Black Community Events in Sacramento, CA

At The Ward Firm, our founding attorney, Justin L. Ward, pledges that we will provide aggressive, quality legal representation to each personal injury or criminal defense case that we handle. You may have questions about what this means for you and your case, so we wanted to take a moment to provide you with some information about our philosophy here at the firm. We believe that each client should get the personal attention of an experienced attorney. Justin will meet with you in your initial consultation. You will have the opportunity to talk about your case and what is most important to you. Justin will work with you to help you develop a strategy that recovers maximum compensation or helps you limit the consequences of a criminal conviction. Justin has seen both sides of personal injury and criminal defense cases. He handled personal injury cases while working for an insurance defense firm and is a former prosecutor. This experience has provided him extensive knowledge into the way these cases are approached by the other side. He will use this information to prepare a strong case that helps you achieve your goals.

Keith J. Staten is from Vallejo, CA. He received two AA degrees from Solano Community College and a BS from San Francisco State University. He attended UOP McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento graduating in 1992. His Criminal Defense firm specializes in handling complex criminal litigation, DUI litigation, and DMV administrative licensing issues. After serving at the Sacramento County Public Defender’s office from 1991 to 1994, he went into private practice focusing on criminal defense. From 2001 to 2007, he was a Senior Staff Counsel for the Department of Motor Vehicles. In 2007, he returned to private practice, specializing in complex criminal trials. In 2012, he was named Attorney of the year by the Sacramento County Indigent Criminal Defense Panel for his outstanding case resolutions, which included two jury acquittals on life-offense cases. In 2014 The Hub Magazine in Sacramento recognized him as a leader in the community. In 2014, the Wiley Manuel Bar Association named him attorney of the year. In 2015 he received the “Judge James Long” Community Service award from the Kappa Fraternity’s Roseville Alumni Association. He was recently recognized as a Social Justice Warrior by The National Lawyer’s Guild in 2020. Mr. Staten is an expert in DUI matters, both from the criminal justice side and the DMV administrative side. He also is known for his successful verdicts in drug and sex cases. Mr. Staten helped create new case law in the “Facebook” case. In that case, a juror had “friended” other jurors on the social networking site and regularly posted commentary on the trial during that trial. Mr. Staten successfully argued at both the trial and appellate level that his client’s right to a fair trial trumped that juror’s privacy rights, and won a motion for a new trial. Further, in the case of a fatal shooting at a Sacramento IHOP, Mr. Staten won an acquittal for his client when his frame-by-frame analysis of surveillance video clearly revealed his client acted as a peacemaker, and had left the restaurant before the fight escalated to the shooting. Mr. Staten mentors high school, college and law students, and from 2015 to 2017, taught paralegal students in the UC Davis Extension Program. Since 2019, he has been an Adjunct Professor at American River College teaching Criminal Law, and Evidence. He assists in running Criminal Expungement clinics held at ARC on Saturdays during the school year. He frequently lectures in the community and performs a “Know Your Rights” educational program which has been featured on radio, and live lectures. He currently serves on the boards of Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep High School, and is a member of many local bar associations including the Sacramento County Bar Association.

100 Black Men of Sacramento (BMoS) is a non-profit, 501(c) 3 organization (Federal Employee Identification Number 94-1698065) that formed in 1986 as an affiliate chapter of the 100 Black Men of America (100 BMOA). 100 BMOS utilizes its diverse talents to create an environment that enables mentees to be motivated to achieve and be empowered to become self-sufficient stakeholders in the economic and social fabric of the community they reside. 100 BMOS is committed to the intellectual development of youth and the economic empowerment of the Sacramento community based on the following precepts: respect for family, spirituality, justice, and integrity. 100 BMOS has created programs that have empowered thousands of mentees to become self-sufficient and responsible stakeholders in the economic and social dynamics of their communities. 100 BMOS programs are focused in the areas of mentoring, education, economic empowerment, and health and wellness. Through a systematic process of group mentoring, workshops, and conferences, 100 BMOS improves the quality of life and enhances the educational achievement of Sacramento’s underserved.

Jack and Jill of America, Inc., is a membership organization of mothers with children ages 2 – 19, dedicated to nurturing future African American leaders by strengthening children through leadership development, volunteer service, philanthropic giving and civic duty. The late Marion Stubbs Thomas founded Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated, on January 24, 1938, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Twenty mothers came together to discuss creating an organization to provide social, cultural and educational opportunities for youth between the ages of 2 and 19. In 1946, 10 chapters were involved in the national restructuring process. The constitution and bylaws were drawn up, and the organization was incorporated under the laws of the state of Delaware. Today, Jack and Jill boasts more than 230 chapters nationwide, representing more than 40,000 family members. Each chapter plans annual programming activities guided under a national theme. Through service projects, Jack and Jill of America creates a medium of contact for children to stimulate their growth and development. Since 1956, the Sacramento Chapter has continued to build on the objectives and aims of the National Organization. The Sacramento Chapter is fulfilling its shared vision with Jack and Jill of America, Inc., to invest in the future of our children and to help children reach their fullest potential. The Sacramento Chapter is a part of the Far West Region of Jack and Jill of America, Inc.