►
From YouTube: Interview with Shirley Jefferson - Moments with Melinda
Description
From Melinda Moulton:
Vermont Law and Graduate School (VLGS) named longtime professor and administrator Shirley Jefferson JD’86 Vice President for Community Engagement and Government Affairs. Jefferson is the school’s first ever vice president of color.
In the newly created position, Jefferson reports directly to the VLGS president while providing strategic insight and advice to the school’s senior leadership regarding local, state, and federal government matters, community issues, and efforts for the enrichment of society and intercultural understanding.
“One of the first things I learned at VLGS was that Shirley Jefferson is the school’s heart and soul,” said VLGS President Smolla. “Building strong relationships with the community will be more important than ever and nobody is better suited to being the ‘ambassador’ of Vermont Law and Graduate School than Shirley Jefferson. Her passion for educating students who want to be catalysts for change is unmatched and infectious."
A nationally sought after speaker and adviser on matters relating to race and the law and equitable access to legal education, Jefferson is a member of the Vermont State College Board of Trustees and Vermont State Policy Advisory Commission. She is a multiple-time winner of the Women’s Law Group Phenomenal Woman Award, recipient of the Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO) Edge Diversity Award, and National Black Pre-Law Conference and Law Fair Legal Education Access & Diversity Champion award winner, among many other honors.
7/13/2023
https://linktr.ee/townmeetingtv
Town Meeting TV is a free speech forum and the ideas expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the Town Meeting TV trustees and staff. If you have a different perspective to share, we invite you to join the conversation! Create your own program or cover a community meeting or event. Contact maketv@cctv.org or call 862-3966.
Thank you for tuning into Town Meeting TV! Please subscribe to our YouTube channel and visit our website for more videos and information about how we open the doors to local government using community media. www.Ch17.TV
This video belongs to http://www.cctv.org and published with permission under Creative Commons License CCTV Center for Media & Democracy Programming is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
A
B
Than
that
we're
okay,
okay,
that's
really
good
to
hear
Shirley!
Well,
let
me
tell
my
viewers
a
little
bit
about
you.
Shirley
Jefferson
is
the
vice
president
for
Community
engagement
and
government
Affairs
for
the
Vermont
law
and
graduate
school.
Shirley
was
a
long
time.
Professor
and
administrator,
and
graduated
from
Vermont
Law
School
in
1986..
Is
that
right,
Shirley!
That's.
C
B
A
A
I
learned
what
my
color
meant
to
me,
because
I
asked
my
father
one
day:
if
I
could
have
some
ice
cream
and
he
said
no
and
I
said
why
he
said
because
we
couldn't
go
in
you
know
at
that
time,
black
people
could
not
go
into
restaurants,
some
places
you
could
go
through
the
back
door,
but
a
lot
of
those
places
you
could
not
go
through
them.
You
couldn't
go
at
all
and
so
I
learned
at
an
early
age.
What
black
men?
A
B
A
Coming
to
Selma
telling
us
kids,
that
saying
we
should
fight
for
our
freedom
because
we
wanted
to
be
included
into
things
equality.
We
wanted
our
schools
to
have
test
tubes
in
our
chemistry
Labs.
We
wanted
our
schools
to
have
heat
water
books,
didn't
have
books
that
George
Wallace
gave
his
book,
and
so
we
really
just
wanted
to
have
the
same,
and
so
they
came
down
to
try
to
encourage
George,
Wallace
and
the
rest
of
the
folks
in
Selma
to
try
to.
A
C
A
A
The
tear
gas,
the
horses,
the
water
hoses,
the
cow
prongs
and
and
all
of
that
I
was
able
to
march
the
Selma
to
Montgomery.
When
we
were
able
to
march
it
took
a
while
my
cousin
and
I,
but
my
father
had
been
threatened
by
his
boss
and
her
daddy
was
that
big
white
man
not
participating
and
not
having
the
children
participate.
