to insurance, where he became a partner and was a civil litigator for 22 years. During that time, he was also a volunteer attorney with the HIV AIDS Legal Services Alliance (HALSA), handling housing and employment discrimination cases as well as preparing wills for the terminally ill. In October 2005, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Judge Wright to the Los Angeles Superior Court where he was assigned to the Substance Abuse Court where he handled driving under the influence (DUI) arraignments, pre-trial, motions, and sentencing. He also monitored three drug diversion programs including the Drug Court for the Southern Region of Los Angeles. In April of 2007, the President of the United States appointed Judge Wright to the United States District Court, Central District of California. With the approval of then Chief Judge Alicemarie Stotler he spearheaded the first federal drug court in California. Because it isn t restricted solely to those with drug addictions, and differs in other significant respects from the state drug courts, it has been dubbed a Re-entry Court, S.T.A.R. Substance abuse Treatment And Reentry. It focuses on those who have been released from prison but have been placed under probation supervision for two or more years. The successful completion of the program will trim one year off of their supervision. The expectations of the program, however, are much more ambitious. In order to graduate from the program, each participant must successfully complete a drug rehabilitation program, secure stable housing in an appropriate environment, and enroll in an educational or vocational program. Efforts are underway to transform the Reentry Court to a model similar to the state drug court model. Next under consideration is diversion. Under the leadership of recently appointed United States Attorney André Birotte, Jr., efforts are underway to front-load the program, that is to divert suitable offenders from traditional trial and incarceration processes and enroll them into the program on the front end thereby saving the time and money incurred by incarceration.

18 Loren D. Miller Lawyer Of The Year Andre Birotte Jr. United States Attorney Central District of California Mr. Birotte holds an undergraduate degree from Tufts University and a J.D. from Pepperdine University School of Law. Following law school, Mr. Birotte worked for three years as a deputy public defender in Los Angeles representing indigent clients charged with felony and misdemeanor offenses. In 1995, he joined the United States Attorney s Office in Los Angeles, where he investigated and prosecuted numerous violent crime, fraud, and narcotics trafficking cases. In 1999, Mr. Birotte joined the Quinn Emanuel law firm, where he represented clients in white-collar crime and commercial litigation matters. Mr. Birotte joined the Los Angeles Police Department s ( LAPD ) Office of the Inspector General in 2001 as an Assistant Inspector General. In May 2003, after an extensive nationwide search, the Los Angeles Police Commission unanimously selected Mr. Birotte to serve as the LAPD s Inspector General. In that capacity, Mr. Birotte led a staff of employees, including lawyers, professional auditors, and former law enforcement executives, who were responsible for conducting and overseeing LAPD internal investigations and audits to ensure compliance with both LAPD policies and mandates imposed by a Federal Consent Decree. In December 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Mr. Birotte to serve as United States Attorney for the Central District of California. Mr. Birotte was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate and was sworn in on March 4, 2010.

19 David Cunningham Non-Profit Community Service Award Areva Martin, Esq. Co-founder and President, Special Needs Network, Inc. Known to audiences across the country from her regular appearances on The Dr. Phil Show, as well as CBS The Early Show, The Doctors, and various Fox News programs, Areva is an accomplished and multi-award winning attorney, syndicated columnist, author and public speaker who has also been featured on the pages of publications ranging from the New York Times to Ebony Magazine to Redbook and the LA Times. Areva is the founding and Managing Partner of Martin & Martin, LLP, one of the largest African American-owned law practices in Southern California. The firm serves a diverse range of clients including Fortune 500 companies, governmental entities and individuals in high-stakes and high-profile cases. Known as the lawyers lawyer for her representation of judges, general counsel, elected officials and other high-profile clients, Areva s individual practice includes labor and employment, special education, and general civil matters. Most recently, she won a multi-million dollar jury verdict in the Compton Superior Court in a complex fraud case. Areva s firm has won numerous awards including the California Minority Counsel Client Service Award and in 2008 and 2011, she was selected as one of Los Angeles Top Attorneys by LA Focus. In addition to being a sought after attorney and legal expert, Areva is a nationally recognized autism advocate and spokesperson. She is the co-founder and President of Special Needs Network, Inc., a non-profit organization created specifically to help minorities and low-income families advocate for children and individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities. Areva has raised millions of dollars for autism related causes and under her leadership, SNN has provided services to over 15,000 families in communities across California. Areva shares her story as a mother of an autistic child and legal expertise in her second book, The Everyday Advocate: Standing Up for Your Child with Autism and Other Special Needs. (Penguin 2010). What critics are calling the most comprehensive and compelling book to date addressing the issues of the special needs community and the importance of advocacy in this country, The Everyday Advocate soared to the top of Amazon s best seller list upon its release. She served as the only African-American woman and attorney on the California Legislative Blue Ribbon Commission on Autism and is the Chair of several organizations, including: Chair of the South Los Angeles Autism Regional Task Force for the California Senate Select Committee on Autism; and Founding member and Chair of the Ebell of Los Angeles Women in Leadership Department. Areva s notable awards and achievements include: 2007 Woman of the Year Award from Los Angeles County; 2008 Smart Cookie Award from Cookie Magazine; 2008 Leadership Award from CLBC Foundation, Inc.; 2009 Power PAC Award from Los Angeles African Women Political Action Committee; 2010 KCET Local Hero Award, 2011 New Frontier Democratic Club Trailblazer Award, and most recently, along with Gov. Jerry Brown, the 2011 California Legislative Black Caucus Civil Rights Leadership Award. An honors graduate from both the University of Chicago and Harvard Law School, Areva resides in Los Angeles with her family.

20 David Cunningham Corporate Community Service Award Eso Won Books Eso Won Books is an African-American owned independent bookstore which has served the Los Angeles area for more than two decades. Launched in 1988, Eso Won today is co-owned by James Fugate and Thomas Hamilton. Located in the historic Leimert Park (African Village) area of Los Angeles, Eso Won maintains an impressive selection of primarily African-American books in everything from history, literature and urban fiction, to children s books, cookbooks, photographic compendiums and classics. Eso Won also boasts an array of jazz and world music, and hard-to-find African-American documentaries and movies. Eso Won, which is Amharic for Aswan (a city and ancient dam on the Nile in Egypt meaning water over rocks ) lives up to its name in our community. It provides a down-home place where discourse, culture and information flow, opening a reservoir of knowledge for both the African and African American experience, as well as other multi-cultural venues. But Eso Won also provides a true neighborhood venue where you can meet and listen to celebrities, politicians, world-reknown authors and even U.S. presidents sign and discuss their books. The bookstore hosted President Obama in 1995 and 2006, and President Clinton held a book-signing there in Other notable book-signings through the years include well-attended appearances by Terry McMillan, Maya Angelou, Randall Robinson, Michael Eric Dyson, Cornell West, Bill Cosby, Alice Walker, Walter Mosley, Tavis Smiley, Nikki Giovanni, Dr. Keith Black, and former Black Panthers and other political and social icons. For its significant and ongoing role in the community, Eso Won has been recognized as one of the premiere African-American bookstores in the country, and has been honored locally with a number of awards and tributes, including the Community Service Award from Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles. In the face of growing competition from big-name national booksellers, Eso Won has continued to enjoy support from local and other communities which appreciate its presence, dedication and commitment. Recently, Eso Won was pleased to present a day-long celebration and symposium earlier this month for the late Dr. Manning Marable s instant bestselling biography on Malcolm X, which included food, video presentations, lectures and Malcolm-themed events with other Leimert Park vendors. Read more about Eso Won at Support your local independent African- American owned bookstore!