Adeyinka Glover has spent her career advocating for others, but recently, her most personal case has been uncovering her own history. Driven by an insatiable curiosity about her family’s past, she has meticulously traced her genealogy across continents and centuries, piecing together a story of resilience, migration, and identity.
From a young age, Glover knew she wanted to be a lawyer. Inspired by a television show that followed criminal defense attorneys navigating complex cases and moral dilemmas, she became captivated by the idea of defending clients while balancing justice and ethics. That early fascination set her on a determined path—one that led from her hometown of Fresno to law school in San Diego and ultimately back to the Central Valley, where she advocated for justice and equity.
While her goal of becoming a lawyer remained steadfast, Glover embraced a broad range of interests throughout her education, ensuring that her experiences extended beyond the legal field.
“I never found my dream of becoming a lawyer to be limiting,” Glover stated. “I explored all my interests along the way, but I was still very much focused.”
By the age of 25, she had achieved her lifelong ambition, earning her law degree and opening the door to new opportunities.
Glover’s legal work has always been shaped by a desire to empower others. “For me, what’s really important is being able to bring something to the table,” she said. “My skill set in the legal field is a value add to better advance the interests of my client community.” Whether analyzing legal statutes, reviewing policy proposals, or educating clients about their rights, her goal has remained the same—helping people advocate for themselves.
Her career in Bakersfield began at Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance (GBLA), where she served as the volunteer attorney program coordinator. In this role, she recruited private attorneys to provide pro bono representation for clients, a vital resource in the nonprofit legal world. She also handled a small caseload herself, focusing on domestic violence, housing, and guardianship cases.
After nearly three years at GBLA, she transitioned to Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, where she worked as an attorney focused on community-driven legal advocacy.
Now, Glover works at Disability Rights California, where she has spent nearly five years. Initially, she represented individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, advocating for them in administrative hearings and meetings with school districts and regional centers. Recently, she transitioned into the organization’s investigations unit, where she no longer represents individual clients but instead investigates allegations of abuse and neglect of people with disabilities.
Through each stage of her career, Glover has remained committed to justice, ensuring that the communities she serves have the legal resources and support they need.
Adeyinka Glover has spent her career advocating for others, but lately, she’s been deeply invested in uncovering her own history. Her passion for justice extends beyond the legal field—she’s meticulously tracing her genealogy, following family records across continents and centuries to piece together the story of her ancestors.
“I’ve always been curious about my family,” she said. “I was named after both of my grandmothers, but I never had the chance to meet them. I felt a responsibility to learn as much as possible about them and where I come from.”
Her journey into family history has taken her across generations and continents. In 2015, a trip to Cuba deepened her understanding of the Yoruba culture, which traces back to her father’s Nigerian roots. This discovery fueled her commitment to documenting her lineage, and through extensive research—including library records in Lagos and scholarly archives—she has traced her family history back more than 18 generations.
Her research, which she is now turning into a documentary, involves meticulous cross-referencing of records to ensure accuracy. “I feel a responsibility to get this right,” she said. “Every piece of information I find connects me to the past in a profound way.”
One of her most remarkable discoveries was finding out that her ancestors are depicted in the Benin Bronzes, a collection of intricate artworks created in the Benin Kingdom, now found in museums worldwide.
“It’s pretty neat to be able to look at artwork and see depictions of my ancestors,” she said. The bronzes, looted by British soldiers in 1897, remain largely housed in European institutions. Glover, a passionate lover of art, recalled seeing them during a 2010 visit to London—long before she realized her personal connection to them.
Her genealogy journey has not only been about uncovering names and dates—it has reshaped her entire sense of self. The deeper she delves into her family’s past, the more connected she feels to the generations before her.
“I’ve always felt purpose-driven, but this journey has given that purpose a deeper meaning,” she reflected. “To know that my ancestors lived lives so significant that they were documented—whether through art, records, or oral history—fills me with a sense of honor and responsibility.”
Filled with emotion, Glover spoke of moments where she felt the weight of history pressing down on her—realizing that the choices of those before her had directly shaped her existence.
“Every decision they made led to me being here today. Whether it was my father choosing to immigrate to the U.S. or my maternal grandparents moving to California, each step in my family’s history paved the way for me and for future generations,” said Glover.
For Glover, the pursuit of truth—whether through legal advocacy or historical research—is deeply personal.
“It’s about honoring those who came before me and making sure their stories are told. My identity is not just my own; it’s built upon the legacy of those who came before me, and I carry that with me every day,” said Glover.
To help fund her documentary, Glover launched an art business, Yinkaglo Creative Works, where she sells original pieces inspired by her cultural heritage. More information about her work, documentary, and advocacy can be found on her Linktree: https://linktr.ee/yinkaglocreativeworks.
