The 2026 recipient was Kasayah Alexis, a law student at Howard University School of Law. 

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Personal Essay on her experience on the Education and Workplace Justice team at the National Women’s Law Center’s (NWLC).

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I challenge you to choose between your dignity and survival, your happiness and stability. Immediately, you and I recognize the catch-22 presented in this challenge. How could I choose between my dignity and my survival? If I sacrifice my stability, could I still be happy? This is the false choice that was the driving force behind my legal career. I instinctively thought of my mother, who was often forced to make this choice. She was often tugged between raising her young children and working full time, returning to work only two weeks after giving birth because she could no longer afford to take unpaid leave. Learning that my mother’s struggle was not unique, but instead systemic–harming millions of women in the workforce–ignited my passion for workplace advocacy, especially for women and families. This passion led me to pursue my legal education at the Howard University School of Law. At Howard University, I knew that I wanted my legal career to contribute to greater equity for women in the workplace. I was particularly interested in expanding the Family and Medical Leave Act, expanding union rights, advocating for a livable wage for all workers, and defending women at risk of labor exploitation. 

This summer, I joined the National Women’s Law Center’s (NWLC) Education and Workplace Justice team, an experience that brought me closer to the work I have long wished to pursue: using legal advocacy as a means to advance gender equity and protect workplace rights. The National Women’s Law Center has dedicated itself to women’s rights for over 50 years, fighting for equitable pay, the enforcement of Title IX, and the passage of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. NWLC has also played a central role in expanding the Child Support Enforcement Program and successfully advocated for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. The work of NWLC inspired me for years, and its mission to advance gender equity encouraged me to pursue my law degree. So, it was no surprise that I accepted the offer to join the team for the summer without hesitation.

At NWLC, I gained a hands-on understanding of what it means to use the law as a tool for systemic change. I worked alongside a team of talented attorneys and policy advocates on issues at the intersection of gender equity and workers’ rights. At the beginning of my internship, I knew I was passionate about issues related to the Family and Medical Leave Act, unionization, and other workplace scheduling policies. By the end of the internship, I learned so much more, deepening my passion for workplace justice and gender equity. 

Since the mid-1960s, the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency tasked with enforcing federal workplace anti-discrimination laws, has collected workforce demographic data on race and gender through the EEO-1 data collection. This data collection measures progress in the workplace and is crucial to preventing discrimination in the workplace. July 2026, the EEOC proposed an agency rule that would end the data collection requirements. As a result, the agency will no longer collect and publish this information, leaving the public and employers with no way to measure workplace innovation and suppressing efforts to prevent discrimination in the workplace.

While at NWLC, my most memorable project was focused on this proposed rule. I acquainted myself with the EEO-1 data collection requirement, taking a deep dive into administrative law. For this effort, I analyzed the statutory and regulatory authorities underlying EEOC’s proposed rule. I compared existing data collection requirements and the change the proposed rule would have on anti-discrimination efforts in the workplace, including discrimination by gender and race. I then collaborated with senior attorneys and our partner organizations and prepared a legal research memo examining case law concerning the use and evidentiary significance of EEO-1 forms in employment litigation.  This project helped me to gain firsthand experience in analyzing agency action and understanding how administrative law, employment law, and gender equality advocacy intersect. This project challenged me to think about administrative law in a way that I had not experienced in the classroom. At NWLC, my research informed the Center’s response to a real proposed change in federal policy. Although intimidated at first, the advocacy and conviction of my team empowered and assured me. It motivated me to continue to do this same type of work in the future. Presenting my research was one of the most valuable parts of the experience. I became more confident not only in conducting legal research, but also in communicating that research to experienced attorneys and advocates.

 

Beyond the substantive legal work, this summer reinforced my belief that when people lead with their passion, community, mentorship, and collaboration naturally follow. NWLC not only ensured that I left with tangible legal skills and substantive knowledge, but also invested in my professional development. Throughout the summer, NWLC created countless opportunities for the interns to learn from and connect with others. We collaborated with partner organizations, participated in discussions with Fatima Graves, the CEO and President, and attended social hours where we got to know attorneys and members of the development team, asked questions, and learned from their experiences. 

 

Just as importantly, the staff consistently affirmed that we belonged, not only at NWLC, but in the broader legal field. I genuinely felt the confidence they placed in us and the care with which they invested in our growth, and that confidence became something my cohort and I have internalized.  NWLC surpassed every hope I had when I first dreamed of working there. 

 

The WBA Foundation Founders Fellowship allowed me to contribute to work at an organization I had long admired while developing the research, writing, and advocacy skills that will shape my legal career. More importantly, the WBA Foundation Fellowship allowed me to not have to choose between my passion and my stability, while giving me a safe space to develop professionally with strong confidence. I am grateful to the WBA Foundation for making this experience possible and for investing in my development as a future advocate for women’s rights and workplace justice. It helped me understand the kind of lawyer I hope to become.

As I continue my legal education at Howard University School of Law, I will carry the lessons of this fellowship with me. I hope to build a career centered on advocacy for women and all workers, and I now have a clearer sense of what that advocacy can look like.