Whiquitta Tobar facts for kids

Whiquitta "Kee" Tobar is an American lawyer, podcaster, and a former college basketball player. She played basketball for Alabama A&M University. In 2012, Tobar was named the Southwestern Athletic Conference Player of the Year, which is a big award in college sports.

Early Life and Education

Whiquitta Tobar grew up in Blytheville, Arkansas. She was the youngest of four children. Her mother worked hard to support the family.

When Whiquitta was a child, she went to the Head Start Program. This program helps young children get ready for school. Whiquitta said that Head Start taught her many important things early in her life. Later, when she was studying law, she met Marian Wright Edelman, who helped create the Head Start program.

Whiquitta graduated from Blytheville High School in 2008. A difficult event in her family, where her brother was seriously injured, deeply influenced Whiquitta. It made her want to help people through the law, especially those who need a public defender.

Helping Her Community

After high school, Tobar went to Alabama A&M University. There, she became very involved in helping her community. She worked with the Madison County, Alabama Commissioner’s office. She helped people who had been in prison find jobs after they were released. She also volunteered at places that help people dealing with domestic violence.

Her work for social justice made her interested in changing laws about prisons, supporting women's rights, and labor laws. This led her to decide to go to law school. In 2011, Tobar traveled to Africa to study as part of a special project. She also joined the Young Democrats of America. She helped people register to vote and learn about elections.

In her senior year, Tobar was a candidate for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. This award recognizes college athletes who are excellent in four areas: community service, academics, character, and sports.

In 2012, Tobar earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Alabama A&M University. She also studied Philosophy.

Basketball Career

Whiquitta Tobar was a talented basketball player in high school and college.

High School Basketball

Tobar played basketball for the Lady Chickasaws team at Blytheville High School. The Arkansas Activities Association recognized her as an All-State player in 2005 and 2007. In 2008, she was one of only twelve senior players in Arkansas chosen to play in the Arkansas State All-Star Basketball Game.

College Basketball

After high school, Tobar played college basketball at Alabama A&M University. In her junior year, she was the top scorer in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, averaging 18.1 points per game. She was also great at stealing the ball, making free throws, assisting teammates, and getting rebounds. She was named a first-team All-SWAC player.

Before her senior year, Tobar was chosen as the SWAC's preseason Player of the Year. During her career, she scored over 1,000 points! At the end of her senior year, Tobar was named the Southwestern Athletic Conference Player of the Year. She was even considered a possible player for the Women's National Basketball Association.

College Statistics

Law Career

After college, Tobar began studying law at Georgetown University Law Center. She was a Public Interest Law Scholar, which means she focused on using law to help the public. She wanted to become a public defender, a lawyer who represents people who cannot afford one. She was also part of the Pro Bono Board at Georgetown Law, helping with free legal services.

After graduating from Georgetown Law, Tobar worked at the Juvenile Law Center in Philadelphia. There, she was the Zubrow Fellow in Children’s Law, helping young people.

As of February 2023, Whiquitta Tobar is the Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia. This means she works to make sure everyone is treated fairly and included. She also hosts a podcast called "How Is That Legal?: Breaking Down Systemic Racism One Law at a Time."