He
had
never
lose
their
job
and
so
I
learned
at
an
early
age
that
I
wanted
to
fight
Injustice.
A
That
I
didn't
want
other
people
to
have
to
go
through
what
we
had
gone
through,
especially
what
I
had
gone
through
and
so
I
learned,
then
that
I
want
to
be
a
lawyer,
so
I
could
change
these
laws
and
things
and
so
I
integrated
my
high
school
in
1971.
round
B
board
came
through,
you
know,
1953-54,
and
so
after
I
integrated
my
high
schools,
first
class
to
graduate
I
moved
to
Washington
DC
and
worked
at
McDonald's
as
a
french
fry
girl
and
I
worked
my
way
up
to
a
manager
or
a
woman
manager.
A
C
A
A
At
the
same
time
it
was
Franklin
Pierce,
that's
a
University
of
New
Hampshire
I
accepted
Vermont
law
school
because
they
gave
me
a
scholarship
that
Thomas
Devil
Boy
scholarship,
I,
don't
know
if
you
got
a
chance
to
meet
at
devil
boy
who
was
at
our
open
house.
That
was
her
husband
in
those
days
which
you're
probably
not
going
to
be
able
to
have
anymore
because
of
what's
happening.
A
The
scholarship
was
for
black
folks
and
for
single
women
with
children,
and
so
you
know
we
can't
have
no
scholarships
like
that
now,
but
anyway,
I
ended
up
coming
to
the
Vermont
law,
school
Staffing,
black
woman
to
be
admitted
the
third
black
person
to
go
here.
I
graduated
went
to
watch
the
DC
work
for
a
politician,
Willamina
rolock
I
know
some
people
might
remember
Marion
Barry.
A
All
of
that
arrow
and
I
became
the
general
counsel
for
United
platform,
which
is
just
like
United
Way,
but
it's
the
black
arm
that
has
these
60
some
agencies
under
it
and
so
I
used
to
incorporate
non-profit
organizations
have
enough
to
obtain
their
501c3.
Then
I
ended
up
coming
back
here.
99.
I
started
off
in
the
alumni
office
that
did
admissions
Council
and
then
I
moved
over
to
student
affairs
about
a
year
later
then
I
started
teaching.
My
first
course
was
really
non-profit
organization.
A
Finding
you
know,
move
things
along,
but
to
show
that
I
am
a
direct
victim
of
discrimination
and
if
it
wasn't
for
this
great
man
killed
for
Joe
the
kid
this
law
school
I
would
not
have
made
it
through
through
this,
and
he
made
sure
that
I
had
everything
that
I
needed
and
he
gave
me
an
opportunity,
this
law
school.
That's
why
I
love
it!
A
It
gave
me
an
opportunity
when
no
one
else
would
and
that's
why
I
have
worked
so
hard
to
make
sure
that
we
continue
to
do
that
and
that
we
continue
to
be
unmet
and
he's
here
in
Vermont.
You
know,
and
so
I'm
thankful
to
have
this
job.
I
moved
over
to
my
new
job
last
June
I'm,
beginning
to
really
understand
it
and
turn
a
point.
I
met
you,
which
was
very.
B
Yes,
you,
yes,
you
did
Shirley
and
we
met
and
it
was.
It
was
like
love
at
first
sight
and
I
I
wanna
I
wanna.
Ask
you
a
little
bit
about
the
fact
that
you
have
been
called
the
heart
and
Seoul
of
Vermont
law
school
by
president
smola.
Now
that's
a
fabulous
Accolade
to
be
the
heart
and
soul.
Can
you
talk
us
a
little
bit
about
that.
A
I
think
it's
my
love,
because
you
just
if
you
see
me-
and
you
hear
me,
talk
about
this
law
school
I,
just
love
it
so
and
I
just
worked
so
hard
to
make
sure
that
other
people
love
it.
