ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – This Women’s History Month, News 6 is committed to highlighting female trailblazers and women who continue to break barriers in different arenas throughout Central Florida.
It includes Nequosha Anderson, who tells News 6 that a committee recently selected her as the president-elect to soon run the Central Florida Association for Women Lawyers, known as CFAWL. It’s an organization with a mission to promote the advancement of women in the legal profession.
“My mouth dropped open, and I was like ‘What?’ I dropped the phone and I just screamed because I knew that this impact was going to go even beyond me,” Anderson said, describing how she felt when she got the call notifying her she was selected. “I was so excited to just the pave the way and make history here in Central Florida.”
[TRENDING: Become a News 6 Insider]
She’s a business and intellectual property attorney who owns Anderson Law Firm, based in Winter Park. She said she’ll take office in July as the first Black woman president of CFAWL.
According to the American Bar Association, African Americans make up about 5% of lawyers in the United States.
“It is extremely exciting, and of course (I’m) a little saddened to hear that stat,” Anderson said. “My goal is to continue to advance and encourage others to come into this space.”
While she plans to focus on retaining and recruiting more female lawyers, including women of color, she said being a mother and a role model for her 10-year-old daughter gives her strength.
The Pine Hills native also spends her free time actively getting results and giving back, including her recent trip to Mollie Ray Elementary School where she along with other CFAWL members read to kids last month.
“I want more women to come and know and learn and participate within this great organization because the more collective we have, the greater our impact in the Orlando area,” Anderson said.
Anderson also enjoys just having a good time because she said she knows she’s blessed. She credits her success in many ways to her devoted parents and supportive family.
“It was actually my late father who passed away who encouraged me to become a lawyer and through his grace and further encouragement I was able to complete that,” Anderson said.
Anderson will be sworn in at a ceremony in May, she said.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: