“Taking Steps, Thriving Together” — that was the theme of this year’s NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet in Newark, Delaware, featuring keynote speaker Nicole Mozee, J.D., an assistant professor at the Wilmington University School of Law. 

“I think it’s important for Wilmington University faculty to do these types of engagements because it fortifies our presence as a university, and I think it fortifies our commitment to the Delaware community,” says Mozee, who advocates for civil liberties, civil rights and social justice.  

Her message to the audience, which included Dr. LaVerne Harmon, Wilmington University’s president: “It’s not always going to be easy, but resiliency is key.” 

“The important thing is to be resilient, to continue to be a freedom fighter, to uphold the mission of the NAACP, to open people’s hearts and minds, and to defend and stand up for people who are marginalized,” Mozee describes. “No matter who you are, no matter where you are, we all have the power and the agency to be the change that we want to see.” 

While deputy attorney general for the Delaware Department of Justice — Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust, Mozee successfully prosecuted the Division’s first hate crime conviction as well as the state’s first conviction of a sitting elected official. She also served as associate legal counsel for Delaware Gov. John Carney, a staff attorney at Delaware Volunteer Legal Services and a labor law enforcement officer for the Delaware Department of Labor. 

While deeply honored by the Freedom Fund Banquet, Mozee says, “I think I’m even more excited for the future of this law school.” 

It’s “bringing a breath of fresh air to the Delaware legal community and to Delaware itself,” she explains. “The school is very committed to providing access and opportunities for people.” 

Mozee especially appreciates the School of Law’s Excellence in Lawyering and Leadership workshops, which provide students with “an overview of skill sets,” including “how to prepare for finals” and “how to read a legal case and brief it.” 

“We’re not just going to sit there and let you figure it out,” she says, adding that faculty members are revamping and modernizing the traditional “sink or swim” law school approach. “We want to be as supportive as possible for our students.”