Haley Carolyn Taylor Schlitz

Haley Taylor Schlitz is a trailblazing Gen Z attorney, author, and nationally recognized voice on youth, democracy, and educational equity. In May 2022, she became the youngest Black American to graduate from law school in United States history, earning her JD from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law after previously becoming the youngest graduate in the history of Texas Woman’s University at age 16.

Based in Minneapolis, Schlitz serves as an Associate Attorney at Kennedy & Graven, where she focuses on municipal law and helps local governments navigate the policies that shape everyday life in their communities. She pairs her legal work with her role as a contributing columnist for the Minnesota Star Tribune and a regular columnist for Insight News, writing about Generation Z, civic engagement, and the future of education and work.

Schlitz’s journey has drawn national attention for years. In 2020, she was honored by Beyoncé in the “This Is Black History” campaign, and she was elected as one of the youngest delegates to the 2020 Democratic National Convention. She has been featured by media outlets such as NBC News, The Grio, and Teen Vogue for her story as a young Black woman redefining what is possible in academia, law, and public life.

As an author, Schlitz co-wrote “The Homeschool Alternative: Incorporating a Homeschool Mindset for the Benefit of Black Children in America,” which she published with her mother, Dr. Myiesha Taylor. The book offers families and educators practical tools to better support and recognize the brilliance of Black students.

Event organizers invite Schlitz when they want a fresh, honest, and hopeful conversation about what it means to partner with Generation Z. Her keynotes and fireside chats are a strong fit for education conferences, youth leadership programs, civic and political gatherings, corporate events, and audiences who want to understand how young people are experiencing this moment in history and how to engage them as true collaborators in building what comes next.