COMING UP ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN..." >> TONIGHT I'M EXCITED TO BE JOINED BY AN INSPIRING WOMAN AND CHANGE MAKER, ANGELA WINFIELD.

>> MY NAME IS ANGELA WINFIELD.

I'M THE CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER FOR THE LAW SCHOOL ADMISSION COUNCIL.

>> YOU ARE A BLACK WOMAN WHO IS VIS-A-VIS TOTALLY BLIND.

>> TOTALLY BLIND.

>> I WANTED TO HELP CHANGE NOT ONLY ORGANIZATIONS IN THE INDUSTRY IF I COULD AND HELP TO MAKE IT MORE DIVERSE, EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE AND I GET TO DO THAT IN THIS ROLE THAT I'M IN NOW.

♪ ♪ ♪ I GOT A GOOD, GOOD FEELING, UP ON A CLOUD AIN'T COMING BACK DOWN ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> Juhanna: HELLO.

THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN TONIGHT'S EPISODE OF "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

I AM YOUR HOST, Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS.

TONIGHT I'M EXCITED TO BE JOINED BY AN INSPIRING WOMAN AND CHANGE MAKER, ANGELA WIN FIELD.

SHE IS AN INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER.

SHE IS A LIFE COACH AND CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER OF THE LAW SCHOOL ADMISSIONS COUNCIL.

BEFORE WE JUMP INTO A CONVERSATION, LET'S TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT ANGELA AND HER INSPIRING STORY.

>> MY NAME IS ANGELA WINFIELD.

I AM THE CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER FOR THE LAW SCHOOL ADMISSION COUNCIL.

I AM ALSO A WIFE, A SISTER, A LOVER OF FOOD AND A YOGI.

WHEN I WAS FOUR YEARS OLD, I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH MULTIPLE CONDITIONS, DIAGNOSED WITH JUVENILE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS, WHICH IS THE MAIN ONE.

WHEN YOU GET ARTHRITIS THAT YOUNG, IT AFFECTS OTHER PARTS OF YOUR BODY.

IT AFFECTS YOUR EYES PRIMARILY AND I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH U SRIITIS, GLAW COMB ON AND CAT RACKS.

I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD AFFECT MY LIFE.

I WAS A KID PLAYING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND I HAD TO GO TO THE DOCTORS A LOT AND I WOULD GO AND GET SURGERIES.

TO ME THAT WAS MY NORMAL.

JUNIOR HIGH WHEN IS IT REALLY STARTED TO HIT HOME FOR ME.

PEOPLE STARTED TO TREAT ME DIFFERENTLY.

I JUST WANTED TO BE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE THAT WAS A REAL CHALLENGE FOR ME AND I WAS DEPRESSED DURING MY JUNIOR HIGH AND HIGH SCHOOL YEARS.

THE SHIFT FOR ME WAS IN THE POTENTIAL OF NOT KNOWING.

RIGHT?

IT COULD BE VERY SCARY NOT TO KNOW WHAT COULD HAPPEN BUT VERY FREEING AND FOR ME IT WAS FREEING, KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT?

IF I GIVE UP, I KNOW HOW THAT'S GOING TO END SO I CONTINUED AND EVEN AFTER I GOT INTO COLLEGE WHERE I HAD A FLARE-UP WITH MY CONDITION AND LOST ALL OF MY SIGHT, I WANTED TO CONTINUE TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS POSSIBLE AND THAT'S BEEN THE THEME IN MY LIFE.

I WANTED TO BE A LAWYER FROM A VERY YOUNG AGE, LIKE BEFORE I EVEN KNEW WHAT BEING A LAWYER WAS.

WHEN I GOT TO HIGH SCHOOL, MY PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE IN ONE THAT HAD A LAW ACADEMY THAT I SIGNED UP FOR SO I GOT EXPOSURE TO, YOU KNOW, REAL TIME LAWYERS.

AND NOW I AM THE CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER FOR THE LAW SCHOOL ADMISSION COUNCIL.

I WANTED TO HELP CHANGE NOT ONLY ORGANIZATIONS BUT THE INDUSTRY IF I COULD.

AND HELP TO MAKE IT MORE DIVERSE, MORE EQUITABLE, MORE INCLUSIVE.

