Dear Friend of VOLS,

This morning, Alexandra Rizio from Start Small Think Big, Jennifer Colyer from Fried Frank and I appeared on Rick Young’s show, “What’s In Your Hand,” along with the writer and poet, Mark Polite, on WHCR, the “Voice of Harlem.”

The title of the show comes from an inspiring speech by Adam Clayton Powell about our power as human beings to thrive in adversity using only the talents and resources immediately available to us – what is in our hands. This theme could not have been more appropriate to our reason for being on the show: to discuss the upcoming Small Business Legal Academy (SBLA) to be held at Harlem’s World Famous Apollo Theater on October 29th, organized by the Association for Pro Bono Counsel.

At the SBLA, volunteer lawyers from major law firms will conduct workshops and provide free legal counseling to help entrepreneurs and small businesses achieve their dreams. Many of these entrepreneurs and owners started with nothing more than what was in their hands: their skills, typically a small amount of capital, if any, and incredible tenacity. Our volunteers, too, will be working with what is in their hands: good will, legal resources, and legal expertise. We hope that by working together, the volunteers and entrepreneurs/owners will be able to turn what is in their hands into a significant positive impact for the small business community.

VOLS is proud to be a part of this effort to make New York City a place where anyone from anywhere who has a good idea and the will to work hard can succeed.