You
know:
students,
I'm
student,
driven,
I,
I,
love,
students,
I
love,
the
community,
I
love
people,
and
if
you
come
here
on
this
campus,
if
I
see
you
I'm,
gonna
say
hi
I'm
gonna,
stop
I'm
gonna
talk
to
you
and
the
soul
of
it
is
that
I
have
given
my
life
to
this
place.
C
C
B
So
you
know
the
thing
about
you
Shirley
and
if
anybody
Googles
you
know,
Shirley
Jefferson
read
her
bio,
go
to
her
Wikipedia
page.
It's
it's
a
it's
really
in-depth
and
amazing.
You
have
an
illustrious
bio
now.
You've
said
you've
said
and
I
saw
this
in
in
one
of
the
write-ups
in
quotes
that
it
is
time
to
confront
some
of
the
world's
most
complex
challenges
so
connecting
our
students,
faculty
members
and
initiatives
with
Community
leaders,
elected
officials
and
on
the
ground
activists
is
essential
to
overcoming
the
many
issues
in
our
society
today.
A
Well,
for
one
thing,
just
like
you
said
veterans,
you
know
we
have.
Our
veterans
clinic
here
in
Vermont
is
very
essential
to
us,
making
sure
that
we're
helping
everybody-
you
know
also
immigration,
food.
You
know
we
have
food
and
AG,
you
know,
there's
a
food
desert
and
a
lot
of
things
like
that
energy.
You
know
even
animal
law.
We
have
so
many
things
here.
A
lot
of
people
don't
realize
that
Ramona
is
not
respect.
A
A
Just
helping
I
walk
up
and
down
the
street
I
talk
to
business
people
I.
Ask
them
hey
how
you
going
can
I
help.
You
fill
out
papers,
I'm,
not
licensed
to
practice
here,
I'm
licensed
to
practice
and
defense,
but
just
getting
out
here
trying
to
connect
our
food
connect
ourselves
with
people.
We
have
a
program
here
which
Nicole
colorn
runs.
It's
called
sale,
it
works
with
small
business
owners
and
helping
them
to
understand
what
their
rights
are
to
get
get
lawyers,
and
all
of
that
there
was
quite
a
few
agencies
there.
C
A
All
the
things
we're
doing
you
know
our
students.
We
bring
a
lot
of
diversity
here,
a
lot
of
these
government
agencies
and
all
the
like,
and
if
there
are
a
lot
of
people
because
they're
from
here
or
our
students
working
here,
you
know
making
changes
and
trying
to
do
the
best
that
we
could.
But
there
are
a
lot
of
things
that
I'm
trying
to
connect
I'm
having
an
open
house
up
here
in
Upper
Valley
in
October,
because
I
want
people
to
know
what
we're
doing
well.
B
B
A
Well,
when
I
first
came
back
here
in
99,
students
told
me
about
that
mirror
I
believe
it
might
have
been
put
up
since
95,
and
so
they
would
bring
me
over
to
the
chase
Center,
because
that's
where
it
was
and
as
I'm
walking
over
there,
they
would
be
telling
me
about
it.
So
when
I
saw
the
mirror,
I
say,
mirror
people
they're
not
pronouncing
it
correct,
because
you
know
the
southern
accent
is
different
things
I
call
it
picture
when.
A
I
saw
it
I
I
was
just
listening
to
what
they
have
to
say
and
they
was
like
look
at
us.
We
look
like
we
look
crazy.
They
got
big
lips.
We
got
big
arms
they're,
making
fun
of
us.
Oh,
we
don't
like
this
blah
blah
blah
I
was
like
oh
and
then,
when
I
became
the
associate
Dean
to
student
affairs
and
students
would
take
me
up
there
and
I
would
say
to
them.
Look
don't
worry
about
that.
You
didn't
come
here
to
fight
for
that,
because
I
had
been
when
I
took
this
job.
A
This
Catholic
has
been
split
our
race.
There
have
been
something
dealing
with
black
students.
White
students
had
something
to
do
the
newspaper
and
a
faculty
member
saying
things
about
a
black
student,
so
the
school
had
been
sueded
and
split.