AND I GET TO DO THAT IN THIS ROLE THAT I'M IN NOW.

>> Juhanna: SO ANGELA, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE TONIGHT AND I HAVE BEEN EXCITED TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION WITH YOU, SO WELCOME.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

IT'S SUCH A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU JEW HANNAH.

>> I KNOW WE HAVE BEEN IN THE SAME ROOM TOGETHER.

YOU HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE PERFORMANCES AT AUBURN PUBLIC THEATER BUT WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN A CHANCE TO SIT DOWN SO WHEN YOUR NAME CAME UP, I WAS LIKE OH MY GOD, SHE IS SUCH A PHENOMENAL ADVOCATE, ACTIVIST A CHANGE MAKER LIKE WE SAID IN THE INTRO.

I HAVE BEEN INTRIGUED AND INSPIRED BY YOUR STORY.

THE FIRST QUESTION I HAVE FOR YOU, AS WE JUMP INTO THE CONVERSATION, RIGHT, IS HOW DID YOU AND OPRAH GET A PHOTO TOGETHER?

AS YOU KNOW, OPRAH AND I HAVE AN INTERESTING RELATIONSHIP.

AND SO I WAS CURIOUS.

>> SO IT WAS JUST A LITTLE BIT OF TENACITY.

SHE WAS DOING A TOUR "THE LIFE YOU WANT" AND MY SISTER AND I DECIDED WE WANTED TO HAVE THAT KIND OF LIFE.

WE DECIDED TO GO DOWN TOGETHER AND SPENT THE WEEKEND AT HER SEMINAR AND GOT TO MEET HER AND GOT OUR PHOTOS.

>> Juhanna: WAS THIS LIKE YOU AND AN AUDIENCE OF A THOUSAND PEOPLE OR YOU AND FIVE OTHER WOMEN AND OPRAH?

>> I WOULD LOVE TO SAY IT WAS ME AND FIVE OTHER WOMEN AND OPRAH BUT NO, A THOUSAND OTHER PEOPLE.

AND A SELECT FEW OF US GOT TO DO A ONE ON ONE MEET AND GREET.

MY SISTER AND I SIGNED UP FOR IT.

I WATCHED OPRAH FROM THE TIME I WAS IN JUNIOR HIGH SO SHE HAS BEEN A BIG PART OF MY LIFE.

>> YEAH, I COULD SAY THE SAME.

LIKE RUSHING HOME TO BE IN FRONT OF THE TELEVISION AT 4:00, TO SIT WITH OPRAH AND WHOMEVER THE GUEST WAS.

WAS PART OF THAT LIFE YOU WANTED THAT YOU THOUGHT ABOUT DURING THAT WEEKEND, RIGHT, WAS DOING OR BECOMING-- DOING DEI WORK, DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION WORK PART OF THAT?

WAS BEING THE CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER FOR THE LAW SCHOOL ADMISSIONS COUNCIL PART OF THE LIFE THAT YOU WANTED?

>> YES AND NO.

IT WAS NOT THAT SPECIFIC.

>> Juhanna: THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT KNOW THAT SPECIFICALLY.

>> THERE ARE.

THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY PEOPLE THAT KNOW.

SO NO, I DID NOT KNOW IT WAS GOING TO BE CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WOULD BE THE TITLE.

WHAT I DID KNOW I WANTED TO DO AT THAT POINT IN MY LIFE WAS HELP ORGANIZATIONS AND, YOU KNOW, I DID WANT IT TO BE THE LEGAL INDUSTRY BECAUSE THAT WAS MY FIRST LOVE, PRACTICING LAW AND JUST THAT PROFESSION BUT I WANTED TO HELP ORGANIZATIONS BREAK DOWN THE BARRIERS TO ACCESS.

I WANTED TO MAKE THINGS MORE EQUITABLE, MORE INCLUSIVE BECAUSE THE CHALLENGES THAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH, YOU KNOW, YES, I OVERCAME THEM.

YES IT'S POSSIBLE TO OVERCOME THEM.

I SHARE THAT MESSAGE TO PEOPLE BUT SOME OF THE BARRIERS DON'T HAVE TO EXIST AND I WANT TO BE A PART OF HELPING REMOVE THOSE BARRIERS FOR PEOPLE COMING UP BEHIND.

