Congratulations O’kayhvia Ferguson!
MIAMI, FLA – June 1, 2026 – Dolan Dobrinsky Rosenblum Bluestein, LLP, (DDRB) a leading personal injury law firm known for taking on catastrophic accident cases caused by negligent conduct, dangerous products, and medical errors, is pleased to announce that O’kayhvia Ferguson has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 DDRB Legal Scholarship.
Now in its 9th year, the DDRB Legal Scholarship was established to support aspiring attorneys who demonstrate academic achievement, leadership, and a commitment to serving their communities. The annual scholarship recognizes students who are pursuing legal careers and who exemplify the values of advocacy, perseverance, and service.
Originally from Jamaica, Ferguson immigrated to the United States with her family at a young age and has built an impressive record of academic excellence and public service. She graduated summa cum laude from Howard University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Strategic, Legal, and Management Communications. While at Howard, she served as President of Revolt, Incorporated and gained valuable experience through internships with the Government Accountability Office, the Office of U.S. Representative Jared Moskowitz, and End Citizens United.
“O’kayhvia’s resilience, dedication to service, and commitment to using her experiences to help others made her an outstanding choice for this year’s scholarship,” said Manuel L. Dobrinsky, co-founding partner of DDRB. “Her academic accomplishments, leadership experience, and passion for advocacy reflect the qualities we hope to encourage through this program. We are proud to support her as she pursues a career in law.”
As part of her selection, Ferguson submitted the following essay, which reflects on her journey as an immigrant, her commitment to public service, and her desire to expand access to justice for underserved communities.
“The Jamaican proverb “Wi likkle but wi tallawah,” meaning small in size but mighty in spirit, has shaped my journey as a New American. When I was eight years old, my family left Jamaican pursuit of the American Dream. Like many immigrants, we arrived with hope and
determination, but quickly learned how easily newcomers can feel small in a country wheredegrees earned abroad are often devalued and access to opportunity is uneven. My mother, who has worked in a grocery store for the past 18 years, carried the weight of those barriers while ensuring that I never felt limited by them. Her sacrifices instilled in me a responsibility to transform opportunity into service.
That responsibility deepened on February 18, 2018, when I was a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. As gunshots echoed through the halls, I crouched in a
classroom and felt smaller than I ever had before. In the aftermath, I made a commitment to turn fear into action. Rather than allowing that moment to define me by trauma, I chose to define myself through advocacy. I pursued Political Science at Howard University to better understand how policy and law can shape safer and more equitable communities.
At Howard, guided by the motto “In Truth and Service,” I worked to ensure my education translated into impact. I advocated for the inclusion of queer students through awareness campaigns and educational programming. I also helped organize a large-scale service initiative that provided more than 300 hygiene kits to women’s shelters across Washington, D.C. Beyond campus, I interned in Congress, where I witnessed how legislation is crafted and contested, and later worked with End Citizens United to promote fairness and accountability in government. These experiences sharpened my skills in research, communication, and coalition-building while reinforcing a difficult truth: systemic barriers continue to marginalize vulnerable communities.
Currently, I serve as a legal assistant at the Broward County State Attorney’s Office, supporting attorneys in trial preparation and observing the courtroom’s pursuit of justice. This role has strengthened my understanding of how the law operates in practice and confirmed my desire to become an attorney who advocates for those who feel overlooked or unheard.
Receiving this scholarship would allow me to pursue a legal education without placing an overwhelming financial burden on my family. As the daughter of an immigrant mother who has sacrificed for nearly two decades to create opportunities for me, financial support would ease
that strain and enable me to focus on academic excellence, clinical training, and public interest work. It would allow me to choose opportunities based on impact rather than financial necessity,
ensuring that service remains central to my career.
Law school is not only a personal goal but a continuation of the promise my mother carried when we left Jamaica. With the support of this scholarship, I will continue to embody the spirit of “likkle but tallawah,” using resilience, education, and advocacy to expand access to justice for the communities that shaped me.”