For People of Color, Inc. (“FPOC”) received the 2011 State Bar of California’s Diversity Award for its long term, sustained accomplishments toward increasing diversity in the legal profession. This recognition follows the California Minority Counsel Program Foundation awarding FPOC with a major grant and the Employment Roundtable of Southern California awarding FPOC’s founder, president, and Chairperson, Anthony Solana, Jr., with its Leadership Award.

“Since its founding, FPOC has been keenly focused on ensuring that the legal profession reflects our State’s rich and bountiful diversity. Thousands of prospective law students have attended our admissions conferences and utilized the wealth of resources we offer.” said Anthony Solana, Jr. He continued, “We would like to sincerely thank the Greenlining Institute for nominating FPOC to receive this important recognition.”

Established in 2001 by the Board of Governors, the State Bar Diversity Award recognizes outstanding efforts and significant contributions by a bar association, law firm and an individual attorney in promoting diversity in California’s legal profession.

“The Board of Directors is truly honored and humbled by the State Bar’s recognition,” stated Norma Nava, Vice President & Board Member of FPOC. “For over a decade, FPOC has been in the trenches preparing students to enter our profession. It’s fabulous to see that our labor is bearing fruit in the countless numbers of our alumni that find themselves in the country’s finest law schools and law firms,” stated Nava.

The ceremony for the award was on September 17, 2011, in Long Beach, California, during the State Bar’s Annual Meeting and featured remarks by California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye and Keynote speaker Erwin Chemerinsky, founding Dean of UC Irvine School of Law. The event also honored retired Justice Carlos Moreno, Karen Nobumoto (former State Bar President) and Ruthe Ashley for their extensive contributions to the diversity pipeline efforts, as well as acknowledging the award recipients for the past 10 years.