>> Juhanna: YOU KNEW THAT FROM THAT WEEKEND WITH OPRAH AND THE WORKSHOP YOU ATTENDED.

IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE THOSE, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE TIME TO REFLECT AND THINK ABOUT WHERE YOU WANT TO GO.

AND I OFTEN SAY THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.

BUT WHEN YOU SIT DOWN WITH FOLKS THAT DO, IT'S REALLY, REALLY SHOWS.

AND SO CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE.

YOU ARE COMMANDER IN CHIEF DIVERSITY OF THE LAW SCHOOLS ADMISSIONS COUNCIL.

WHAT EXACTLY DOES THAT MEAN WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT CHANGING ORGANIZATIONS AND MAKING AN IMPACT?

>> SO JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND.

THE LAW SCHOOL ADMISSION COUNCIL IS A NATIONAL NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT IS FOCUSED ON PROVIDING ACCESS, EQUITY IN THE LEGAL EDUCATION.

THE THING THAT WILL PROBABLY MOST WELL KNOWN FOR, ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT BY FAR THE ONLY THING WE DO BUT MOST PEOPLE KNOW US BECAUSE OF THE LSAT.

THE TEST THAT ANYONE APPLYING TO LAW SCHOOL IN THE U.S. GENERALLY TAKES.

AND AS PART OF THEIR APPLICATION, WE ALSO PROVIDE ASSEMBLY SERVICES FOR APPLICATIONS AND WE SUPPORT AND PARTNER WITH LAW SCHOOLS AROUND THEIR PROGRAMS.

BUT WHAT I DO IN THE D.E.I.

SPACE FOR THEM IS TWO FOLD.

1: I HELP THE ORGANIZATION ITSELF WORK ON ITS DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION TO MAKE SURE OUR WORKFORCE REFLECTS THE STUDENTS AND THE POPULATIONS THAT WE ARE SERVING AND THAT WE ARE SERVING THOSE STUDENTS WELL IN AN INFORMED AND INTENTIONAL WAY THAT RESPECTS THEIR IDENTITIES AND THEN THE EXTERNAL PIECE, WHICH IS HUGE AND SO IMPACTFUL AND ARE INNING IS THAT I GET TO WORK WITH OUR MEMBER LAW SCHOOLS.

WE HAVE ABOUT 200 OF THEM ACROSS THE U.S., CANADA AND A COUPLE IN AUSTRALIA.

I GET TO LOOK AT WHAT THOSE BARRIERS ARE TO ACCESS AND HELP BREAK THOSE DOWN SO WE CAN EXPAND THE PIPELINE AND TAKE CARE OF DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS COMING THROUGH THE LEGAL PROFESSION SO IT IS A DREAM COME TRUE.

>> Juhanna: WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE LEGAL PROFESSION, I HAVE A NUMBER OF FRIENDS WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH LAW SCHOOL AND ARE ASSOCIATED WITH HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS AND YOU ARE A PERSON THAT IS ON THE OTHER SIDE, ADVOCATING FOR WHAT ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES NEED TO LOOK LIKE FOR MORE HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED FOLKS, GET INTO AND THROUGH LAW SCHOOL.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE DOING THAT?

BECAUSE YOU ARE VERY NEW TO THIS ROLE.

I THINK WE REACHED OUT TO YOU IN THE MIDST OF YOU MAKING YOUR TRANSITION BECAUSE BEFORE THIS YOU WERE AT CORNELL, YOUR ALMA MATER, RIGHT?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> Juhanna: AND SO IN THE MIDST OF EVERYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF IN OUR COUNTRY, HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE IN THIS ROLE NOW?

I MEAN...

I MEAN THE WEIGHT OF THAT, RIGHT?

>> IT IS HUMBLING.

IT IS HUMBLING AND IT IS HONORING.

I FEEL SO GRATEFUL THAT I CAN, YOU KNOW, DO THIS WORK.

I CERTAINLY FEEL THE WEIGHT OF IT, BUT THE WEIGHT OF IT DOESN'T WEIGH ME DOWN, IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE.

IT'S LIKE GRAVITY THAT CENTERS ME INTO THIS WORK.

SO I FEEL THAT, BUT IT ENERGIZES ME.

I'M HUMBLED AND HONORED.

