The feel of the warping bass paired with delicate drums vibrates through the speakers as my roommate and I lay on the tattered carpet in my apartment drinking in the melodies of “Charcoal Baby” by Blood Orange. The energy in the room shifts as the sound of Devonté Hynes’s somber harmonies tug at my heart. I lean into his words and for a split second, the peril of the pandemic evaporates from my mind. I found solace in music during this period of uncertainty as I was forced to pause and deal with unimaginable vicissitudes. I commemorated this period in my life by fully engaging in the music I consumed. I spent my newly found free time researching the path of a song before it touches the audience’s ears. As I grew fascinated with the creative and technical process of music, I began learning about the struggles Black artists face regarding adequate representation in the entertainment industry. I delved into the reality artists of color face in which they are forced into signing disadvantageous contracts. The need for diverse representation of new minority creatives became apparent. Naturally, I found myself drawn to go beyond my admiration for the arts and become a legal advocate for underrepresented creatives. Law school has the tools and community that will equip me with the knowledge to empower and protect artists like Blood Orange who have given me so much. Growing up as a first-generation Nigerian Woman, I could never properly reconcile the effect of not seeing women in mainstream media who looked like me. As a survival instinct, I based my self-esteem on the limited storylines I consumed. My own experiences allowed me to resonate with Blood Orange’s lyrics about feeling alone in a sea of whiteness, referring to himself as a “Negro Swan”. My deep connection with his lyrics fuels my desire to represent Black creatives, as this is one of the few times my experience has been captured in art. I often envy the protection White artists enjoy in the entertainment industry: their ability to express their experiences with ease, absent of any doubt their story will find acceptance. I seldom feel that ease. Our society does not depict Blackness as imaginative, sensitive, or nuanced. As an attorney, I intend to share the range of possibilities available to people carrying my identity for my legal career and client interactions. Through my endeavors to understand the plight of minority artists like Blood Orange, I realized Black artists seeking to share similar narratives are often silenced. Despite the rise in collective consciousness of the Black experience, the Los Angeles Times found that Hollywood’s continuous indifference to Black creators has cost Hollywood over 10 billion U.S. Dollars a year by underfunding their stories, which have been shown to outperform other projects. Knowing that diverse stories are both underfunded and undervalued, I feel an urgency to provide legal representation for Black creatives to ethically protect their creative endeavors. My dream life centers around the creation of a world where young Black children feel validated and encouraged to explore their creativity. Armed with innovative legal approaches, I aspire to empower my clients with the necessary knowledge and business strategies for success. With a platform and toolkit to legally protect diverse artists’ creative endeavors, my work will commemorate the way art allows me to feel seen, for which I will always be thankful.

1) Art and creativty are at the forefront of most of my decisions. During the pandemic I found solace in music during this period of uncertainty as I was forced to pause and deal with unimaginable vicissitudes. I commemorated this period in my life by fully engaging in the music I consumed. Growing up as a first-generation Nigerian Woman, I could never properly reconcile the effect of not seeing women in mainstream media who looked like me. As a survival instinct, I based my self-esteem on the limited storylines I consumed. My own experiences allowed me to resonate with Blood Orange’s lyrics about feeling alone in a sea of whiteness, referring to himself as a “Negro Swan” in his song "Charcoal Baby". My deep connection with his lyrics fuels my desire to become an attorney to represent Black creatives, as this is one of the few times my experience has been captured in art. I often envy the protection White artists enjoy in the entertainment industry: their ability to express their experiences with ease, absent of any doubt their story will find acceptance. I seldom feel that ease. Our society does not depict Blackness as imaginative, sensitive, or nuanced. As an attorney, I intend to share the range of possibilities available to people carrying my identity for my legal career and client interactions. 