BLSA Pan-Africa Trip 2026

Each year, the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School Black Law Student Association (BLSA) leads a trip to give back to the Black diaspora while learning about and engaging with different issues Black communities are facing around the world.

This year, nine Penn Carey Law students traveled to Nairobi, Kenya, to partake in pro bono service in partnership with Daima Initiatives for Peace and Development (DIPAD), a Kenya-based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) focused on social justice, peacebuilding, and conflict resolution, with a focus on strengthening local communities’ ability to achieve social justice through training, research, and leadership development to build an informed and resilient society.

“We sought to aid an organization that offered an international perspective on the importance of holistic restorative justice for individuals and communities,” said BLSA Pan-Africa Co-Chairs Kanyinsola Oye L’27 and Ali Smith L’27. “We believe that justice can take many forms, and that alternative approaches towards peace and development can better suit the needs of a given community.”

BLSA students completed four research assignments for DIPAD: a recommendatory memo on the limits of customary law and its potential for restorative justice; a memo outlining legal protections and programming for detained persons, with reform suggestions for DIPAD; a comparative analysis of alternative justice systems in neighboring countries to strengthen restorative mechanisms in Kenya; and a policy memo on diversion strategies and protecting children’s freedom under the Children’s Act of 2022, which aligns with the 2010 Constitution and emphasizes the “best interests of the child,” prioritizing family-based care, strengthening protections, banning corporal punishment, and recognizing intersex children’s rights.

“DIPAD stood out because its core mission centers on fostering these alternative forms of justice, including restorative justice and customary law, while also encouraging their incorporation into broader legislation,” said Oye and Smith.

The research assignments for DIPAD also provided an ideal opportunity for students to engage with non-Western approaches to criminal and civil justice and to broaden their understanding of how justice systems can operate in different contexts, as each project required members to study case law, legislation, and the Kenyan constitution, which was revitalized in 2010.

“The work we did for DIPAD is probably the most fascinating work I’ve been able to do in law school,” said BLSA Co-President Christopher Carson L’27. “Every day built on the conversations and knowledge we gained through conversations with senators and other attorneys in the days prior, which I think allowed us to write policy proposals that were grounded in reality and people’s lived experiences and not a textbook.”

During the trip, BLSA members had the opportunity to visit the Kenyan parliamentary building to watch live debates, meet with Senators, and were introduced on the Senate Floor.

Additionally, students connected with the Katiba Institute (KI)—an organization that seeks to champion societal transformation in Kenya by promoting constitutionalism through research, public interest litigation, and civic engagement.

There, BLSA members and KI leaders discussed the difficulties of public interest impact litigation, especially when seeking to place checks on presidential power.

“Their work offered a powerful reminder of both the difficulty and necessity of sustained advocacy,” said Smith. “This experience made it clear that the work of justice doesn’t stop at borders, and neither should we.”

Opportunities like BLSA’s 2026 Spring Break Pan-African trip not only provide unparalleled exposure to and tangible experience with legal landscapes outside of the United States—in this case producing substantive legal deliverables and policy analysis, witnessing policymaking firsthand, and discussing the challenges of public interest litigation in Kenya—but also the chance to make connections and gain insights that enhance global perspectives and professional development well after law school.

“One thing that drew me to Penn Carey Law was the Pan-African trip. When making my decision, a 3L told me about this experience, and it fits completely with my future legal interest,” said Chimelu Ani L’28. “Now that I have been lucky enough to experience the trip in my first year, I can say it has been my favorite experience in law school so far. I learned more about the history and culture of Kenya, served with a growing legal organization in Nairobi, and created real bonds within the BLSA community.”

The trip provided a unique, full-circle moment for Oye. Prior to law school, she served as a Princeton in Africa Fellow, where she crossed paths with Penn Carey Law BLSA members on their annual Pan-African service trip in Rwanda. At a time when she was still weighing her options for law school, Oye saw the community and family fostered with BLSA members as a sign that would shape the next three years of her life.

“As a Nigerian-American, my dedication to the continent has always been a core part of my identity and my vision for my legal career,” she said. “Beyond my own journey, it has always been important to me that others have the chance to marvel at the continent’s beauty and witness the amazing efforts being made there, visiting countries that connect deeply to their professional aspirations. I am profoundly grateful for the experiences we shared during that week.”

Learn more about student-led public service at Penn Carey Law.