>> I'M ALSO WORKING IN THE RACE AND DIVERSITY AND EQUITY SPACE AND FOLKS OFTEN ASK, HOW DO YOU DO THIS WORK ALL THE TIME?

ISN'T IT TIRING?

ISN'T IT EXHAUSTING?

AND I IMAGINE FOR YOU, RIGHT, BECAUSE YOU ARE A BLACK WOMAN WHO IS LEGALLY.

>> TOTALLY BLIND.

>> Juhanna: TOTALLY BLIND, RIGHT.

AND YOU HAVE BEEN SINCE YOUR EARLY 20s?

>> UH-HUH, YES.

>> Juhanna: HOW HAS YOUR STORY AND YOUR JOURNEY IN ADDRESSING THE HEALTH CHALLENGES THAT YOU'VE HAD, THOSE CAUSING YOU TO BECOME COMPLETELY BLIND, AND EVEN AFTER THAT, NAVIGATING, GETTING ADMITTED TO, COMPLETING LAW SCHOOL, PASSING THE BAR, BECOMING AN ATTORNEY, HAVING A WHOLE CAREER.

LIKE THE LIST GOES ON AND ON, ANGELA, BECOMING AN AUTHOR, MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER.

I MEAN HOW DID YOUR TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS YOU WENT THROUGH AT SUCH AN EARLY AGE LIKE SET YOU UP FOR DOING THIS WORK?

IF YOU FELT LIKE IT DID.

>> IT ABSOLUTELY DID.

IT GAVE ME A WINDOW INTO ALL THE CHALLENGES, RIGHT, ALL THE OBSTACLES THAT ATTITUDINAL BARRIERS WHERE PEOPLE SAY YOU CAN'T DO IT.

BUT THE OTHER THING IT GAVE ME WAS A SUPER CHARGED FOCUS.

BECAUSE YOU REALLY HAVE GOT TO KNOW AND THIS IS WHAT HELPED ME IS UNDERSTANDING WHAT DID I WANT AND WHAT WAS I WILLING TO DO TO GET IT AND WHAT WAS I WILLING TO GIVE UP?

YOU CAN'T DO EVERYTHING.

I KNOW IT LOOKS LIKE THAT TO AN EXTENT.

>> Juhanna: I THINK YOU ARE DOING EVERYTHING.

>> BUT IT'S ABOUT LIKE REALLY PICKING BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT I'M NOT DOING AND A LOT OF THINGS I HAVE TO SAY NO TO AND BOUNDARIES I HAVE TO SET FOR MYSELF SO I CAN DO THESE THINGS.

SO WHEN I DECIDED VERY YOUNG THAT I WANTED TO BE AN ATTORNEY, YOU KNOW, I KNEW THAT I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO KIND OF FORTIFY MYSELF, RIGHT?

THAT I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO PREPARE AND HANDLE CERTAIN BARRIERS LIKE TAKING THE LAW SCHOOL ADMISSION TEST, THE LSAT, GETTING THROUGH COLLEGE, TAKING THE BAR EXAM.

SO IT WAS REALLY OKAY, WHAT DO I NEED TO DO, WHAT DO I NEED TO STRENGTHEN IN MYSELF, ACADEMICS, PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS, THAT'S HUGE, WORKING WITH PEOPLE SO THAT WHEN YOU COME UP AGAINST A BARRIER THAT SOMETIMES YOU DO HAVE TO JUST PUSH YOUR WAY THROUGH.

AND OTHER TIMES YOU CAN BRING PEEP ALONG.

AND-- YOU CAN BRING PEOPLE ALONG AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS SURPRISING TO ME IS WHEN I ACHIEVED ALL OF THIS AND WHEN I GRADUATED, LIKE HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAD A STAKE IN IT AND I HAD NO CLUE.

>> Juhanna: RIGHT.

>> THAT'S WHAT THE CHALLENGES SHOWED ME IN MY EXPERIENCE WITH LOSING MY SIGHT IS THAT IT'S MY EXPERIENCE, IT'S MY STORY, IT'S MY LIFE AND IT IMPACTS AND TOUCHES OTHER PEOPLE.

>> Juhanna: AND IT'S REALLY PHENOMENAL BECAUSE I THINK SOMETIMES AS WE TRY TO NAVIGATE AND ADDRESS ISSUES OF DIVERSITY, INEQUITIES, SOCIAL INJUSTICE, WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT RACE, RIGHT?

