Over Spring Break 2026, the Harvard Law School chapter of the Black Law Students Association (HBLSA) received the Chapter of the Year award from the National Black Law Students Association. Given to one chapter out of over 200 in the country, the award was presented during the 58th annual national convention in Portland, Oregon.
The national award was presented on the heels of another win. The 2025-2026 HBLSA President, Bianca Williams-Alonzo, won the regional president of the year award for the northeast region earlier this spring. The award is given to the chapter that is judged to be the most dedicated to its members’ educational development, academic achievement, 1L support mechanisms, professional and career development, political awareness, social consciousness, and community activism.
At both the regional and national level, competing chapters were judged on the basis of an interview and a scrapbook documenting the chapter’s programs and initiatives. The HBLSA has sponsored over 150 programs over the course of this academic year, including: the 2026 Annual Spring Conference, an Africa Summit trip to Tanzania, 1L and 2L/3L job fairs, a mentorship program, Black History Month celebration, food and clothing drives, and the Black & White Charity Gala.
In previous years, HBLSA has received numerous regional and national awards for our efforts in supporting Black law students. With nearly 150 members, the Harvard BLSA is the largest Black Law Students chapter in the country.