More than 40 people came out to celebrate diversity at The Bar Association of San Francisco’s (BASF) annual LGBTQ+ Summer Reception.

The reception, hosted by Paul Hastings and co-sponsored by Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom (BALIF), provide an opportunity for new attorneys and legal interns to network, meet mentors and appreciating the achievements LGBTQ+ partners in the Bay Area.

Opening remarks were provided by BASF’s Executive Director, Yolanda Jackson, Paul Hastings Partners, Deborah Schmall and Ryan Derry, BASF’s LGTBQ Co-Chairs, Peter Catalanotti and Ilona Turner and BALIF board member Jeff Kosbie.

Yolanda Jackson, BASF’s executive director and general counsel, shared tips on networking to the young legal professionals. In addition, she she finished the formal presentation with the following remarks:

As we celebrate tonight and we prepare for PRIDE 2019, let us celebrate the beauty of individual freedom and choice: the freedom to love who YOU want to love for the reasons that YOU want to love them.

Let us not be sad or defeated over the hatred we see and experience because of rhetoric and actions coming out of Washington DC. Let us not be dismayed about recent judicial decisions meant to roll back the progress of LGBTQ rights that we should continue to be proud of.

Let’s look at this as a bump in the road towards greater progress. No meaningful change ever came easy.

Let us all stay strong, vigilant and focused on the end goal. We will prevail. I have no doubt.