My
thing
was
that
I
want
to
try
to
pull
us
all
together,
I
held
hearings.
We
had
adversity,
hearings.
B
A
A
A
Was
that
Sam
Kirsten
he
was
trying
to
say
he
was
trying
to
pick
the
Underground
Railroad
here
in
Vermont,
and
so
we
put
signers
to
say
what
each
panel
was
because
I
think
it's
about
four
or
five
pounds,
and
so
that
went
for
a
little
bit,
but
I
had
a
couple
of
students,
two
students,
Jameson
and
April,
who
was
just
not
going
to
give
up
and
but
they
I
said
they
listened
to
me.
I
said:
hey,
you
didn't
come
here
to
fight
for
that
he's
gonna
spit
the
campus.
A
C
A
B
A
Know
how
to
Marge
I
know
how
to
do
all
of
that
I
ain't
paying
my
undergrad
and
so
I
was
like
I
felt,
like
I
felt
when
I
was
fighting
back
in
the
Selma.
You
know,
I
was
willing
to
die.
If
this
campus,
whatever
happened,
was
gonna
happen.
I
was
ready
and
so
and
then
we
wanted
to
remove
it
and
that's
when
we
got
in
for
this
suit.
A
A
A
B
Bravo
I
just
want
to
I
wanted
to
mention
that
to
my
viewers
and
and
to
call
you
and
to
let
you
know
that
that
I
I
am
that's
just
extraordinary.
Now,
listen
I'm
going
to
move
on
to
something
else,
I'm
going
to
move
a
little
further
into
our
country.
Do
you
feel
that
our
country
is
moving
in
the
right
direction
as
it
relates
to
equality
and
racial
diversity?.
A
We've
taken
a
couple
of
steps
back,
but
for
none
that
I
believe
we're
going
to
get
there
I
believe
we
have
to
take
those
steps
backwards
to
move
forward
because,
again,
when
you're
talking
about
grounding
board,
we
didn't
want
to
emigrate.
We
didn't
white
people
didn't
want
it.
We
didn't
want
that.
We
wanted
equality,
we
just
want
to
be
equal,
that's
the
same
thing
today,
but
that
would
never
happen
because
of
the
court
that
wasn't
the
people
it's
going
to
take.
People
like
you
and
I,
and
everybody
else
we're
gonna
have
to
make
the
change.
A
A
C
B
How
did
you
feel
when
the
Supreme
Court
recently
shot
down
affirmative
action?
How
did
that?
How
did
you
feel
because
you
received
your
scholarship
and
the
opportunities,
as
did
the
Obamas,
and
so
many
so
many
folks
in
this
country
who
were
who
benefited
from
affirmative
action
and
just
like
that?
It
was
so
where?
Where
do
you
stand
on
that
I
and
I?
Think
president
schmuller
I
think
he
talked
about
that
at
the
he
did
talk
about
it
at
the
opening.
A
Feel
students
can
still
write
about
their
whatever
they
about
them,
and
you
know
tell
us
your
story.
You
know
about
a
lot
of
things.
They're
still,
there
are
still
ways
to
still
derive
that
diversity.
If
you
want
to,
there
are
still
ways.
You
probably
can't
do
some
of
the
things,
but
you
have
to
remember
that
you
weren't
just
looking
at
rates
when
you
were
admitting.
Since
you
looked
at
the
whole
hololistic
approach,
you
looked
at
the
whole
picture.
You.
C
A
Of
those
things
you
didn't
just
look
at
race,
everyone,
people
were
not
just
I
know
we
weren't
we're
just
letting
people
in
because
they
black
white,
green
or
purple,
because
we
wanted
to
be
on
our
camera.
That's
ethical!
No,
no!
No!
No!
It
was
something
it
was
giving
them
an
opportunity.
The
same,
we
were
The
Gatekeepers,
we'll
give
you
opportunity
that
was
given
to
me.
