The Legal Plug - Jocelyn Armstrong, Lawyer & DE&I Director - Part 1

As Jocelyn Armstrong shared on the DN Podcast - Inclusion matters. It's essential that we give voice to groups across a range of viewpoints because it makes our organizations stronger. They become better positioned for success because they are enriched in ways they might not have even known they needed.

An expanded group of contributors means expanded possibilities, which is why her mission as the Ohio State Bar Association's Director of Inclusion and Outreach is to weave diversity and inclusion into the fabric of the bar and our association's cultures.

In an ideal world, diversity and full representation won’t be managed as a separate function—it should simply be part of the decision-making DNA. Outreach is key to getting there. Exposure to many points of view translates to:

• access to more original ideas and innovation
• reduced groupthink
• people feeling valued as their authentic selves

Representation matters. As a child, Jocelyn was fascinated by watching actors like Phylicia Rashad and Blair Underwood star as lawyers on TV. Seeing famous black legal professionals, both fictional and real, allowed her to see herself in the same roles. It inspired her to pursue a career in the law.

Jocelyn draws energy from being around people. She loves to make connections with folks, take in their perspectives and observe their growth. She has also learned the importance of listening to what people don't say out loud. This helps her encourage everyone to feel more at ease. She aims to be respectful and open to what they need to say, not what I want to hear.

Jocelyn's creative writing allows her to address representation in another form. She enjoys bringing characters into existence—as she writes, she feels like she gets to know them. Giving a voice to all is her way of celebrating the differences that enrich life.