The seventeenth annual Color of Justice program was held on April 16, 2024, at the UT School of Law. The event was sponsored by the National Association of Women Judges (NAWJ), in partnership with the Travis County Women Lawyers Association (TCWLA) and the UT School of Law William Wayne Justice Center for Public Law.
The program was attended by students from Akins, Travis, and Navarro high schools, as well as Burnet and Lively middle schools. Students heard from attorneys and judges and learned about the importance of the legal profession in our society.
NAWJ President Judge Karen Sage welcomes this year’s Color of Justice attendees, who came from Akins, Travis, and Navarro high schools, as well as Burnet and Lively middle schools.
After a warm welcome by Judge Karen Sage, president of NAWJ, the event featured a game of “Legal Jeopardy” moderated by Ciara Parks, general counsel for the Texas Board of Law Examiners, and Kim Hidrogo, Assistant Travis County Attorney, followed by two panel discussions with speakers sharing their personal experiences and backgrounds while discussing the importance of personal commitment and perseverance in their roles as lawyers and judges in our community.
Kim Hidrogo (left), Assistant Travis County Attorney, and Ciara Parks, general counsel for the Texas Board of Law Examiners, host a game of “Legal Jeopardy.”
The first panel was moderated by Rachel Luna of Luna Law PLLC and featured the following lawyers: Keiko Anderson, Law Office of Keiko Griffin, PLLC; Lee Roy Calderon, University of Texas System; Eliana Maruri, Maruri Law Group; and Alejandra Salas, McGinnis Lochridge.
The second panel featured Justice Gisela Triana, Third Court of Appeals; Judge Clifford Brown, 147th District Court, Judge Bianca Garcia, Travis County Court at Law No. 3; and Judge Nicholas Chu, Travis County Probate Court No. 2.
Every year, NAWJ awards a $1,000 Access to Justice Scholarship to a student who has demonstrated a commitment to public interest law. Justice Triana presented Ritika Kumar, a 3L student at UT, with this year’s scholarship, based on Kumar’s demonstrated and passionate commitment to public interest law.
In addition, this year, the first Judge Orlinda Naranjo Scholarship was awarded to Rooha Hagharmehdiabadi, a 1L student at UT with just as compelling a commitment. Both students captivated the audience with their stories of persistence in spite of personal and financial struggles.
Thank you to the sponsors: NAWJ; TCWLA; William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law; Judge Orlinda Naranjo (ret.); Law Office of Keiko Griffin, PLLC; McGinnis Lochridge; Luna Law, PLLC, and to H.E.B. for sponsoring the luncheon for the judges, attorneys, and law students, who sat with the young students and provided opportunities for a more personal connection.
A special thanks to Keiko Anderson, the hit of the morning, who—in her own unscripted Oprah moment—offered individual scholarships to the junior and senior high school students! They, and us, will never forget your generosity and contagious enthusiasm for learning!