Last month, the George W. Crawford Black Bar Association, Connecticut Hispanic Bar Association, Connecticut Asian Pacific American Bar Association and the South Asian Bar Association of Connecticut released a joint statement in solidarity condemning the killing of George Floyd and standing against all forms of discrimination in America. Significantly, the statement noted that "a pursuit of justice solely by oppressed communities of color will not secure the liberty and justice for all that America promises" and called upon the Connecticut legal community to lead the way and actively take steps against systemic racism.

The CBA made a similar statement urging lawyers to "stand united in defense of our vulnerable communities, the rule of law, and the promotion of public interest through the advancement of equal justice and protection of liberty for all." The Lawyers Collaborative for Diversity echoed these sentiments and highlighted the need for lawyers to speak out and "overcome the existence and effects of systemic racism which unacceptably dilutes the voices of people of color in our profession and, ultimately, threatens their humanity."

We applaud our bar associations for opposing discrimination, and we join them in encouraging our legal community to stand against oppression. It will, however, take conscious action on the part of the profession to effect any lasting change. According to the ABA's 2019 Profile of the Profession, minority representation among lawyers is abysmal, with lawyers who are racial or ethnic minorities constituting only 15% of the legal population, despite representing 27.6% of the U.S. population. Likewise, the percentage of female attorneys stands at 36%, though women make up approximately 51% of the U.S. population. The numbers are worse when looking at partner-level attorneys. In 2018, only 9% of partners were minorities, while minorities made up 24% of associates. Progress has been made, yes, but we have a long way to go before inclusion is enough of a reality that we don't need the word to describe what's wrong.

And yet, there may be an opportunity to make a meaningful difference. Protests of George Floyd's killing have been ongoing. The protesters this time are reportedly more diverse than others, and the protests are more widespread. There are reports of protests not just in Minneapolis, but nationwide, including Hartford, Waterbury, New Haven and even smaller towns. Protests in solidarity have spread across the Atlantic and into Europe. Can this time be different?

Maybe. But if we want lasting change, it is incumbent on all of us to take meaningful actions beyond the outrage we feel at the image of a police officer with his knee on the neck of a black man. It is not enough to march. It is not enough to donate. Inclusion requires more than the recognition of wrongs.

So what can we do as lawyers? Talk to your hiring committees about why the level of women and minority attorneys at your firm remains as low as it is, despite all your efforts. Look around—how many women and minority partners do you have, and why is that? Why are your associate classes well represented across demographics when they start, but when it's time to make partner, they aren't? And ask yourselves whether the women and minority partners you do have are equity partners and whether they serve on committees that have a meaningful impact on the management of your firm.

What else can you do? Make it a point to ask women and minority colleagues to work with you on your matters. Require equity between male and female panelists before you're willing to serve on a panel or committee. Demand that public appointments include more women and minorities. Call out your colleagues who make unintentionally racist or sexist comments, and if you can't do that, at least don't chuckle uneasily. Take the time to attend the Diversity & Inclusion events sponsored by the CBA or affinity bars and gain a different perspective.

Above all, do something that demonstrates that you actively support inclusion, not merely that you are offended at inequity. Because racism is a systemic problem that goes beyond being offended. And the only way for it to change is for all of us to start taking actions that indicate that we are willing to open up the space at the table and share it with others, not simply recognize that the table lacks representation. Remember, "a pursuit of justice solely by oppressed communities of color will not secure the liberty and justice for all that America promises." It is up to all of us.