Modern Black History Makers

Modern Black History Makers

Black History Month is dedicated to remembering and honoring people and events that have made positive impacts on the rights and privileges of black individuals in the United States. While we often take this month to remember history makers of the past, Lamar Law Office believes it is also important to recognize the modern Black history makers who are making an impact across the country and positively changing the lives of Black individuals and families in America. So many of the Black history makers we often recognize during the month of February have inspired these modern Black history makers who will, in turn, inspire a new generation as well. As a black owned Atlanta law office, Lamar Law Office is proud to recognize the black history makers who have helped lead the path to where we are, while also highlighting the present day history makers who continue to fight for justice across the nation.

Amanda Gorman | American Poet and Activist

Amanda Gorman is an inspiring young woman who uses her talent for poetry to shine light on current issues. She grew up in Los Angeles, California and actually struggled with a speech impediment during her childhood. While some would use this impediment as a crutch, Gorman used it as a gift and focused her attention practicing reading and writing to overcome it. As a teenager, she was inspired by young activists, such as Malala Yousafzai, and became a youth delegate for the United Nations. At the young age of 16 she published her first poetry book, in 2017 she was named the first National Youth Poet Laureate, and at the 2021 inauguration of President Joe Biden she became the youngest poet to read at a presidential inauguration in United States History. Amanda Gorman focuses her activism on issues of oppression, feminism, race, and marginalization and uses poetry as a way to highlight these issues in our modern society. Her poetry has become like a voice for many minority groups whose voices are often not heard. As a young black woman, she inspires young black girls and young girls of all races to use their voices to empower others and create waves of change. In 2021, she was featured in TIME100 Next List as an up-and-coming phenomenon. Amanda Gorman inspires our law office to use our voices to empower others and bring about change to issues happening all across the country.

Karine Jean-Pierre | American Author, Principal Deputy White House Press Secretary, and activist

Karine Jean-Pierre is a child of two Haitian immigrant parents and was raised in Queens, New York. She began her career in politics at Columbia University, where she earned her MPA and later became a lecturer in international and public affairs. Although she can be described as a political analyst for NBC News, an author, and an activist, her most prevalent title has been as a political campaign organizer. During President Obama’s political campaigns, Karine served in various roles to help with the ballot access process and to help states get the word out for their campaign. She later became the chief of staff for Vice President Kamala Harris during the Joe Biden 2020 Presidential Campaign, and she currently serves as the Principal Deputy White House Press Secretary. Her dedication to politics and supporting strong political campaigns has inspired young individuals and women of color to get involved in politics and support campaigns that fight for justice of minority groups in America.

Joy Reid | American Television Host and Political Commentator

Joy Reid is best known as an American cable television host who has been at the forefront of the cable-news conversations during the past 2020 election season. Her childhood was not necessarily easy, as her father wasn’t present during much of her early life and her mother died of breast cancer when Joy was only 17. She paid her own way through Harvard, and began her journalism career in 1997. During the early years of her career she moved between various journalism jobs as a radio host and television host to working in various political campaigns, such as Barack Obama’s 2008 Presidential Campaign. In more recent times, Joy Reid has been a strong news reporter of current political topics. She has been considered a ‘heroine’ of the Anti-Trump resistance and continues to grow in her popularity for sharing news in a digestable way. In 2020, she became cable’s first black female primetime anchor and continues to teach classes at Syracuse University about race, gender, and the media. It is historically uncommon to see a black female on television discussing political topics, which is why Joy Reid’s dedication for discussing these issues on cable television is such a powerful step forward for women of color.

To see black women today using their voices to empower others inspires us here at Lamar Law Office. These women and so many others inspire Anita Lamar to use her influence as a black Atlanta personal injury lawyer to empower and inspire others as well. We hope to use our Atlanta law firm as a small source of change in the fight for social and racial justice, not only here in Atlanta, but across the nation.