Eva Jefferson Paterson - Executive Director of the Lawye rs Committee for Civil Rights - is one of California's most brilliant attorneys. She is an African American anc a beneficiary of affirmative action."I got into Boall Law School (UC Berkeley) through anafirmative acticn program, a program that gave me the opportunity to study law. Affirmative action gave me an cpportunity, but I cracked the books, did the work, and passed the tests. Never apologize for affirmative action."she tells the crowd, "I am proud of affirmative action because I am qualified. ​