The new and improved PLDIC member dashboard has been launched and is live on our website for all member employees to access. This section of our website was previously called the “Members Only page” as a locked member exclusive space to house valuable resources. The new dashboard is a more user-friendly tool for all PLDIC member employees to search for and access resources from programs, events, and more. Watch a short video explaining the new and improved PLDIC Member Dashboard, including what’s new and how to use the updated features.

Are you a Black professional working at a PLDIC member organization looking to advance your leadership skills? Apply now to become the next PLDIC/TALI scholar! The PLDIC and The Advanced Leadership Institute will once again offer the following scholarship opportunities for PLDIC member employees:

Do you have law students who will be working at your organization this summer and may identify as diverse? Please let them know about the PLDIC and co-sponsor ACBA’s YLD Diversity Committee kickoff to summer event for diverse law students on Thursday, May 30 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Standard Market & Pint. All law students working in the Pittsburgh area this summer who identify as diverse are invited to attend and meet fellow Pittsburgh area summer law clerks, PLDIC leadership (including the Young Professional Advisory Board), and YLD Leadership. There will also be an opportunity to sign up for a mentor and/or a mock interview.

Mentors and mentees at all experience levels are invited to join the PLDIC’s Retention Committee for an interactive learning and training program on mentoring. Led by Professor Audrey Murrell of Pitt Business, attendees will learn through active participation how to improve retention and advancement of historically underrepresented employees in our region. Even if you missed the first two sessions, which received much praise from participants, we encourage you to join us for our final workshop on June 4 from 12-1:30 p.m. at McGuireWoods. 1.5 hours of free CLE credit and lunch will be provided.

Workshop 3: The Importance of Mentoring for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as a Key Driver for Organizational Effectiveness (June 4)

Over a dozen participants representing seven PLDIC member organizations attended this event on May 20, led by Dr. Tsedale Melaku. The session focused on the finding of her book, You Don’t Look Like a Lawyer: Black Women and Systemic Gendered Racism. Dr. Melaku addressed specific findings that speak to the experiences of women and racially subordinated groups through the narrative experiences of Black women. Participants had the opportunity to ask questions of Dr. Melaku and left empowered with tools on how to successfully navigate their workplaces. Thank you to PLDIC member Reed Smith for hosting this event.

The PLDIC Community Building Committee engaged Dialogistics, LLC, and in particular Prof. Abdesalam Soudi and Prof. Adriana Modesto Gomes Da Silva, to lead a two-part series on Workplace Cultural Engagement and how we can embrace the power of language and human connection to navigate difficult conversations in the workplace. Over the course of two 2-hour sessions held about a month apart, the instructors led participants representing nine PLDIC member organizations in empathy-centered exercises and discussions to better understand how we could lead with compassion in our organizations. Thank you to PLDIC member K&L Gates for hosting this event.

Mark your calendar for this upcoming LinkedIn course, "Creating Workplace Equity," from Lily Zheng, who presented for the PLDIC last fall about making the next step in our journeys toward more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces. You can access the full recording from their presentation in our Member Dashboard:

In honor of AAPI Heritage Month, the Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession (IILP) is pleased to present:

May 30, from 4-5:30 p.m.

This historic event, set to take place on Sunday, June 23, 2024, will mark a significant step towards the Tree of Life's mission to build a new Jewish institution with national impact – a place that celebrates Jewish life and tradition, a place that remembers each victim and the horror that took place here, and a place that educates and empowers visitors of all ages through experiential learning programs and an engaging museum exhibition. The event will be hosted by Wolf Blitzer, and we will be joined by Governor Josh Shapiro, Senators Casey and Fetterman, and Rep. Deborah Wasserman Schultz, as well as members of our community and the Presidential administration. If your organization is interested in becoming a sponsor, please reach out to Max Gelernter.

The Coalition's newsletter, The Bridge, will not appear in June or July. But, stay tuned: other programming information and special communications will continue to be sent out as needed. You can catch up on all past issues here. Know someone who would be interested in receiving this newsletter, and other news from the PLDIC? Send them this link to sign up!

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