IAM234- Founder and Civil Rights Attorney Focuses on Improving Access to Justice for People of Color

Kisha A. Brown, Esq. is a passionate civil rights attorney who has spoken at countless forums on police reform, civilian rights, anti-discrimination, ex-offenders, and community empowerment. Currently, she’s the Founder and CEO of Justis Connection, an online platform promoting lawyers of color and engaging communities with greater legal resources. She has worked for federal, state, and local governments as well as the nonprofit and private sectors. Now she focuses on bridging the gap between the legal community and people of color where she believes lives one of the most fundamental elements of democracy- Access to Justice.

• CEO Hack: Book- Defining Moments in Black History: Reading Between the Lies
• CEO Nugget: Be patient but vigilant
• CEO Defined: Leading but serving those around you

Website: https://www.justisconnection.com/

IG- @JustisConnection
Twitter- @JustisConnect

Transcription:

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Intro 0:02

Do you want to learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales and grow your business from successful entrepreneurs, startups, and CEOs without listening to a long, long, long interview? If so, you've come to the right place. Gresham Harkless values your time and is ready to share with you precisely the information you're in search of. This is the I AM CEO Podcast.

Gresham Harkless 0:27

Hello, hello, hello. This is Gresham from the I AM CEO Podcast and I have a very special guest on the show today. I have Kisha A. Brown ofJustis Connection. Kisha, it's awesome to have you on the show.

Kisha A. Brown 0:36

Thank you so much for having me. I'm excited to be with you.

Gresham Harkless 0:38

No problem. Super excited to have you on the show and what I wanted to do, is to read a little bit more about Kisha so you can hear about all the awesome things that she's doing. And Kisha A. Brown, Esq. is a passionate civil rights attorney who has spoken at countless forums on police reform, civilian rights, anti-discrimination, ex-offenders, and community empowerment.

Currently, she’s the Founder and CEO of Justis Connection, an online platform promoting lawyers of color and engaging communities with greater legal resources. She has worked for federal, state, and local governments as well as the nonprofit and private sectors. Now she focuses on bridging the gap between the legal community and people of color where she believes lives one of the most fundamental elements of democracy- Access to Justice. Kisha, are you ready to speak to the I AM CEO community?

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Kisha A. Brown 1:23

Let's do this.

Gresham Harkless 1:24

Let's do it. So the first question I had was to hear a little bit more about what I call your CEO story. What led you to start your business?

Kisha A. Brown 1:30

Yeah, thanks again, for having me, I started the CEO journey, really, by coming out of a not-so-good fit. last job. And when I was kind of pivoting away from that job, I really felt like the time was to be on my own to stand in my own truth, and to do the work that I was really passionate about. And so for me, my experience has been consistently having people ask for legal referrals, hey, do you know somebody who does this? Or do you know somebody who does that? Or can you refer me to somebody who may be able to help me with such and such more times than not, in the past, the process included, asking a couple of friends, and those friends, ask a couple of friends who have a couple of people.

And then by the time it gets back, I'm thinking to myself, Wow, this took a lot of effort. But what should be a seemingly easy process, right? So, I realized that people of color lawyers of color, especially black lawyers, were not as connected as we could have been, especially as it related to building the business and connecting with potential clients. And so for me, I saw it as a win-win greater access to justice for communities of color, who we know tend to be most vulnerable in the legal system are having to be defensive and reactive most times and historically in this country have been subjugated to unjust laws and experiences in the legal system.

And then it would also be a win for lawyers of color by being able to create a pipeline of new business, and new clients that would allow them to grow their practice as well. And for many lawyers of color, being first generation, as a lawyer, it is quite difficult to build a book of business, because when you're in law school, ironically, they don't teach you how to market how to advertise how to get new clients, right, we're really focused on the analytical, the legal mind, the learning of the law. And so those other aspects, which are really of the business aren't really integrated into the practice of being a lawyer. So this would be a great service as well to lawyers of color. So bringing it together, I really felt like this was a win-win and focused laser-focused on the empowerment of people of color.

Gresham Harkless 3:44

Absolutely, absolutely. And I love the fact that you've been able to do that and like in true entrepreneurial form, you saw, like kind of a gap that was there, and you decided to create something to fulfill that gap. Because a lot of times I say the name of the game is sometimes just visibility. So people know that they might need attorneys for specific situations, but they don't know where to find them. So to be able to kind of have that one-stop shop where you're able to be that kind of matchmaker or that your site's able to be that matchmaker so to speak kind of helps out a tremendous amount.

Kisha A. Brown 4:10

Right. Yes. So you know, Justis Connection, it's an online platform, which is focused on promoting top legal talent of color to local communities of color, right? We're committed to empowering the community through active engagement and educational series to teach people about their rights and responsibilities in the law. We believe that a better-informed neighbor is better prepared to proactively engage the legal system.

Gresham Harkless 4:33

Absolutely. Absolutely. And a lot of times, you know, people feel kind of hopeless and helpless in a lot of situations, definitely people of color because they aren't as informed about what exactly they can do and probably even to extend that on a deeper level. They may not know anybody, but they can ask about certain situations. So again, you being able to kind of create that sounds like it helps out a lot with that.

