ENACT: The Abraham Feinberg Educational Network for Active Civic Transformation

ENACT cohosts “Legally Black” Panel at Brandeis

January 20, 2026

Efosa Ologbosere ’27 introducing Legally Black panelists. Spearheaded by ENACT Brandeis student Efosa Ologbosere '27, ENACT and the Legal Studies Program co-hosted “Legally Black” on January 20th. “Legally Black” aimed to uplift the voices of BIPOC legal professionals in the Greater Boston area and connect them with Brandeis students.

The event featured panelists Desiree Murphy, a Senior Legal Counsel for Labor and Employment Law at CVS Health; Schuyler Hogan, Legal Counsel of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security; Mass NOW board president Naitasia Hensey; and Barbara Dortch-Okara, retired Massachusetts Superior Court Judge and Brandeis Class of 1971.

The panel was moderated by Jonathan Allen, the Cofounder and Director of Development at Leadership Brainery.

“Legally Black was a powerful reminder of what happens when we create space for honest storytelling and expansive possibility,” says Allen. “The students showed up with curiosity, courage, and imagination — and left with a clearer sense of their own capacity to define success on their own terms. The conversations elevated diverse legal pathways while affirming students’ agency, brilliance, and right to dream boldly — credit to Efosa and the collaborative leadership who made this moment possible.”

“I found the panelists incredibly inspiring," says Jateja Spriggs '28. "It was meaningful to see people who look like me in positions that I can envision myself in. Hearing their stories and advice was a powerful reminder that there is no single path to achieving your goals, and that it’s okay, and often necessary, to carve your own."