ImeIme Umana facts for kids

ImeIme Umana (born 1993) is an American lawyer. She is famous for being the first Black woman to lead the Harvard Law Review. She also worked for important judges like Robert L. Wilkins and Sonia Sotomayor.

Early Life and Education

ImeIme Umana was born in State College, Pennsylvania. Her parents came from Nigeria. She went to high school at Susquehanna Township High School in Harrisburg.

College and Graduate Studies

ImeIme graduated from Harvard College in 2014. She earned a bachelor's degree in African American studies and Government. She continued her education at Harvard. She earned a law degree and a Master's degree in Public Policy. This second degree was from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Her Career Journey

ImeIme Umana has had an impressive career in law. She has held several important roles. These roles show her dedication to justice and public service.

Early Work and Leadership

While studying for her bachelor's degree, ImeIme was busy. She served as president of the Harvard Institute of Politics. She also worked at the university's Hiphop Archive. She gained experience by interning at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. She also led student groups focused on community action and public interest law.

Leading the Harvard Law Review

On January 29, 2017, ImeIme Umana made history. She was chosen as the president of the Harvard Law Review. This was a very important role. She was the 131st president and the first Black woman to hold this position.

The selection process was thorough. She was one of 12 candidates. Eight of these candidates were women, and eight were people of color. All candidates answered questions from editors. They also wrote responses and took part in mock editorial activities.

Working for Top Judges

After law school, ImeIme worked for two highly respected judges. From 2018 to 2019, she was a law clerk for Robert L. Wilkins. He is a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Later, from 2020 to 2021, she worked for Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Justice Sotomayor is a judge on the Supreme Court of the United States. Working as a law clerk for a Supreme Court Justice is a great honor.

Public Defender and Advocate

After her clerkships, ImeIme Umana worked in the District of Columbia's Public Defender's office. Public defenders help people who cannot afford a lawyer.

In 2022, she wrote an article for British Vogue. This article was about the confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson. Justice Jackson became the first Black woman and first former federal public defender on the Supreme Court of the United States.

Awards and Recognition

ImeIme Umana has received several awards for her achievements.

• 2017 - African Diaspora Awards
• 2017 - Most Influential People of African Descent Award
• 2019 - Soros Justice Fellows

See also

• List of law clerks of the Supreme Court of the United States (Seat 3)