For Legal & Compliance Intern Mikella Fields, Black History Month is much more than an opportunity to raise cultural awareness and highlight the contributions of African Americans through history.

As a minority both in law school and in her chosen profession, Mikella feels Black history is as much her story and that of her classmates, as it is the story of those who came before her. Serving as president of the University of Louisville Black Law Students Association (BLSA), she has made education her mission.

“Black History Month is important on our campus, because there are not a lot of us at {Louis D.} Brandeis {School of Law},” Mikella said. “It brings a cultural awareness for other students at our school who wouldn’t know anything about our history or what many of us went through to get here.”

Working closely with the University of Louisville Office of Diversity & Equity, BLSA helped organize several Black History Month events – including a panel discussion on inequality, systemic racism and activism; a trivia night and a Question of the Week in the law school’s bulletin, The Daily Docket. The Daily Docket feature educates law school class members about the contributions of African Americans throughout legal history.

Another event that BLSA will co-sponsor in February – one that is especially close to Mikella’s heart – is the Central High School Program informational session. The program is a partnership between the Law School and her high school alma mater, which allows law students to teach pre-law curriculum to high school students. Usually students from Central experience law school for a day as well.

Through Central’s Pre-Law Studies magnet, Mikella graduated high school with six concentrated credit hours and two legal internships under her belt. Central High school is historically Black, and Mikella always encourages BLSA members and other students to volunteer their time for the program.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without that program,” says Mikella. She added that the program also gave her an early start in determining which concentration within law she wanted to explore.

“When I was in high school, I thought I wanted to do family law because of a personal situation,” she said. “Since then I’ve learned that I love learning about business and corporate transactions. I also love to write and draft.”

Along the way, Mikella’s personal interests also drove her interest in corporate law. For eight years, she has run her own business, doing professional make up and making bath bombs and other bath and body products.

Her coursework and two college internships – at Yum! Brands and for a local law firm – helped to further seal the deal. “I loved being in house at Yum!” she said. “It was a great experience. When I went to a law firm the next year, there was a lot more structure. I didn’t have the same freedoms or the same diversity in assignments.”

Since joining Legal & Compliance in November, Mikella’s continued to develop her in house experience, while gaining depth in liquor laws and regulations. As a part-time intern, she’s had an opportunity to sit in on meetings related to legal compliance and conduct legal research on various issues, such as to-go cocktail regulations during the pandemic.

“To have a second in-house experience has been important to me,” Mikella said. “It has been different, because it is virtual. You don’t get that same experience as you do in an office. However, I am loving my experience at Heaven Hill so far.”

As Mikella looks ahead to her graduation from law school in May and the future that lies ahead, she feels proud and honored. “When I got into law school, I didn’t realize how important it was for me, not just to get into law school but to get through law school,” she said. “Today, only 5% of lawyers are Black, and there was a time when Black people couldn’t even go to law school – when women couldn’t even go to law school.”

Meanwhile Mikella’s personal journey – rooted in many years of hard work, dedication and sacrifice – continues to steer her interest in education and advocacy through BLSA during Black History Month and for the future.
“We rarely learn about black history, except for in February,” said Mikella. “It’s very important for our society and for our country to know we were here all along helping to grow this country.”