A college football standout turned national inspiration. An advocate for criminal justice reform who was wrongly imprisoned at 14 in a case that made international headlines. The daughter of a boxing legend who beat back sexism to become a champion in the ring and a judge in Philadelphia.

These are just a few of the individuals who will take part in the New Jersey State Bar Association's (NJSBA's) Diverse Voices series, a programming initiative featuring notable figures from diverse backgrounds.

"The Diverse Voices series will help audiences connect real-life stories and different perspectives to the practice of law, and help the NJSBA foster a better-educated and more inclusive legal profession," said President Evelyn Padin.

Planned programming includes:

• April 7 will feature Eric LeGrand, the former Rutgers University football player who sustained a spinal cord injury during a game, and who has made an impressive recovery. LeGrand, who has written a book and served as a sports commentator, will discuss overcoming obstacles and maintaining a positive outlook in the face of adversity, as part of a seminar that will also explore and celebrate the challenges and resilience of those with differing abilities. The morning session at the New Jersey Law Center will also educate attorneys on treating individuals with differing abilities with respect and in accordance with the law.
• May 14 will mark the 2020 Diversity Luncheon at the Annual Meeting in Atlantic City, and will feature a conversation between the Hon. Lawrence Jones and Judge Jacqui Frazier-Lyde. The two will discuss Frazier-Lyde's life journey, including the challenges of growing up in the household of her father, boxing champion Smokin' Joe Frazier; becoming a female boxing champion; and becoming an attorney and ultimately a judge and community leader in Philadelphia as an African-American woman in a time of major social upheaval.
• June 15 will feature Kevin Richardson, who, at 14 years of age, was arrested, charged and imprisoned for an attack on a jogger in New York's Central Park. He spent seven years in prison for a crime he did not commit. The events of the case were portrayed last year in the Netflix mini-series When They See Us, and previously in the Ken Burns documentary The Central Park Five. The films brought new attention to the injustices faced by Richardson and the four others arrested alongside him (now dubbed the Exonerated Five).

For additional speakers and registration opportunities, visit NJSBA.com.