Editor's note: This is presented as part of a content partnership with the Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia.
Name: Angelina C. Williams, Esq.
Company/Title: Law Clerk
Arts Organization: 12 individual artists and 13 non-profit arts and culture organizations via the
Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
Education: JD from University of Akron; LLM in Taxation from Temple University
Flying Kite: Tell us about the most interesting case you’ve completed through the Arts and Business Council’s Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (PVLA).
Angelina C. Williams: I cannot identify any case with particularity as the issues are pretty much the same. What I find interesting, however, are the people. Through PVLA, I have met a variety of creative individuals. Each person has a separate and distinct background, adding color to his or her personality. Each individual offers a different perspective on life that makes me a better lawyer, a better mom … a better person.
FK: Why do you think this work is important to the organization?
ACW: PVLA is part of the nourishment that aids projects and/or organizations as they grow. PVLA clients have wonderful programs that benefit so many (like a drop of water and the ripple effect; it spreads wide and far). Without the PVLA, these incredible programs may exist simply as ideas, not acted upon. PVLA provides the artists and individuals with the tools needed to make a difference and in a manner to insure efficiency and longevity.
FK: How do you know your volunteering is making a difference?
ACW: I trust that it is. If my acts—and those of my colleagues—did not make a difference, there would be no demand. PVLA has been around for a long time for a reason.
FK: How have your professional skills grown as a result of working with Philadelphia’s creative sector?
ACW: The phone line keeps me current on issues. Working with PVLA has also improved my communication skills. I have to translate legal concepts to plain English and it is my job to make sure it is understood by the listener. Speaking with other attorneys is different than speaking with a non-attorney. Before the PVLA, I would just regurgitate legal mumbo jumbo; it was their job to understand. Now, I am more aware of the audience. I take time to discuss legal concepts. I try to introduce shared examples that make a concept easier to understand. The best way for me to explain it is to compare the process with a software program. I can sit in a live program all day and hear everything there is to know about a program. A few days later, when it is time to try to use the program, I am lost. I do not want the PVLA clients to feel that way. I want them to understand the answer and reasoning behind it because it will have impact in the future.
FK: How did the matchmaking and project support from PVLA help you succeed as a volunteer?
ACW: It is great to know there is someone available to offer guidance and support.
FK: In the eight years you have been volunteering with PVLA, who among your arts clients have you most admired and why?
ACW: Though this might sound like a political answer, I am sincere. I have great admiration for each and every one of them from the artist/musician to the organization leader. They have a great passion and they pursue it. They do not let obstacles hold them back. They have been afraid, frustrated and disappointed, yet keep going and keep trying. They persevere. How can I not admire them all?
FK: Have you witnessed the organizations you’ve assisted positively impact the community or help it grow?
ACW: Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra, Inc. (BPCO) went from one woman’s idea to a phenomenon. The range of opportunities for community involvement is well-developed. The concerts expose a great number of people to classical music. Jeri Lynne Johnson encourages children to explore opportunities in music. BPCO’s leadership program through conducting is incredible!
FK: What's one performance, exhibit or program you've seen that you wouldn’t have known about if not for your work with PVLA and how did this experience inspire you?
ACW: I have been invited to a number of events but have not attended many due to time constraints. I have seen a variety of artists' works on-line or visited their websites. I would love to see more things. I believe in serendipity so I cannot say that I would not have known about them but for PVLA.
THE ARTS & BUSINESS COUNCIL OF GREATER PHILADELPHIA helps drive the cultural vitality and economic development of the Greater Philadelphia region by strengthening the partnership between business and the arts and cultural community.