2024 Black Law Students Association Banquet

Our theme this year is “Be You, Affirmatively You,” and it will honor those who have created their own blueprint and broken barriers for themselves and for generations to come. This year we celebrate differences and embrace those who have stayed true to themselves in the face of adversity. We look forward to an evening of inspiration, connection, and celebration. We hope you can join us! Cocktail attire is encouraged for our event.

The Alumni of the Year Award will be presented to The Hon. Stephanie Rawlings-Blake '95, chair of Airbnb's Housing Council. Ms. Rawlings-Blake will also be our keynote speaker.

BLSA has selected the Baltimore Ravens to receive the annual Diversity Award, which is presented to an organization in the greater Baltimore-Washington, DC area that advances diversity and inclusion in the legal profession and promotes social justice.

If you are interested in purchasing a full table for the event, please email Jason Keller, director of alumni engagement, at jason.keller@law.umaryland.edu.

BLSA would also like to thank all of our sponsors for their support of our organization!

GOLD LEVEL

Gallagher Evelius & Jones LLP

SILVER LEVEL

Miles & Stockbridge P.C.

BRONZE LEVEL

Goodell, DeVries, Leech & Dann, LLP
Gordon Feinblatt LLC
McGuireWoods LLP
Niles Barton & Wilmer LLP
Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP
Saul Ewing LLP
Tydings & Rosenberg LLP
Venable LLP
Womble Bond Dickinson LLP

SUPPORTER LEVEL

Ballard Spahr LLP
Offit Kurman

For any questions or if you’re interested in learning about sponsorship opportunities please reach out to Andrew Altshuler at aaltshuler@law.umaryland.edu.

DISCLAIMER: Your photograph may be taken at this event and used for University of Maryland Baltimore marketing purposes. If you would prefer to not have your photograph used for marketing purposes, please email alumnievents@law.umaryland.edu stating your preference to not be photographed.

About Stephanie Rawlings-Blake

The Hon. Stephanie Rawlings-Blake '95 served as the 49th Mayor of Baltimore leading the most significant economic revival in the City’s recent history. Because of her fiscally solid stewardship, Baltimore’s bond rating was raised to the highest it had been in over 40 years, and historic reforms were made to school facilities funding, and the City’s structural budget deficiencies. While leading the City’s operations, including a $2.4 billion budget and over 15,000 employees, crime was reduced to the lowest levels in 50 years, and the unemployment rate decreased by 30%.

As a seasoned Chief Executive Officer and results-oriented professional with more than 20 years of public sector experience, Rawlings-Blake has a proven knowledge of municipal government, fiscal management, and strategic problem-solving. She currently serves on the Boards of The Walters Art Museum, with past service on Visit Baltimore and the National Aquarium in Baltimore. She is a sought-after political and public affairs commentator, featured on many networks, including CNN, MSNBC, and BBC.

In January 2024, Stephanie was named Chair of Airbnb’s Housing Council. The Council will convene leading independent housing organizations and experts to: advise Airbnb on innovative policies, initiatives, and partnerships it can support to help communities grow the supply of new long-term housing; explore new ways the company can work with communities to better balance the benefits of home sharing with the needs of communities facing housing affordability challenges; and inform Airbnb on housing supply and affordability policy frameworks and research.

Prior to her work with Airbnb, Stephanie served as the Executive Director of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) Foundation. In this role, Rawlings-Blake was responsible for the strategic vision and management of the NBPA Foundation, which distributes millions in grants to organizations around the world. In this role, she grew player engagement off the court, and transformed the way basketball players engaged with the Foundation to grow their own philanthropy.

Nationally, Rawlings-Blake was the first and only Black woman elected to serve as President of the US Conference of Mayors. She also served as the Secretary of the Democratic National Committee, gaveling open the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.