Danielle Latty ’24 knows what it’s like to have the odds stacked against you. “My mom and I used to joke that I have three things going against me: I’m an African American, a woman, and I’m also a lefty — the world isn’t made for any of
those,” she reflects with a laugh. But she’s working to change that, both for herself and for others.
Throughout her four years at Bryant, Latty, a Politics and Law major, was an activist, an advisor, a firebrand, and a changemaker. From spearheading a Black Women’s Blueprint conference to ensuring that all voices are heard through serving on the Bryant Senior Advisory Council, Latty has been at the forefront of progress at Bryant.
Driven by passion, she’s worked hard to learn how to channel it into positive change. In her junior year, Latty was asked to serve on Bryant’s Belonging Task Force, where she and the other committee members investigated the issues facing Bryant’s women-identifying students, held focus groups with members of the community to find solutions, and met with university administration to form an action plan.
“I think I was a confident person going into college, but you gain a whole new form of confidence when you're sitting in the room with the university’s cabinet,” she reflects.
This past semester, Latty found a new way to spark important conversations by directing Extravaganza, Bryant’s annual Black History Month celebration of fashion, culture, music, history, and activism. She chose the theme “The Strength of Black Resistance,” she says, to highlight not only the adversity the Black community has faced, but also the joy and resilience they have found throughout that struggle.
“I love when someone tells me I can't do something,”
As she prepares to attend Washington and Lee University School of Law this fall, Latty is considering a career in intellectual property law, which will allow her to continue to fight for people to receive the recognition, and results, they deserve.
“I was drawn to the law because of the diversity within it,” she says. “Everyone needs a lawyer, so the profession allows me to do anything. The horizons are endless, and that was really important for me because I could be an advocate
for so many different people.”
She’s also resolved to keep fighting the good fight. “I love when someone tells me I can't do something,” she reflects. “I want to rise to that challenge, succeed, and tell everyone, ‘I'm here, and I'm staying.’”
