Best of CASE District V Award
 

Institution: Miami University

Title of entry: Bringing Justice Home

About this entry: In October 2024, I was assigned to write an alumni profile for the Fall/Winter 2024 issue of the Miamian, The Magazine of Miami University. The print magazine is published biannually and the audience is 130,000 subscribers, most of whom are alumni. The strategic goal of the profile was to spotlight a 2023 honoree of Miami’s “18 of the Last 9” awards program. Imokhai Okolo ’17, a trial attorney and social justice advocate from Akron, Ohio, was recognized as one of 18 alumni from the last nine graduating years making a positive impact as leaders, innovators, and changemakers through their work or service.

Interviewing Okolo was essential to the profile. First, I emailed him to introduce myself and schedule the interview. Second, I began gathering background information about his Miami student experience and his post-graduate life. I spoke with a visiting assistant professor who had worked closely with Okolo in Miami’s Mock Trial program. Then, I reviewed articles and videos from local Akron news outlets to understand his past and ongoing work in his community.

Okolo and I met for an hour-long Zoom interview in October 2024. I prepared a set of questions to guide the interview, but the tone of the discussion was conversational. As a result, Okolo was open and honest in talking about his work in his law practice and community.

The profile was completed in November 2024, and the impact of the has yet to be determined. The profile was published simultaneously online at MiamiAlum.org.