ST. LOUIS - Missouriar -- The Association of Corporate Counsel – St. Louis Chapter received the 2023 Outstanding Achievement Award in the mid-sized chapter category for "Innovative Programming Effort" from the Association of Corporate Counsel global association at its annual meeting held in October.

The Chapter's Diversity & Inclusion Committee hosted members on March 31, 2023, to a guided tour, "Artful Observation with a Diversity Lens," lead by Dr. Cathleen Fleck, Ph.D., Saint Louis University, Chair of the Department of Fine and Performing Arts and Associate Professor of Art History.

Artful Observation is a project spearheaded by the Saint Louis University (SLU) Art History Program to establish curricular and research programs based on evidence-based methods about utilizing the visual arts to help students and professionals develop their awareness of issues related to attentiveness, empathy, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

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Lisa Savoy, Legal Counsel, Experian, and 2023 Social Justice Coalition Chairperson, said that the Chapter was honored to receive the 2023 Innovative Programming Effort award. The membership values the diversity programming that the Chapter hosts and tends to have great turnout for events. The Artful Observation Continuing Legal Education (CLE) program was especially popular because Dr. Fleck presented diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) material from an artist's perspective, which included a discussion of the moment in time and history, the individual artist's training, and other aspects of the artist's background, and the significance of the medium used for the artist's particular vision.

"The Artful Observation session that I planned with the ACC at the Saint Louis Art Museum was meant to use art as a tool to engage the group and reinforce two key ideas about observation and about diversity and equity in society. First was to ask the participants to explain what they were seeing, breaking down that process of seeing as a physical act informed by our social and cultural circumstances. The attorneys quickly absorbed the main point that one's own way to see is not the only way. Second, we concentrated on how certain artworks can reveal systems of discrimination and exclusion based on race, class, and gender that have long existed in our society," said Fleck.

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Vikas Sunkari, Senior Managing Counsel, System Legal Affairs, SSM Health, and ACC STL 2023 Diversity & Inclusion Chairperson, said, "We are honored to receive this award. The St. Louis chapter is committed and invested to bring varied learning experiences and program opportunities to our growing and diverse membership."