Kisha A. Brown 4:52

Yeah, you know, if you don't have a lawyer in your family or a lawyer who's your neighbor, or maybe they sit next to you Church or, or in any organization? Where do you start? Right? Where do you look? How do you know who to pick, even when you go on a lot of these other websites, there are 1000s and 1000s of folks who come up based on where you live and your subject matter.

And what I found most often is that people don't even know really what type of lawyer they need, right? It's just, hey, I need a lawyer. And sometimes people might say, oh, I need a real estate attorney when it has to do or deal with a landlord-tenant issue, right, and not understanding that that might really require a different level of expertise or experience in a separate area of the law. And so we want to make sure that people get solid, legal referrals that are most relevant to their issues, and meet their specific personal needs.

Gresham Harkless 5:50

Absolutely. Absolutely. And I know you touched on it a little bit, because you, I guess, drill a little bit deeper on how exactly Justis Connection works. And you know, once you feel kind of such that the website and the platform are apart.

Kisha A. Brown 6:01

Sure. So we're an online platform. So it's a website, you can fill out a quick form or call directly for assistance. But what makes it unique, or are two parts found? So there are tons of other legal referral service-type websites on the market right now. One, we are focused on lawyers of color. So this is the most diverse network of lawyers for legal referral, and then two the personalization, the matching of the referral process. So as I mentioned before, oftentimes you put in family law, and you put in your jurisdiction and you get 822 hits back, and the consumer is still saying to themselves, okay, now who do I pay, right?

And your changes are you go through the first two pages, and the people who are on the first couple of pages, or at the top are usually those who have paid more for additional ads and bump other people down. And it can be quite an overwhelming process, especially when you're usually already involved in one of your most traumatic experiences in life. And so in an effort to make the process more streamlined, we really focus on the personalization of the referral process.

So taking into consideration things that are important when you're making a decision like this, do you have any language needs, or what your budget might be, the budget doesn't necessarily exclude any type of attorney. But if you're looking at more than 150 to $200 range, then there's no need for you to maybe get somebody who's $600 plus an hour, right? Also looking at your transportation needs. So some people are like, Hey, I don't have a car, I want to be within 15 miles of where I live for Uber or be able to catch a metro or be on a bus line. So taking things that normal regular people take into consideration when making an important decision put that in the process so that your legal referral is most relevant to you.

Gresham Harkless 7:53

Absolutely, absolutely. And I'm glad you kind of touched on that. And that piece, too, is often you know, when you're going through an experience like that like you mentioned, it's a traumatic experience. So you don't necessarily, I won't say you don't want to, but it's really another added burden to have to go through each person's website, because you click through a search engine and found that person's website, then you have to find all those things out rather than have like a resource, a platform that you've been able to build and develop that actually has all those that information there.

Kisha A. Brown 8:18

Yeah, you know, even though we're still in the early stages. But what we do is we create profiles of our attorneys, so that it's in a digestible form, it's easy to read, and it gets to the heart of the experience of the attorneys with their contact information. And that gives folks an opportunity to do a little bit of their own research before contacting folks. And we also give folks a little bit of guidance, we give them a couple of questions, standard questions, and able to get a better idea of how do I pick this person, right? How do I know who's a good fit? And sometimes even having a little bit of guidance helps you along that process. And we really just want to make this process easier for the consumer and most relevant for both the lawyer and the consumer as well.

Gresham Harkless 9:04

Absolutely, absolutely. That makes sense. I'm sure that helps out from the attorney standpoint when they have a little bit more of an informed client that comes to their potential client, I should say, that understands a little bit more about what they're looking for, and how they make that that great fit

Kisha A. Brown 9:17

Exactly. For both folks, time is of the essence, right? Nobody wants to spend their time, waste it, per se. And so we want to make sure for the lawyers, hey, this person is coming to you kind of matches up with what it is that your practice does. And for the person who's looking for a lawyer, likewise, right, being able to say, hey, we put some thought into who we sent you and an effort to best meet your needs.

Gresham Harkless 9:41

Absolutely, absolutely. And now I wanted to switch gears a little bit and ask you for what I call a CEO hack. And this might be an app or book or habit that you have, but it's something that makes you more effective and efficient.

Kisha A. Brown 9:52

Yeah, so I was thinking about what my favorites are. Life business hack is. I think, you know, it's plenty, like right now I'm reading the book Defining Moments in Black History: Reading Between the Lies, and it's Dick Gregory's last work before he passed away. And it's a great piece really to get at so many of the behind-the-scenes journeys of black people in this country who have been impactful.

And he actually has a slash through black in the title, right, really highlighting how Black history is American history. And the things that black people have contributed, are fundamental to the very fabric of this country. And so I really, look, it's inspiring to me to be able to hear about those people who have come before me and laid the foundation for the work that Justis Connection is doing like for the lawyers who are building on the back of Thurgood Marshall. And for those people who still are looking for justice, in modern-day America, through our legal system, it is the responsibility, and it is the duty of lawyers of color to be able to give back to the communities in which they came from.

