As the 2017 Ball Chair, I wanted to choose someone as Honorary Chair who had championed access to justice throughout their life. We were honored to have Mrs. Leah Chase accept our invitation to serve as Honorary Chair and to herald her lifelong work with the theme of “Hungry for Justice.”
Most people know Mrs. Chase because of her work in the culinary arts. Who hasn’t had a meal or two at Dooky Chase’s Restaurant? But few know the role she played early in her career as a chef of opening the doors of the restaurant to the men and women working to bring equality and justice to all during the Civil Rights Movement.
Since those early years, Mrs. Chase has continued her efforts to bring dignitaries from both sides of the proverbial table and ordinary people from all walks of life together for the last several decades to advance the dialogue and work for equal justice under the law. Mrs. Chase and her work epitomize the goals and mission of The Pro Bono Project to assist those in need of access to legal services, and I was delighted to Chair the 2017 Justice For All Ball alongside this this incredible New Orleans Gem.
- Dana Douglas, Chair
29th Annual JFAB, 2017
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