Dr. Claire Nelson among honorees at South Florida’s Caribbean Bar Association Awards Gala

MIAMI – The Caribbean Bar Association (“CBA”) will host its 14th Annual Scholarship and Awards Gala on Saturday, October 2, 2010 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, beginning with a cocktail reception at 6:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 7:30 p.m.

This year, the CBA will be honoring Dr. Claire Nelson, Founder and President of the Institute of Caribbean Studies, Broward County Libraries, and Project Medishare, for their contributions to the Caribbean- American community.

Dr. Claire Nelson

“We are extremely proud to be honoring these outstanding people and organizations for their contributions to the Caribbean American community. We are even more proud and excited about what the Caribbean Bar Association has accomplished and will continue to do as a result of our unwavering commitment to informing, educating and empowering the Caribbean-American community in South and Central Florida,” stated Cherine Valbrun, President of the Caribbean Bar Association.

This year, through the CBA’s Minority Clerkship Program, which was created to encourage and increase diversity in the legal profession, the CBA awarded a $1,000 stipend to a law student who clerked at the Broward County Circuit Court. The CBA also completed a beautification project at Global Academy, which caters to mainly Caribbean-American ‘at risk’ youth, by re-furbishing two of its elementary class-rooms and the school’s hallways, with fresh paint, new flooring, new roof tiles and inspiring murals on the walls.

The CBA has been actively involved in informing the community about upcoming elections and assisting our Haitian neighbors with applying for Temporary Protective Status.

The CBA’s efforts persevere, and in keeping with the charitable aim of the Gala, a portion of the proceeds from the event will be used to fund scholarships for financially challenged Caribbean-American law students in South Florida.