>> WHICH WE DO.

>> Juhanna: WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT.

AND SOMETIMES I SAY THAT WE HAVE IS TO START THERE.

BUT EVEN JUST YOUR STORY.

IT STARTS WITH YOU ARE A BLACK WOMAN LIVING IN AMERICA.

BUT I COULD IMAGINE AS YOU ARE NAVIGATING LAW SCHOOL AND THINGS LIKE THAT, HAVING A BACKGROUND IN HIGHER ED, I'M JUST THINKING YOU WEREN'T JUST A BLACK WOMAN IN THE CLASSROOM.

YES, THERE WAS THAT BUT ALSO NAVIGATING IT AS SOMEONE WHO WAS LEGALLY BLIND.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THAT EXPERIENCE WAS LIKE?

>> YEAH, SO IT WAS CHALLENGING IN THENCE THAT WHEN I WENT TO-- IN THE SENSE THAT WHEN I WENT TO CORNELL LAW SCHOOL, I WAS THE FIRST BLIND STUDENT IN WELL OVER A DECADE.

MANY OF THE FACULTY AND STAFF THAT WERE THERE, IT WAS NEW FOR THEM AND NEW FOR ME, TOO.

I DID HAVE TO NAVIGATE THOSE THINGS QUITE LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY.

I HAD TO LEARN THE BUILDING, LIKE HOW TO GET AROUND AND GET TO MY CLASSES.

I HAD TO GET TEXTBOOKS IN AN ACCESSIBLE FORMAT WHICH FOR ME MEANT ELECTRONIC, WORKING WITH PUBLISHERS, DISABILITY SERVICES OFFICE AND WORKING WITH THE REGISTRAR TO GET SYLLABI FROM FACULTY IN ADVANCE SO THERE WAS A LOT OF COORDINATION.

THAT TYPE OF WORK, I THINK IS VERY TRANSLATABLE TO THE E. I.

WORK, THE COORDINATION HAVE YOU TO DO.

YOU HAVE A PURPOSE, YOU HAVE TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE.

YOU HAVE TO CORD FATE AND THAT MOVES THINGS FORWARD THAT'S ONE EXPERIENCE THAT I HAD NAVIGATING HIGHER ED.

THE OTHER THING THAT IT REALLY TAUGHT ME IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE ONLY BEEN LIKE I'M USUALLY TOM ONE OF ME IN THE ROOM AND NOT JUST ONLY ANGELA BUT ON VERY FEW OCCASIONS HAVE THERE BEEN ANOTHER WOMAN OF COLOR WHO IS BLIND IN THOSE SPACES, SO WHEN I'M NAVIGATING THEM, LIKE I LEANED REALLY HARD INTO THE BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION WHEN I WAS IN LAW SCHOOL.

IT WAS A HUGE, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT FOR ME.

I DID MOOT COURT AND MY PARTNERS WITH ME.

BUT WHEN I WAS IN THAT SPACE, EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE OTHER BLACK WOMEN, THERE WERE NO OTHER BLIND BLACK WOMEN.

SO THERE WAS THAT FEELING OF OKAY, I'M STILL OTHERRED HERE, RIGHT?

PEOPLE HAD TO REACH OUT AND BE INCLUSIVE AND THINK ABOUT THE NEEDS.

THEY DIDN'T ALWAYS BUT THERE WERE ENOUGH THAT DID.

AND THEN WHEN I MOVE INTO THE SPACES BECAUSE THERE WAS A NATIONAL DISABLED LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION WHICH I JOINED.

AND THERE WERE OTHER PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, ONE OTHER STUDENT THAT WAS BLIND THAT WAS INVOLVED.

BUT THERE WEREN'T A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE OF COLOR.

>> Juhanna: AND THAT'S WHAT I TRY TO TALK WITH FOLKS ABOUT.

AND I THINK MANY INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE OF COLOR, RIGHT, THAT SOMETIMES THAT'S THE WHERE THE CONVERSATION STARTS AND I'M LIKE LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT AND LET'S TALK ABOUT ALL THE OTHER ASPECTS OF WHO WE ARE THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AS WELL.