2) Through my endeavors to understand the plight of minority artists like Blood Orange, I realized Black artists seeking to share similar narratives are often silenced. Despite the rise in collective consciousness of the Black experience, the Los Angeles Times found that Hollywood’s continuous indifference to Black creators has cost Hollywood over 10 billion U.S. Dollars a year by underfunding their stories, which have been shown to outperform other projects. Knowing that diverse stories are both underfunded and undervalued, I feel an urgency to provide legal representation for Black creatives to ethically protect their creative endeavors. The law school application process taught me that my current role in the Business and Legal Affairs department at Atlantic Records in the industry was only my first step toward driving change. Given the frequency with which Record Labels have historically entered into one-sided contracts, they are not seen as the vessel for change. Yet, I have been able to reap the seeds I sowed by learning the process it takes for a song to reach the public firsthand. I observe my superiors’ investment in uplifting and honoring our artists in every step of the creation of a record even with the clear risks of measured success. In my position, I am able to listen directly to the discourse between various firm attorneys. During negotiations I find myself studying how these attorneys remain loyal to their clients when speaking to a major record label. My experience at Atlantic has given me unique insight that will help me better protect and advocate for my future clients. I strive to create a world where young Black children feel validated and encouraged to explore their innate desire to create and be seen for their ingenuity. I hope to provide an innovative approach to law, while gaining the tools needed to empower my clients with the legal knowledge and business strategy necessary to be successful. With a platform and toolkit to legally protect diverse artists’ creative endeavors, my work will commemorate the way art allows me to feel seen, for which I will always be thankful.

The feel of the warping bass paired with delicate drums vibrates through the speakers as my roommate and I lay on the tattered carpet in my apartment drinking in the melodies of “Charcoal Baby” by Blood Orange. The energy in the room shifts as the sound of Devonté Hynes’s somber harmonies tug at my heart. I lean into his words and for a split second, the peril of the pandemic evaporates from my mind. I found solace in music during this period of uncertainty as I was forced to pause and deal with unimaginable vicissitudes. I commemorated this period in my life by fully engaging in the music I consumed. As I grew fascinated with the creative and technical process of music, I began learning about the struggles Black artists face regarding adequate representation in the entertainment industry. I delved into the reality artists of color face in which they are forced into signing disadvantageous contracts. The need for diverse representation of new minority creatives became apparent. Naturally, I found myself drawn to go beyond my admiration for the arts and become a legal advocate for underrepresented creatives. Law school has the tools and community that will equip me with the knowledge to empower and protect artists like Blood Orange who have given me so much. Growing up as a first-generation Nigerian Woman, I could never properly reconcile the effect of not seeing women in mainstream media who looked like me. My own experiences allowed me to resonate with Blood Orange’s lyrics about feeling alone in a sea of whiteness, referring to himself as a “Negro Swan”. My deep connection with his lyrics fuels my desire to represent Black creatives, as this is one of the few times my experience has been captured in art. As an attorney, I intend to share the range of possibilities available to people carrying my identity for my legal career and client interactions. Through my endeavors to understand the plight of minority artists like Blood Orange, I realized Black artists seeking to share similar narratives are often silenced. Despite the rise in collective consciousness of the Black experience, the Los Angeles Times found that Hollywood’s continuous indifference to Black creators has cost Hollywood over 10 billion U.S. Dollars a year by underfunding their stories, which have been shown to outperform other projects. Knowing that diverse stories are both underfunded and undervalued, I feel an urgency to provide legal representation for Black creatives to ethically protect their creative endeavors. After graduation, I moved to New York unemployed in the middle of the pandemic, determined to start my journey as an advocate for black and minority artists. Since September 2021, I have been working as an Executive Assistant in the Business and Legal Affairs Department for Atlantic Records, under Warner Music Group. My experience at Atlantic has given me unique insight that will help me better protect and advocate for my future clients. From my current experiences, I realize that working in the industry was only my first step toward driving change. I strive to create a world where young Black children feel validated and encouraged to explore their innate desire to create and be seen for their ingenuity. I hope to provide an innovative approach to the law while gaining the tools needed to empower my clients with the legal knowledge and business strategy necessary to be successful. With a platform and toolkit to legally protect diverse artists’ creative endeavors, my work will commemorate the way art allows me to feel seen, for which I will always be thankful.