inspiration
�O�N�N� ���ROSOF� �EAN� �EA��N� �OUR FA�����NNEW �OR� �O ���E ANDWOR� �N SEA���E�W�A�WAS ��A����E� It was lonely . When I started there 20 years ago , I was one of three Black attorneys out of hundreds . Seattle was very white , too . My wife and kids were back in NewYork . I lived across the street from the campus and kept to myself . There was a group of female attorneys , clients , who sometimes asked me to go out with them . Finally Isaid yes . Wewent to a grunge club and Iwas the only Black person in the club . I wasn ’ t going to dance — their dancing is different from what Ithink of as dancing — but suddenly I found myself in the midst of it , jumping up and down . �ere Iwas , this cool kid from the ghetto , who repped top rap artists , in Seattle in a grunge club jumping up and down with a bunch of Caucasian women attorneys .
Shortly after that , Iwalked into Brad Smith ’ s office . �e ’ s my mentor and has played atremendous role in my career . If it weren ’ t for his intercession , Iwould have left the company . �is support and commitment to diversity and inclusion has changed things in abig way at Microsoft , and for me .
T�E A�T�O��S �OI�E �ackson recorded the audio version of his book , Never Far from Home : My Journey from Brooklyn to Hip Hop , Microsoft , and the Law .
�OU��E �EEN �U��EDO�ERAND ARRES�ED ��REE ���ESFOR �DR���N� W���E ��A�����OW D�D �OU�ANA�E �O S�A� �A�� DUR�N� ��ESE FR����EN�N��N��DEN�S� You gotta keep calm . I knew the consequences if I didn ’ t .
In 201� , Iwas back living with my mom in the Amsterdam housing projects after afire in my house inMount Vernon , New York . I ’ d just closed a $ 100 million deal with Microsoft and was headed out to get some crabs and beer with afriend to celebrate . Iwas in aBMW outside the projects . The cops pulled me over , said my tail light was flickering . When they ran mylicense they found an unpaid ticket from when my brother borrowed the car . For that you should get adesk appearance . But they put me in handcuffs and leg irons and Ispent the night in jail , until my attorney got me out . It happens all the time for people of color . Even today , whenever Ipass acop , Ithink , “ O� , Bruce , let ’ snot get arrested . It ’ sFriday , and you don ’ t want to spend the weekend in jail .” It ’ swhat you live with , it ’ salways apossibility .
Iwas 10 the first time Iwas arrested . Iwas on asubway platform and someone yelled , “ That ’ shim� ” and pointed at me . Iran . That ’ s when Ilearned the lesson that when people run from the police , it ’ snot necessarily asign of guilt — they could be scared . Iwas so scared Ijumped onto the tracks in front of asubway train , then hopped over the electrified third rail .
The police took me in and tried to coerce me into admitting Istole something . They told meIcould go home if Ijust admitted it . Ireally wanted to go home and Icame close to saying that Idid it . If Ihad , my life would have been totally changed .
W�� D�D �OU�O�E�O�ON���A�R� Afriend of mine was looking to move here and I went along . I ended up buying a two-family house in Frog �ollow as an investment property . ( Frog �ollow is atraditionallyAfrican- American neighborhood bordering Valley , Midland and Walnut Streets .) Eventually I bought two more properties and moved here myself with my fiance four years ago . One of my daughters lives here now , too . Montclair was an easy transition from New York City . It ’ s a combination of suburb and city , that ’ s the beauty of it .
�OU�RE DONA��N� A�� ��E RO�A���ES FRO� �OUR �OO�S �O NON�ROF��S ��A�SER���E UNDERSER�ED �O��UN���ES ���E ��EONE �OU �REWU��N� W�A� �ROU�SARE �OU �N�O��ED W���� AND W��� I ’ ve always felt an obligation to be an agent for change . Mentoring young people is important , and Ican ’ t forget women — Ihave three daughters , and was raised by three women who were an instrumental part of my success . Ispeak to alot of school groups , and am on the boardofthe Embrace �irls Foundation , which promotes after-school programs to give girls ahead start onsuccess , and the advisory board for the National Association of Minority and Women- Owned Law Firms . I ’ m also on the board ofthe �ip �op Museum in the Bronx and serve on Mayor Eric Adam ’ s corporate counsel committee .
Before Ivisit with young people , I change out of the “ uniform ” Iwear at Microsoft , the dockers and the polo shirt . Ifeel their suspicion . Ihave to convince them that “ I ’ m one of you . Iwas you .” ■
COUR�ES� OF �RUCE �AC�SON
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SPRING 2023 MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE