As the Professional Honorary of Ohio Lawyers, the Ohio State Bar Foundation (“OSBF”) welcomes a new class of Fellows each year, a group of attorneys who exemplify the highest standards of professionalism and are committed to serving their communities. Each Fellows class designs its own class experience, creating a Fellows Week of Service centered around a topic they choose. This year, the 2021 OSBF Fellows class focused on the needs of the LGBTQ+ community for the Fellows Week of Service, culminating in the OSBF Unity Summit: LGBTQ+ Education, Law and Policy. The Unity Summit brought together attorneys, social workers, educators, and other members of the public to hear from LGBTQ+ community voices and discuss LGBTQ+ legal issues.
We were thrilled to have topic experts such as Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor of the Supreme Court of Ohio; Micah McCarey, Director of the LGBTQ Center at Ohio University; and Dr. Scott Leibowitz, Medical Director of Behavioral Health at Nationwide Children’s Hospital THRIVE Program join us for the program. Cleveland-based spoken word poet Rachel Wiley closed out the summit, with a special performance.
10:00AM
10:30AM
Building Community: Introduction to LGBTQ+ Topics and Terminology
Members of the LGBTQ+ community provide cultural humility training to build a shared understanding of language and current topics, while developing self-awareness and reflection.
1:00PM
Advancing Equality: Developments in the Law
Members of the judiciary and legal practitioners share developments in the law and issues of importance from a legal perspective.
2:45PM
Intersections: Healthcare and Legal Policy
Providers discuss intersections between healthcare and legal policy and practice.
Special Performance from Spoken-Word Poet Rachel Wiley