The evening will begin at 5 p.m. with a reception in the Grand Hall and Terrace, featuring remarks by , vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation, and , vice president for diversity and inclusion. Following the reception, attendees will move to the K.G. Tan Auditorium for an introduction to the Mississippi Delta by English Professor and the screening of the documentary. Cheng will host a Q&A session for attendees after the film viewing.

A special screening of Samantha Cheng’s documentary “Honor and Duty: The Mississippi Delta Chinese” will be hosted on campus on Sept. 16.

Cheng’s documentary tells the story of the Chinese who were recruited to work in the Mississippi Delta after the Civil War. It explores how the community steadily grew in the early part of the 20th century, as Chinese families across the Delta opened grocery stores that served both the black and white populations. Despite the Chinese Exclusion Acts (1882-1943), which barred both immigration and citizenship for Chinese, more than 22,000 Chinese and Chinese Americans served in WWII. Among the Mississippi Delta Chinese, 132 served in the Army, 24 in the Air Force, 19 in the Navy and two in the Marines. These unsung heroes discuss their lives before, during and after the war.

Cheng’s documentary led to her authoring the , which finally honored the veterans in late 2020. She is now working on the Chinese American WWII Veterans Online Resource and Archive, which began this year. This is a comprehensive four-year project funded by a division within the National Archives and Records Administration.

The project is identifying and validating the service records of the over 22,000 Chinese and Chinese Americans who served on behalf of the five branches of the U.S. Armed Forces and the U.S. Merchant Marine Corps during WWII. It is one of the largest grants using public funds to preserve Chinese American contributions to U.S. history.

Cheng comes to Syracuse at the invitation of , who teaches Asian Americans and the Law at the College of Law. Szto and Cheng were childhood friends in the Chinese American church in New York City that Szto’s father founded, but were only reunited this year after losing touch for several decades.

According to Szto, Cheng’s work in telling the story of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) veterans dovetails with the groundbreaking research on current in their transition from service to civilian life. Szto says these stories and research are critical to addressing current anti-Asian and other racial violence in the U.S., and growing global tensions.

Co-sponsors for the film screening include the ;Ěý;Ěý;Ěý;Ěý; ; Asian American Pacific Islander Faculty and Staff Association; Asian Pacific American Law Students Association; Latinx Faculty and Staff Affinity Group; and the .

The College of Law hosted 21 undergraduate students from the Atlanta University Center during the college’s Inaugural Consortium Summer Residency Program May 16-20.

Thanks to a grant from AccessLex, these students, interested in pursuing a law degree, were able to travel to Syracuse to learn about the legal profession and how to prepare for law school. Students arrived at the College of Law ready for the slate of events planned for the week, enjoying a tour of Dineen Hall and their first class session prior to a welcome dinner with an address from Dean , and words of wisdom from several distinguished alumni in attendance.

As the week went on, each day began with classroom lectures and panel discussions in Dineen Hall. Topics included a variety of subjects, encompassing:

• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Developments
• Constitutional Law
• The Study of Law and the American Legal System
• Admissions Processes, LSAT Information and Various Resources

Instructors, speakers and panelists throughout the week included Vice Dean , Professor , Professor , Professor , Professor , Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusion , Professor , Professor , Mariah Combs L’22 and Keyashia Willis L’22.

Outside of the classroom, students traveled to the Northern District of New York James M. Hanley Federal Courthouse where they heard from and engaged with Hon. Andrew Baxter (United States magistrate mudge, Northern District of New York), Hon. David Peebles L’75 (Recalled United States magistrate mudge, Northern District of New York), Hon. Glenn Suddaby L’85 (district judge, Northern District of New York), and Hon. Thérèse Wiley Dancks L’91 and law clerk Michael Langan.

This was followed by a visit to the law office of Bond, Schoeneck and King (BSK) to hear a panel of perspectives from the judiciary along with a networking reception attended by several alumni and attorneys from the Syracuse area. Panelists at the BSK event included Hon. Vanessa Bogan (judge, Syracuse City Court), , Hon. Deborah Karalunas L’82 (presiding justice, Supreme Court, Commercial Division, Onondaga County), Hon. Ramon E. Rivera L ’94 (judge, New York State Court of Claims), and Judge Derrek Thomas (Fifth Judicial District of New York).

“There was robust engagement, in-depth learning and connections made among our faculty, staff, alumni, members of our federal and state judiciary, and our local legal professionals from various public and private law firm offices,” Melendez says. “The students exceeded already high expectations with their inquiries and the manner in which they engaged. They demonstrated a great deal of interest and their poised maturity exceeded their years.”

The final full day of the program included enriching cultural experiences for the students with a few historic Central New York stops. Traveling to Auburn, New York, the group had an opportunity to tour the Harriet Tubman House. While in Auburn, students also visited the Auburn Public Theater to hear from Angela Winfield, vice president and chief diversity officer of Law School Admission Council (LSAC).

They also heard from Ferris Smith from LSAC, earlier in the day and learned of various resources available to them as law school applicants. After a long and full day of activities, the afternoon wrapped up with dinner at Salt City Market, a new Syracuse food hall representing our community with samples of diverse local foods to enjoy.

One of the students who participated in this program, Eric Jones, explained how invaluable this experience has been for him as a rising senior from Morehouse College.

“I never had a formal introduction to law school,” Jones says. “I’ve talked about it with a few lawyers but haven’t had any exposure to it otherwise. When I came across this opportunity, I thought—why not? The special incentive here was that there was no financial burden for us as a student. We could come and participate for no extra charge.”

This residency is a part of the College of Law’s partnership with the AUC schools, aiding young students in their path to determine how they can achieve their law degrees, the many paths to becoming a successful lawyer, and why the study of law is so important within our society.