If
it
is
still
today,
if
you
give
people
opportunities
and
you
have
resources
in
place,
you
have
to
have
resources
in
place
to
live.
A
A
At
it
we'll
get
it
I
think
it'll
pull
us
all
together,
because
maybe
we've
become
complex,
complacent
and
thinking
that
everything
is
okay
out
of
President
Obama
got
in
no,
and
so
we
must
continue
to
fight
and
we
need
love.
What
the
world
needs
now
is
more
love,
love,
sweet
love,
I,
believe,
love
and.
B
Let's
talk
about
that,
let's
talk
about
your
position
regarding
the
end
of
reproductive
access
to
abortion,
protected
by
the
federal
government
for
the
last
50
years
and
the
fact
that
Vermont
passed
to
the
reproductive
Liberty
amendment
in
our
constitution.
But,
of
course
the
government
could,
if
they
wanted
to,
you
know,
dig
into
that.
But
what
but
that?
How
did
you
feel
about
that?.
A
As
abortion
who
died
and
who
bled
to
death
at
school
because
I'm
telling
you
okay
affirmative
action,
another
thing,
but
this
is
your
body
and
if
you
don't
want
a
baby
right
now
you
think
it's
psychological!
You!
You
feel
if
some
of
those
girls
are
saying
I'd
rather
die,
didn't
have
a
baby,
and
so
that's
dangerous.
If.
B
Shirley,
why
is
it
that
places
of
Education
I
mean
certainly
during
the
60s
and
the
60s
Revolution?
We
had
colleges
all
rise
up
and
fight
for
these
things.
Why
is
it
the
places
of
Education
are
not
taking
political
stands
against
the
backward
movement
being
perpetrated
against
our
society.
I
mean
we
have
politicians
striking
down
the
right
to
read
books,
gender
Health,
Care,
women's
Reproductive,
Rights,
Racial
equality,
climate
change,
when
most
Americans
are
strong
supporters.
Why
aren't
colleges
willing
to
step
out
on
the
limb
and
fight
for
these
things?
B
A
Think
that
people
are
afraid
they
are
afraid
of
what
might
happen
to
them,
even
if
it's
along
their
jobs
or
in
their
Community,
how
people
will
perceive
them,
people
you're
so
caught
up
on
half
of
people
going
to
perceive
them.
So
we
are
afraid
we
say
something
in
public
and
we
do
something
different
in
our
own
private
places
and
I.
Think
a
lot
of
this,
too,
is
due
to
ignorance.
They
don't
understand
the
history.
That's
why
my
recent
law
plan
we
talked
about
hairspray.
They
don't.
A
It
and
say:
is
that
fair?
Would
it
be
fair,
I'm,
just
saying
Melinda
if,
if
I
took
it
out
on
you,
you
know
just
to
say
oh
but
you're
white
and
you
blah
blah
blah
and
I
should
have
this
job.
I
should
have
your
job.
I
should
be
the
one
doing
this.
That's
you
you
know,
but
you
you
have
to
take
it
in
consideration.
We
all
got
to
be
considerate
of
each
other
being
afraid
and
I.
Think
it's
being
of
ignorance,
and
we
haven't
told
the
history
right.
B
Exactly
so
well
said
Shirley,
so,
let's
segue
for
a
moment
into
Criminal
Justice
Reform.
What
is
your
position
on
how
this
country
deals
with
criminal
justice
and
what's
your
position
on
restorative
justice,
because
there's
the
new,
the
new
school
at
the
law
school,
that's
focused
primarily
on
restorative
justice.
Talk
to
us
a
little
bit
about
that.
A
A
C
A
Used
to
have
the
prisoners
after
the
phone,
when
you
call
a
certain
government
agencies,
we
had
to
reform
it
and
so
I
think
looking
at
it
differently.
You
know
we
don't
have
to
incarcerate
everybody
for
every
little
thing
that
they
do
I
think
if
we
try
to
help
them
to
understand
what
they
had
done
wrong
and
how
they
could
move
forward.
