Brittany Armstrong Whittington isn’t just the author of a book about a girl who wants to be a lawyer. She was that girl.
And now the Deputy District Attorney hopes to inspire future generations of girls with her book, Layla the Lawyer. On Saturday, Feb. 9, at 1 p.m., she will read and sign books at the Barnes & Noble Bookstore at 6050 El Cerrito Plaza as part of a Black History Month event.
The Bay Area born and raised author said she knew she wanted to be a lawyer at a young age, as she was “good at collecting and analyzing facts.” Thanks to her gift of gab and persuasion, she recalls family, friends and teachers noting she’d grow up to be a lawyer as early as 2nd grade.
Whittington went on to earn degrees at Spelman College and the University of San Francisco School of Law. She began her legal career working as a Civil Rights Employment Discrimination Attorney and is currently Deputy District Attorney in Solano County. Along the way, she became motivated to recreate her younger self in print, with the aim of inspiring young people.
“I believe that women bring a unique perspective to the legal community and our voices need to be heard,” she said.
She didn’t want to simply tell a story, but to provide a tool instructing kids to use deductive reasoning and to think through problems.
Her character, Layla, shows kids how to gather and evaluate facts, to reach reasonable conclusions, to accept consequences for actions, and to appreciate diversity.
Whittington said she aims for the book to “inspire career paths, diversity and kids to think through problems and discover solutions on their own.”