Gresham Harkless 11:08

Absolutely, absolutely. I think that's a great CEO hack. Largely want to continue to carry the torch that was passed before us. And I think that you know, I lucked out when I was younger, I remember my mom used to always give me books about you know, black history to even understand because it opens up your doors, it makes you feel a sense of pride and a sense of confidence. As well, too. We do hear that, you know, there are greats that have paved the path for you. And they've done some phenomenal things that sometimes you don't always hear unless you know it's presented to you.

Kisha A. Brown 11:36

That's fine. And everyone needs to feel valued. Everybody needs to know that not only does your life have a purpose, but you are also part of a legacy, the right of purpose. And so, as you mentioned, you know, in this country in America, we don't often hear those types of affirmations, especially when you come from communities of color, especially as a black person in this country. And so you got to go out and seek that information, seek that affirmation, seek that inspiration in order to really keep you focused and on your path moving forward.

Gresham Harkless 12:09

Absolutely, absolutely. So that's why it's such a, you know, a great opportunity to hear a book like that and hear about, you know, how we can, you know, learn a little bit more about our history. So I appreciate you for sharing that. And now I wanted to ask you for what I call a CEO nugget. And this is a word of wisdom or a piece of advice. Or if you can happen to be a time machine, what would you tell your younger business self?

Kisha A. Brown 12:30

I think a little golden nugget, is to be patient with vigilant, right? I think you got to have that balance and everything. So there's the yin and the yang. And for me being patient is important so that I'm not always looking for what is to be or what should be or what could be or what tomorrow brings. But so being very present, and for me, that's being patient, like hey, take it, take it piece by piece, but being vigilant, right, so keep that fire under your butt though, so that you still have that motivation and that grind. So be patient but vigilant is like a balance of the two.

Gresham Harkless 13:08

Absolutely, absolutely. One of my favorite quotes is everything comes to him or her who hustles while waiting. So you want to have that same vigilance. But at the same time, you understand that it's a process. Sometimes it takes a little bit more time than we always want. But you want to make sure that you're always kind of ready for that opportunity.

Kisha A. Brown 13:23

Indeed, I love that.

Gresham Harkless 13:24

Awesome, awesome, awesome. Now I wanted to ask you my absolute favorite question, which is the definition of what it means to be a CEO. And we're hoping to have different quote unquote, CEOs on the show. So Kisha, I wanted to ask you, what does being a CEO mean to you?

Kisha A. Brown 13:35

Yeah, one of my favorite, Martin Luther King, Jr. Quotes comes from one of his speeches about the drum major instinct. And when I was little, my mom made us read that for church every like Black History Month, and I was like, why don't we I have a dream that's so much more popular, right? It wasn't until I got older that I really understood the fundamentals of the power really behind the drum major instinct, speech. And it basically breaks down how being a leader is to serve, right, everybody wants to be great, but to be great is to serve.

And so I really see being a CEO as someone who is leading, but it's also serving those around them. And whenever somebody joins my team, one of the first questions I ask them is, what is it that you want to get out of this experience? How can I support your growth by being a part of this team? And so I don't take for granted other people who want to bring their time and their talent to build Justis Connection. And my role as a CEO is to lead but also to really serve those people around who are lending their time and talent.

Gresham Harkless 14:44

Absolutely, absolutely. And that's definitely a great reminder as a leader, as a CEO to kind of understand that we're always going to be of service so the truly great leaders that truly kind of historical people that make a historical impact, as you mentioned, Martin Luther King are able to understand that and are able to kind of speak to that and add to that as well, too. So appreciate you for sharing that with us.

Kisha A. Brown 15:05

Thanks. No problem.

Gresham Harkless 15:07

No problem. And well, Kisha, I truly appreciate you for taking some time out of your schedule. What I wanted to do was pass you the mic, so to speak, just to see if there's anything additional, you can let our readers and our listeners know and of course how best they can get ahold of you.

Kisha A. Brown 15:18

Thank you. So yes, I definitely would love to hear from your listeners. So please feel free to contact me at info@justisconnection.com. And justice is spelled alternatively a little differently. J U. S. T. I ‘s like just is the connection, which gets should get you thinking what is just and that's really at the heart of what we do. It's been a pleasure to speak to you. I can't wait to hear from your listeners. And I just wish everybody the best today.

Gresham Harkless 15:51

Absolutely. Absolutely. Well, the pleasure was all ours and I truly appreciate all the awesome work that you're doing and the impact that you're having on the world. We'll make sure to have those links in the show notes. It's justisconnection.com. So we'll make sure to have that link in the show notes as well too, so that people can follow up with you. But again, I appreciate you and I hope you have a phenomenal rest of the day.

Kisha A. Brown 16:09

Great. Thank you too. Gresham. Peace.

Outro 16:13

Thank you for listening to the I AM CEO Podcast powered by Blue 16 Media. Tune in next time and visit us at iamceo.co

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