AND WE HAVE TO PUSH PAST THAT AND SO WHEN WE WERE PREPARING FOR YOUR INTERVIEW, I HAD TO SIT DOWN AND THINK ABOUT IT.

I'M LIKE, IN MY LIFETIME, THE ONLY-- AND I DIDN'T KNOW HER PERSONALLY, BUT IN TALKING ABOUT BEING BLIND AND LIVED EXPERIENCES AS A BLIND PERSON IS HELEN KELLER, RIGHT?

>> THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO.

>> Juhanna: THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO.

LIKE YOU DON'T KNOW ANY OTHER RECENT NARRATIVES?

BUT I THINK WHEN IT COMES TO THE PURPOSE OF THIS SHOW AND WHAT I'M DOING, THE DIVERSE STORIES, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT WOMEN OF COLOR, BUT INDIVIDUALS AND HEROINES LIKE YOURSELF THAT ARE BLAZING TRAILS IN ALL TYPES OF AREAS.

>> BECAUSE WOMEN OF COLOR ARE SO DIVERSE.

WE HAVE A RICH HISTORY.

WE HAVE A RICH FUTURE AND WE HAVE SO MANY OTHER IDENTITIES THAT IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S A WONDERFUL TAPESTRY.

I'M DELIGHTED THAT YOU THINK WE ARE TALKING.

I'M DELIGHTED THAT YOU ARE COVERING THIS BECAUSE IT'S SO IMPORTANT.

>> I'M GOING TO BE CALLING YOU ANGELA BECAUSE YOU ARE DOING WORK THAT I WOULD LOVE TO DO AND IT'S NOT JUST-- ALTHOUGH YOU ARE LOCAL, YOU ARE HERE WITH US IN CENTRAL NEW YORK, THE IMPACT THAT YOU ARE MAKING IS ACROSS THE NATION, RIGHT, ALTHOUGH YOU LIVE IN AUBURN, YOU DO SUPPORT THEATER THERE.

THAT'S WHERE I FIRST MET YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND.

BUT THE IMPACT THAT YOU ARE MAKING IS ACROSS THE WORLD REALLY.

AND THE IMPACT, EVEN AS WE TALK ABOUT LIKE THIS YEAR THAT WE'VE JUST BEEN THERE THROUGH AND THE REEXAMINATION OF POLICY AND THINKING ABOUT SYSTEMIC CHANGE, THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING, DO YOU THINK ABOUT WHO IS GOING TO COME INTO LAW SCHOOLS AS A RESULT OF SOME OF THIS WORK AND WHAT THIS MAY DO FOR THE LEGAL SYSTEM OR JUST LAW IN GENERAL IN THE FUTURE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

ABSOLUTELY I DO AND THAT'S WHY I DO IT BECAUSE I KNOW I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT FROM A MARGINALIZED BACKGROUND.

THERE ARE THOUSANDS, THOUSANDS, TENS OF THOUSANDS, I WOULD SAY, OF YOUNG PEOPLE, ADULTS, WHO DESIRE TO HAVE A CAREER IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION OR LEGAL ADJACENT PROFESSION FROM MARGINALIZED BACKGROUNDS AND THAT'S WHAT KEEPS PEE MOVING AND KEEPS ME GOING BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN WE HAVE THAT, WHEN WE HAVE MORE DIVERSITY IN THE PROFESSION, IT'S GOING TO BE A STRONGER PROFESSION.

THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO CHANGE AND SHIFT THINGS.

THAT'S WHAT IS GOING TO MAKE THINGS MORE JUST AND EQUITABLE WHEN WE HAVE THOSE PERSPECTIVES LOOKING AT OUR LAWS, REPRESENTING PEOPLE, CHANGING LAWS, WRITING NEW-- LIKE THAT'S PROGRESS AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED IN THIS COUNTRY.

>> Juhanna: WHEN IS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW?

WHAT IS ANGELA'S BIGGEST CHALLENGE, NOT JUST IN YOUR ROLE BUT IN DOING ALL OF THAT AND STILL MAKING TIME FOR YOGA, STILL MAKING TIME FOR YOU BECAUSE THIS IS "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

FOR A CHALLENGE.

PUT IT THAT WAY.

IT'S A CHALLENGE BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M WORKING THROUGH.

