Womble Bond Dickinson’s Houston Office Launches Art & Diversity Initiative by hosting Exhibition Showcasing Four Local Artists

As part of our commitment to the values of equality, diversity, and inclusion, our Houston office recently launched our Art & Diversity Initiative. The office will feature a series of rotating art exhibitions from local Houston artists to create visibility and showcase their personal stories.

Read about the initiative.

View artwork. 

Transcript

Welcome to Womble Perspectives, where we explore a wide range of topics, from the latest legal updates to industry trends to the business of law. Our team of lawyers, professionals and occasional outside guests will take you through the most pressing issues facing businesses today and provide practical and actionable advice to help you navigate the ever changing legal landscape.

With a focus on innovation, collaboration and client service. We are committed to delivering exceptional value to our clients and to the communities we serve. And now our latest episode.

At Womble Bond Dickinson, equality, diversity, and inclusion aren’t just buzzwords – we strive to embody these values every day.

To that end, our office in the Houston Skyline District has transformed from a professional workplace for attorneys, patent agents, paralegals, legal assistants, and other legal industry professionals who help clients achieve their business goals into a showcase for a different type of outstanding work—the creativity of four local Houston artists.

Our Art & Diversity Initiative is a series of art exhibitions intended to engage with local artists and create visibility for them. This rotating art exhibition will feature local artists reflecting their interpretation of select themes during a two part series annually launching December 2023.

Our initial installation is titled “Nos Populi: We the People,” and it exhibits works of art that highlight the diverse cultures, perspectives, and identities of Houstonians. The exhibition will bring together works of accomplished Houston artists John Bernhard, Luisa Duarte, Farima Fooladi, and Nel Gaskin, installed across the main floors of Womble Bond Dickinson’s Houston office, recently relocated to the 717 Texas office tower to provide additional office space for its growing Houston legal practice.

WBD’s Houston Office Managing Partner Jeffrey Whittle said, “We’re honored to launch this innovative exhibition, Art & Diversity, that features the work of talented local artists. We believe that this exhibition reflects our commitment to diversity and inclusion both to and within the greater Houston community, and we’re excited to share it with the community broadly. We also believe the art can create a personal touch to the Houston office.”

Kevin Hall, Chair of the firm’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, said, “Art is a powerful tool for promoting understanding and inclusion. Through creative expression from different traditions, art gives voice to the many varied experiences of our community.  We look forward to celebrating the diverse cultures, perspectives, and identities of our great city and sharing the works of these talented artists with friends and clients of Womble Bond Dickinson and the community at large.”

“We the People” is a celebration of the strength and beauty that can be found in our differences, and provides a reminder that, as a society, we are stronger when we are inclusive. Our Art & Diversity initiative is aimed to support visual artists, who are often society’s storytellers, to engage with the community. We’d like to think these works to tell a story about Houston and Womble Bond Dickinson as well as represent Womble Bond Dickinson’s core value, which is “respect for the individual,” said Womble Bond Dickinson Patent Agent Azie Aziz, Ph.D., the primary organizer of the exhibit.

The exhibit kicked off on the evening of Wednesday, December 6th and for those outside Houston, we’ve also prepared a virtual installation. You can find a link to the exhibition – as well as more about the artists – in our show notes.

Thank you for listening to Womble Perspectives. If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, please visit The Show Notes, where you can find links to related resources mentioned today. The Show Notes also have more information about our attorneys who provided today's insights, including ways to reach out to them.

Don't forget to subscribe via your podcast player of choice so that you never miss an episode. Thank you again for listening.