I
think
we'll
be
in
a
better
position
and
also
I
think
our
Center
here,
I
just
I,
just
I've
programmed
the
Justice.
A
You
know
you
get
so
dirt
and
Confused
for
all
this:
the
center
for
Justice
Reform,
that's
where
the
students
can
come,
get
their
degrees
from
here
and
that's
mostly
I,
think
doing
like
you
said
trying
to
restore
people.
There
have
been
harm
they're,
trying
to
restore
them
back.
They
looking
at
the
criminal
justice
system,
but
then
that's
the
center
of
the
story,
Justice,
which
have
the
partnership
with
the
Department
of
Justice
and
some
of
these
students.
They
mostly
looking
at
policies
and
laws
trying
to
change
some
of
those
but
Belinda.
A
B
A
I've
been
so
busy
here
at
the
law
school
but
I
think
once
I
really
really
go
to
part-time
I
hope,
I,
ain't
too
old
by
then
I
might
think
about
it.
I
wouldn't
want
to
try
to
still
do
what
I'm
doing
now
and
run
for
public
office,
because
I
would
want
to
give
it
my
100
I'm
that
kind
of
person
I
get
crazy.
B
B
Now
now
we're
coming
close
to
the
and
the
end
of
our
show,
Shirley,
which
I
mean
I,
could
talk
to
you
for
for
days,
I
mean
we,
we
I
mean
I
could
talk
to
you
for
days,
but
I
I
want
to
end
My
Show
by
asking
you
what
your
words
of
wisdom
would
be
for
our
young
people
today
on
how
to
live
a
life
of
purpose
and
compassion.
As
you
have
lived,
your
life,
surely.
A
First
thing
I
would
say
to
them
is
service.
You
have
to
help
you
have
to
help
everyone.
You
have
to
help
your
neighbors.
You
have
to
help
yourself
too.
We
have
to
help
each
other.
We
have
to
love
each
other,
we
have
to
believe
in
each
other.
We
have
to
care
about
life
and
not
so
much
about
material
things
and.
A
A
B
Real
be
be
true
to
yourself,
so
Shirley
do
you
have
great
hope
for
the
future
of
our
democracy,
our
social
fabric,
our
planet,
and,
if
so,
can
you
share
that
with
us?
I
think
everyone
watching
this
show
could
use
some
of
your
powerful
wisdom
and
hope.
What's
what's
your
what's
your
hope
for
the
future.
B
A
A
A
Started
in
Africa
and
we
don't
ever
say
that
it
started
in
Africa,
though
they
were
the
ones
who
sold
us
into
slavery.
That's
the
beginning!
Here
we
start
in
the
middle.
We've
got
the
stars
from
the
beginning.
You
got
to
tell
the
story
right
where
we
said
those
kings
and
all
those
people
they
the
one
that
sold
them.
That's
how
we
got
over
here
different
other
places,
and
then
you
can
tell
the
story
but
tell
it
from
the
beginning
from
the
beginning.
C
B
You're,
a
truly
authentic
human
being
and
I
I,
absolutely
love
you
and
I
adore.
You
and
I
want
to
thank
you
so
much
for
taking
this
time
to
speak
with
me
and
my
viewers
and
surely
we're
going
to
get
together
soon,
I'd
love
to
come
down
in
October
to
the
to
the
to
the
open
house,
I
just
loved
my
time,
spending
with
you
so
and
to
my
viewers.
B
Thank
you
so
much
for
tuning
in
and
meeting
my
guest
Shirley
Jefferson
and
to
all
of
you
out
there
I
want
you
to
be
safe
and
I
hope
that
you're
all
doing
okay
during
this
flooding
and
we'll
get
through
this
Vermont,
strong,
Vermont,
strong
and
and
Shirley
I'll
see
you
soon
and
thank
you
so
much
for
being
on
my
show.
Thank
you.