Deborah A. Batts Scholars

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2022 Batts Fellow Ferrell Littlejohn '24

Ferrell is one of our 2022 Batts Research Fellows. She is a native Texan, born and raised in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. In 2014, she received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma in International Business and Marketing. Shortly thereafter, she commissioned as an Officer in the United States Marine Corps, where she served as a comptroller for five years.

Ferrell regards her time in the Marine Corps as one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of her life. This career cultivated her passion for leadership and service. Even more, it forced her to address the intersection of her black, female, and queer identities, shaping who she is as a person and her motivations for attending law school. She says, regardless of where her legal career takes her, she will always be dedicated to generating more opportunity and chances to be heard for these and other underrepresented communities. As a Deborah A. Batts Scholar, she hopes to research issues related to community and economic development and criminal law reform

 

Owes
2022 Batts Fellow Afrika Owes '24

Afrika Owes is one of our 2022 Batts Research Fellows. She is a community advocate who speaks truth to power. Her advocacy is motivated by her love for the Harlem community, respect for her ancestors and their bloodshed for freedom, and her personal experiences with systemic racism. Prior to joining the Fordham Law School community, Afrika worked at The Center for Constitutional Rights where she spent three years assisting with case management and facilitating community outreach programs. Afrika graduated cum laude from Hobart & William Smith Colleges and was awarded a Fulbright Fellowsip stationed in Cape Town, South Africa. Afrika continues to volunteer in her community as a member of Manhattan's Community Board 10 and as a member of various advisory committees in Harlem. Afrika’s research interests include those that intersect race, technology, and law, in addition to economic justice initiatives for formerly incarcerated Black women.

Batts Fellows 2021: Lamar Smith '23
2021 Batts Fellow Lamar Smith '23

Lamar is one of our 2021 Batts Research Fellows.

He graduated from Rutgers University with a bachelor's degree in political science in 2010. Prior to enrolling in Fordham Law School, he was a successful online business owner and marketing director for a non-profit focused on providing aid and support to underserved communities. His interests include criminal justice reform and using social enterprises to reduce racial disparities in education, health, and income

Batts Fellows 2021: Cameron Porter '23.
2021 Batts Fellow Cameron Porter '23

She is one of our 2021 Batts Research Fellows.

She recently received a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from UCLA in 2020. She is originally from the Bay Area, California. She has danced professionally for over 10 years and has always loved the arts. Her research interest lies in the intersection of Intellectual Property Law and race. She is also particularly interested in ways to provide IP resources to creative people of color who often are taken advantage of.