Woman passes bar exam on 1st try more than a decade after being released from prison

A New York mom's story is going viral on social media for her emotional reaction after learning she passed the bar exam on her first try.

In a TikTok video that has garnered nearly 3 million views since April 25, Afrika Owes is seen logging online to check her February exam results with her brother standing behind her and her best friend on the phone with her in support. Next to her are photos of her 4-year-old son and late mother and grandmother.

After reading her result, Owes, 30, yells out, "I passed! I passed!" before jumping up and then bursting into tears.

Owes, who shared the video the same day she learned of her exam result, wrote in text overlaid in the video, "POV: You're a formerly incarcerated single mom who passed the bar early on the first try."

In the accompanying caption, she wrote in part, "Thank you to my angels, my momma, my grandma. Thank you for my son, my brother, my family and my tribe."

Owes told "Good Morning America" her journey to becoming a future attorney was the realization of a dream she's had ever since she was a young girl.

"I've always dreamed of going to law school," Owes said, adding that she grew up watching her late mother Karen Owes advocate for their Harlem community and emphasizing "the importance of knowing the law, whether or not you're a lawyer."

But Owes' path to law school was not a linear one. When she was 17, Owes was arrested and charged as part of a gang-related conspiracy case, the New York Times reported in 2011. She later pleaded guilty to felony charges of conspiracy and weapons possession, and was sentenced under the New York youthful offender program.

"From that, I only served six months on Rikers Island and then I had a few years of probation," Owes told "GMA." "And then after successfully completing two years of college, which was a condition of my release, I was taken off of probation. I was adjudicated as a youthful offender."

Owes said she has strived to overcome her past experiences and write a new chapter in her life with the help of her family and support system in Harlem and beyond.

"I strayed from my path, but they made sure that I got right back on track. They didn't judge me, and they never let me go," Owes said. "I want my story to be a testament to that, for communities as well, that everybody makes mistakes."

According to data released by the National Conference of Bar Examiners, the pass rate for February's exam in New York was just 42%, with 59% of 3,962 first-time test takers receiving a passing score.

Overall, the number of Black test takers who pass the bar remains low. Statistics released by the American Bar Association in 2023 showed that the pass rate for Black candidates was about 57%, compared to 83% for their white counterparts.

There are a number of possible reasons for that disparity. Some experts, speaking with the ABA Journal, said first-time pass rates often reflect an individual's ability to dedicate the bulk of their time to studying for the exam, "without working, meeting familial caretaking obligations, or worrying about basic human needs." Others said the process of studying for the exam "disadvantages people who lack easy access to financial resources, particularly those facing housing and food insecurity."

As for any specific racial disparities, a spokesperson for the National Conference of Bar Examiners told Reuters in 2023 that declining first-time pass rates might be partially attributed to the pandemic's impact on education.

"We know that education was significantly disrupted by the pandemic, and that the effects of the pandemic were significantly worse for Black Americans and other historically marginalized communities, often exacerbating existing disparities," the spokesperson said.

Owes, a third-year student at Fordham University School of Law, is expected to graduate May 20 and hopes to go into tax law and pursue a judicial clerkship in the future.

Fordham Law Dean Matthew Diller told "GMA" in a statement that Owes' story is an inspirational one.

"I have gotten to know Afrika during her time as a student and she has been a tremendously positive force at our school -- bringing students together as both a leader of Black Law Students Association and our Student Bar Association," Diller said. "Her story is inspiring and I am excited to see the contributions that she will make to our profession and our society in the years to come."

Owes said she hopes her viral video and personal story can encourage others to pursue their own dreams and maybe even follow her footsteps into a legal career.

"It can feel very isolating on this journey and I wanted people to know they are not alone and that I'm here," Owes said. "And if I'm that one catalyst that shows you that you do belong, then I hope that that continues to push you on your journey."