On Friday, May 7, Taylor Porter's BUILD (Building Unity, Inclusion, & Legal Diversity) Community Outreach Program  and Volunteers in Public Schools concluded a successful three-month community outreach and mentoring project with high school students from Glen Oaks Magnet in Baton Rouge. “Take the Lead” guides high school students into becoming leaders and mentors through the reading and discussion of the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, published by Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives, and how the literature relates to the world today.

Taylor Porter completed three sessions, including a session of personal letter writing to Frederick Douglass in which Taylor Porter Diversity Committee Chair and Partner Barrye Miyagi worked with students to write and share letters on the current state of America as it relates to race relations and access to equitable education for students. Taylor Porter also worked with students to complete a “Building a Social Justice Playlist” in which we shared songs that align with the societal injustices present in the narrative and still current today. The final session took place May 7, at Taylor Porter, in which the Firm hosted students for a mock team debate, engaging Taylor Porter and students in the Emotional intelligence lesson of the Frederick Douglass Family Initiative curriculum. The debate was judged by Preston Castille, Taylor Porter Of Counsel, President of Helix Community Schools, and BESE Member District 8.

Taylor Porter was featured in the Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS) March 2021 Newsletter for its leadership role in the program. 

"It has been an honor to work with Kaia Simmons of VIPS, Dionne McCurry of Glen Oaks, and the Glen Oaks students on the pilot program," said Miyagi. "Taylor Porter looks forward to partnering with VIPS as the program continues."