Fordham Law’s Black Law Students Association (BLSA) won top national and regional honors in recognition of its leadership at two recent awards celebrations.
“As a student organization, we dedicate significant effort into organizing our programming. We’re very intentional about targeting, and organizing events and programs that are impactful for our students,” said BLSA President Raissa Ebeh ’25. “We don’t do it for the awards, but receiving that kind of recognition validates the effort we put into our work.”
In February, BLSA members traveled to Buffalo, New York where the organization took home the title of Regional Chapter of the Year in the “large chapter” category at the Northeast Black Law Students Association (NEBLSA) Convention. There are 34 law schools in the “Notable and Noteworthy Northeast.” The convention gathered Black law students in the region to participate in a job fair, attend panels with judges and attorneys, elect the new regional executive board, and enjoy a gala.
In March, Fordham BLSA went on to the 56th National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA) Convention in Houston, Texas where the student affinity group was awarded National Chapter of the Year. NBLSA is a 501(c)(3) corporation and the nation’s largest student-run organization.
“I was so happy. Hearing other people in the Northeast region cheering for us—it just made me feel proud,” said BLSA Vice-President Aba Aggrey ’25.
Award selections were based on the quality of each chapter’s programming around pre-law initiatives, academic events, professional development, alumni events, community service, and other factors. The mission of NBLSA is to increase the number of culturally responsible Black and minority attorneys who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community.
In addition to presenting major annual events including its Alumni Trailblazers Award Ceremony, BLSA’s other programs included raising $2,784 for Harlem Reads which provided about 300 books to the Harlem Hospital for children visiting the emergency room, an alumni and student kickball game, and a diaspora celebration showcasing the culture of BLSA members from around the world.
BLSA has previously won both the Regional Chapter of the Year and the National Chapter of the Year in the medium-sized chapter category. This year was the first time BLSA won in the “large chapter” category, thanks to efforts by Ebeh and Aggrey to expand the number of dues-paying BLSA members, making the group eligible for this category for the first time.
“We wanted more students to be involved in BLSA on the national or regional level,” said Ebeh. “We used part of our budget to sponsor membership for our students so that they could be involved in NBLSA and NEBLSA. Which took us from a medium to a large chapter.”
Ebeh said she’s most proud of her work in the last year to foster a sense of community among BLSA members and stressed the importance of having affinity groups on campus that can speak directly to students’ diverse experiences.
Aggrey said she’s most proud of BLSA’s mentorship program and efforts to speak with prospective law students at pre-law conventions and during their visits to the law school.
“We are the first stop for most Black students,” said Ebeh. “When our students see upperclassmen who share similar backgrounds, experiences, and paths as them—those who have navigated through 1L, OCI [On-Campus Interviewing], secured positions in journals and competition teams—it is impactful. Representation matters deeply because it showcases that their aspirations are not only valid but also within reach, inspiring them to strive for their own milestones with confidence and determination”
