Theresa Wilson, Esq.

I attribute my success to faith and family. I have had some hard challenges in my lifetime, but I feel like I can always find hope, even in the bad times. When I was in my second marriage trying to have a baby, we got pregnant and she died in utero at like 6 months. She wasn't dead inside, but I knew she was gonna die when I gave birth to her because she was only 5 months and a few weeks and could not make it long enough to breathe on her own outside of my uterus. When she was gonna be born, she was going to die. But her name is Kaylee Hope. I named her Kaylee Hope, not that at the time I could figure out what was the hope from her. But probably about 3 months before I got pregnant with Kaylee, I found out because I was trying to get pregnant that I had a brain aneurysm. The brain aneurysm was at probable stage, so had I not been trying to get pregnant and therefore my doctor sent me to have an MRA, I probably would be dead because it was in my brain and on my carotid artery. So literally, she saved my life. It took me a long time to figure out the light in that dark story, but I knew at the time that she was born, because I named her Hope, that I would find it.

When you find the thing that sparks your passion, nurture it, protect it, and honor it so that it can grow. This advice has guided me to stay true to my purpose and focus on initiatives that create real impact for young people and marginalized communities.

I would say it probably is now, because this is a new piece of best advice that I'm just coming up with because of my own journey. When you find the thing that is your spark, nurture it, protect it, and honor and value it, so that your spark can grow. I think that we're always as women trying to prove ourselves or get to something. But I was recently reading something that said, who were you before the world made you who you are? And for me, that thing is the spark that motivates me. So for me, it's making sure that the world's children are well. But it could be whatever it is for anybody, but nurture it. For my daughter, it has to do with singing and dancing, right? So she uses that to do social justice movement work, she uses her spark to do whatever it leads her to do.

The legal and educational systems are at a critical juncture for advancing racial equity and DEI initiatives. While the challenges are significant—addressing systemic disparities, overcoming bias, and ensuring inclusivity—there are unprecedented opportunities to create transformative programs, train future leaders, and influence policy that can shape lasting change.

Equity, justice, empathy, and service are central to everything I do. I am deeply committed to fostering understanding, bridging gaps, and advocating for the vulnerable, while balancing these professional values with dedication to family and community.