The Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association (MBLA) selected Travis Salters ’23 for its prestigious Fletcher “Flash” Wiley Award. The award supports students who display academic excellence and a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and the success of those around them.
“I hope to continue building up our community in the footsteps of trailblazers like Mr. Fletcher Wiley,” Salters said. “As I prepare to establish roots in Boston and grow my family here, I look forward to using Mr. Wiley’s career as a model and his impact as a guidepost.”
The award’s namesake has been a leader in the Massachusetts legal and business communities and the non-profit sector for decades. Wiley’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is shown through his many leadership roles within minority-focused organizations. Salters joins other BC Law students in this honor: in its inaugural year in 2018, Stephanie Johnson ’19 won the award.
The MBLA is a valuable network for attorneys of color throughout Massachusetts and provides career support, continued education, and mentorship programs to its members, and collaborates with other organizations interested in supporting communities of color. The Wiley award is typically given annually to two recipients Massachusetts and comes with a scholarship of up to $5,000.
In summer 2021, Salters worked as a Boston Bar Association diversity fellow at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, and this year he will be a summer associate at Goodwin Procter. Prior to law school, he co-founded Next Generation Men & Women in Atlanta, GA, an organization that supports students in historically underserved areas. Salters graduated from Penn State University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and African-American studies.
“Special thanks to the BC Law Community for supporting me from the moment I arrived in Boston, which placed me in a position to receive these honors,” Salters said.