>> Juhanna: ANGELA, YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH UNBELIEVABLE AMOUNT OF NUMBER ONE I'M THINKING ABOUT JUST STRESS, RIGHT?

AND YOU KNOW, AS YOU HAVE LIVED PART OF YOUR LIFE AS AN ESTEEMED YOUNG, BROWN FACED GIRL AND LOSING YOUR SIGHT AND STILL HAVING FOCUS IN PURSUING THE GOALS THAT YOU HAD AND THEN GOING TO OPRAH'S WEEKEND, AND REALIGNING THOSE GOALS AS A PROFESSIONAL AS AN ADULT, AND THEN STILL SETTING A PATH FOR YOURSELF.

WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WOULD SAY TO SOMEONE WHO MAYBE, THEY'RE STILL IN THEIR FORMATIVE YEARS, MAYBE HAVING SOME CHALLENGES AS WELL, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THEM ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PERSISTENCE?

>> PERSISTENCE IS KEY BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY TO THEM IS THAT THERE IS A HUGE, HUGE AMOUNT OF FREEDOM IN FINDING OUT WHAT'S POSSIBLE.

THAT'S WHAT'S DRIVEN ME.

LIKE THERE IS SOME FEAR THERE, TOO, BECAUSE WE GET UNCOMFORTABLE AND NERVOUS WHEN WE ARE UNCERTAIN AND UNCLEAR AND AMBIGUITY ABOUT WE DON'T NOAH IS GOING TO HAPPEN BUT THERE IS A LOT OF POTENTIAL, RIGHT?

AND THAT'S WHAT INSPIRED AND MOTIVATED ME TO CONTINUE BECAUSE THERE WAS A TIME WHEN I WAS EXTREMELY DEPRESSED: I WAS SUICIDAL SO WHEN I SAW YOU IN THAT, FOR COLORED GIRLS, IT HIT HOME FOR ME.

IF I'M WILLING TO GIVE UP, WHY WOULDN'T I BE WILLING TO TRY TO LIVE BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

I DIDN'T NOAH WAS POSSIBLE FOR ME.

YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IS POSSIBLE I GOT REALLY CURIOUS.

NOBODY KNOWS-- YOU SAY I CAN'T DO IT?

IS I'M GOING TO DO IT.

WHAT THERE IS TO LOSE?

AND IT'S REALLY NOT MUCH.

IT'S REALLY ABOUT LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE AND MAKING AN IMPACT SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY.

REALLY LEAN INTO THE CURIOSITY AND THE POTENTIAL OF WHAT COULD BE.

>> WHAT COULD BE.

THAT'S REALLY, REALLY POWERFUL BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHEN WE ARE CAUGHT UP IN THE MOMENT, WE CAN GET LOST IN JUST THAT, SO YOUR POINT ABOUT BALANCE.

HOW IS IT THAT WE CAN BE PRESENT IN THE MOMENT BUT CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT, REGARDLESS OF WHAT CHALLENGES YOU ARE FACING, WHAT COULD BE?

THAT IS BEAUTIFUL.

ANGELA, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND HOPEFULLY MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO TALK A LOT MORE, BUT YOUR STORY AND YOUR PERSISTENCE, JUST EVERYTHING-- I'M TRYING NOT TO CRY.

[LAUGHTER] OH MY GOODNESS.

ANGELA, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VIEW THE SHOW AGAIN, YOU CAN VISIT US ONLINE AT WCNY.ORG/"BEHIND THE WOMAN."

MY NAME IS Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS AND ON BEHALF OF THE "BEHIND THE WOMAN" TEAM, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR WATCHING AND HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ NEXT WEEK ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN" MY NAPE IS TAMIKA OTIS, I CURRENTLY SERVE AS THE DIRECTOR OF KEY BANK BOOST AND PROGRAM, INSERTING COMMUNITY INTO EVERYTHING I DO IS VERY NATURAL.

I DON'T KNOW ANY OTHER WAY TO BE.

I'M ADDICTED TO SEEING PEOPLE WIN.

I LOVE WINNING MYSELF, TOO.

BUT I LOVE BEING A PART OF HELPING PEOPLE TO MANIFEST THEIR DREAMS.

>> DON'T EVER STOP.

SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO PAUSE BUT DON'T EVER STOP.