E X E C U T I V E
D I R E C T O R ’ S
M E S S A G E
J o h n F. K y n e s - H i l l s b o r o u g h C o u n t y B a r A s s o c i a t i o n
Right: Panelists at the
Diversity Summit in 2012,
who were interviewed as part
of the “Before the Law Was
Equal” documentary. From
left to right: Judge E.J.
Salcines, Carolyn House
Stewart, Marsha Rydberg
and Warren Dawson.
Continued from page 8
The Florida Bar and American Bar Association
supported the project with grants, and several local law
firms made generous donations, which made financing
the film possible.
In the fall of 2012, the YLD and Diversity
Committee organized a “Diversity Summit” at the
Ferguson Law Center.
Moderated by then President Bob Nader, the panel
discussion on diversity issues was recorded, and excerpts
were later included in the film.
Along with Greenstein, Ferrentino, and Nader, the
film’s production and research team included: Dara
Cooley, Luis Viera, Tammy Briant, Judge Catherine Peek
McEwen, Danny Alvarez, Jacqueline Simms-Petredis,
Lynwood Arnold, Janae Thomas, Harley Herman, and
Patricia Gomez.
JAN - FEB 2019
|
HCBA LAWYER
Ferrentino told me she and Greenstein spent many
long days paring down and editing the more than five
hours of interview footage to under one hour.
The film premiered in April 2013 at a special evening
event at the Tampa Bay History Center with hundreds
of HCBA members and guests in attendance.
And later that year, the film was shown at the
Gasparilla International Film Festival held at the Centro
Ybor movie theatre complex in Ybor City, with a panel
discussion about the film held afterwards.
At the conclusion of one of the diversity panel
discussions, Warren Dawson, one of featured
participants, summed up the project and the progress
that has been made in area of equality and civil rights:
“Much progress has been made, but there is still much
work to be done.”
See you around the Chet.
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