By Rhonda Foxx, Head of Social Equity Policy & Engagement at Intel
The murder of George Floyd changed the world. This tragedy, coupled with grave inequities that came to light with the global pandemic, forced us all to accept that racism and injustices are alive and well. It demanded each of us to ask, “What can we do to fix and change the long and painful narrative?” At Intel, we immediately accepted our responsibility to use our technologies, size, and scale to address systemic and structural inequities. To us, racial equity and social equality is a legal and public policy matter because law and policies can drive real change.
That is why Intel forged a five-year, $5 million social equity partnership with North Carolina Central University (NCCU) School of Law. We joined with NCCU to create the world’s first Tech Law and Policy Center at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Today, only 5% of attorneys in the U.S. are Black, even though they make up more than 13% of the U.S. population. This is an inequity and does not add up. HBCUs produce 50% of Black lawyers, and nearly 40% of the U.S. Congressional Black Caucus attended an HBCU. HBCUs are a key to producing the next generation of legal and policymakers that will lead the charge to eradicate systemic and structural inequities.
Today, Intel is proud to announce that we have strengthened our partnership with NCCU with the inaugural NCCU-Intel Summer Associate class and the first recipients of the NCCU-Intel Legal Scholarship. Additionally, Intel’s new Racial Justice Pro Bono Attorney, Su Suh will manage a mentoring program for tech law and policy law students to learn more about careers in technology. She will help deliver on Intel’s promise to promote social equity and prepare the next generation of diverse legal and policy HBCU talent.
NCCU Intel Summer Associates
“I am excited to be an inaugural NCCU Intel Summer Associate, and I know that this opportunity will serve as a strong foundation for my legal career. I look forward to growing professionally, observing the intersection of law and technology, and building long-lasting connections with Intel attorneys.”— Moses Washington, NCCU Intel Summer Associate
“I am thrilled about the opportunity to work with Intel Corporation, and I hope to gain experience and knowledge of employment law from the corporate perspective. Intel has provided an amazing internship that will prepare me for my future legal career by providing a real-world experience of the process that goes into handling legal matters.”— Madison Mitchell, NCCU Intel Summer Associate
“I am so pleased to have secured a phenomenal internship with Intel Corporation after my first year of law school. This experience will make me more marketable upon graduation as I seek a full-time position as a corporate attorney.”— Shante Mays, NCCU Intel Summer Associate
NCCU Intel Legal Scholarship
“Intel’s partnership with NCCU enabled the school to provide ten students with $10,000-dollar legal scholarships. We all have a responsibility to ensure that no student falls out of the legal pipeline because of financial hardships. That is the key to leveling the playing field. As a result of these scholarships, our aspiring attorneys will have the opportunity to continue learning and eventually practice in a field that lacks the needed diversity to make it equitable and fair.” — Dean Browne Lewis, School of LawScholarship Recipients
Cameron Benton, Herbert Brown, Andrea Johnson, Malcolm Lewis, Desire Loundy, Shante Mays, Kayla Mitchell, Asia Skyers, Marcus Tingling, and Arielle Wormack
To hear more about how Intel is advancing social equity with its partnership with NCCU, click here to view the video.
