Striving for Financial Equity
Recommending policies to help individuals and communities impacted by financial illiteracy to move towards financial equality.
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Launching a New Initiative for Underserved College Athletes
When Dorsey E. Hairston II was on the Boston College lacrosse team 20 years ago, student athletes were prohibited from profiting from their talent by doing things like selling jerseys or promoting businesses for pay. But in 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a 9-0 opinion that college athletes can profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL).
It occurred to Dorsey that community college athletes may not have the requisite resources to help their student athletes understand their new rights and responsibilities under NIL. So he worked with DWT’s pro bono team to create the NIL Pro Bono Initiative. Through educational presentations and legal clinics, this initiative educates community college athletics directors and student athletes about this new law. In November, he gave his first presentation to the Northwest Athletic Conference serving three states and British Columbia, which was a resounding success.
Former legal assistant Marianne Ide provided research and support skills to launch this entrepreneurial program. The hope is that this initiative will expand and level the playing field.
Promoting economic education
In 2022, DWT partnered with the Center for Financial Literacy and client volunteers to research laws, regulations, policies, and initiatives relating to college financial literacy, adult financial literacy, and other state financial literacy initiatives for an upcoming report that not only will challenge the way underbanked and marginalized communities are impacted by financial illiteracy, but also will recommend policies to help individuals and communities move towards financial equality.