Movement Lawyering Conference
Movement Lawyering Conference: More Power; More Justice.
In celebration of our 20th anniversary, Advancement Project National Office along with cosponsors Law for Black Lives and the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center, hosted the inaugural Movement Lawyering Conference on October 16, 2019, in Washington, DC.
The conference was held to uplift the racial justice movement lawyering model that is used by Advancement Project National Office, Law For Black Lives and others. Movement lawyering is not just civil rights litigation, but rather a holistic strategy that centers and support the genius of ordinary people to attack systems and build long-term power.
Opening Plenary: What's Power Got to Do With It?
Speakers (from left to right): Marbre Stahly-Butts—Law for Black Lives; Azadeh Shahshahani—Project South; Vince Warren—Center for Constitutional Rights; Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson—Highlander Research and Education Center; and Thomas Mariadason—Asian Law Caucus
A full Moot Courtroom to start the morning.
Opening Plenary Speakers (from left to right): Marbre Stahly-Butts; Azadeh Shahshahani; Vince Warren; Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson; and Thomas Mariadason.
One of the first breakout sessions of the conference. This one took place in Holy Cross Foyer.
Access to the ballot gives Black and Brown communities power in the matters that affect their lives. State and local election officials that administer elections are critical players in ensuring access to the ballot. Year-round accountability with these election officials and following up on potential barriers is the only way to ensure smooth and inclusive elections.
Part of the morning breakout sessions took place in the Pauli Murray room. This session titled, Movement Lawyering for the Right to Vote: Case Studies in Building Power & Protecting Democracy
Breakout Session I: Movement Lawyering for the Right to Vote: Case Studies in Building Power & Protecting Democracy.
Speakers (from left to right): Carolyn Thompson—Advancement Project National Office; Donita Judge—Center for Constitutional Rights; Norris Henderson—Voice of the Experienced (VOTE); and Sabrina Khan—Advancement Project National Office.
Breakout Session I in Moot Court: The What, When and How of Reparations.
Speakers (from left to right): Montague Simmons—Movement Voter Project; Marbre Stahly-Butts; Rukia Lumumba—People's Advocacy Institute; Nkechi Taifa—The Taifa Group, LLC; and Joey Mogul—People's Law Office.
Speakers (from left to right): Montague Simmons; Marbre Stahly-Butts; Rukia Lumumba; Joey Mogul; and Nkechi Taifa.
Attendees enjoyed a brief ice cream break, catered by Ben & Jerry's.
Howard University School of Law Dean Danielle Holley-Walker takes time to welcome attendees to the campus.
Left to right: Prof. Justin Hansford—Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center at Howard University School of Law; Judith Browne Dianis—Advancement Project National Office; and Danielle Holley-Walker.
Phil Agnew from Dream Defenders gets a laugh from the crowd during the second plenary after lunch.
Scott Roberts from Color of Change shares his insights on the long-term steps after a movement begins during the second plenary.
Plenary 2: From Moment to Movement.
Speakers (from left to right): Judith Browne Dianis; Phil Agnew; Alana Greer—Community Justice Project; Scott Roberts—Color of Change; Kayla Reed—Action St. Louis; Prof. Justin Hansford; and Thomas Harvey—Advancement Project National Office.
Speakers (from left to right): Judith Browne Dianis; Phil Agnew; Alana Greer; Scott Roberts; Kayla Reed; Prof. Justin Hansford; and Thomas Harvey.
Breakout Session II: Movement Lawyering to Support Decriminalization of Migration.
Speakers (from left to right): Moderator Tiffany Yang—Advancement Project National Office; Jovana Renteria—Puente Human Rights Movement; Losmin Jimenez—Advancement Project National Office; Paromita Shah—Just Futures Law; and Azadeh Shahshahani—Project South.
Mike Milton from The Bail Project shares some thoughts on protecting people from the prison industrial complex during the second breakout session panel in Moot Court.
Breakout Session II in Moot Court: Lawyers, Organizers and Abolitionist Campaigns: Building Power to Protect People from the Prison Industrial Complex.
Speakers (from left to right): Moderator Krithika Santhanam—formerly of Advancement Project National Office; Vince Warren—Center Constitutional Rights; Mike Milton; Brendan Roediger—St. Louis University School of Law Legal Clinics; Kayla Reed; Blake Strode—ArchCity Defenders; and Thomas Harvey.
During the lunch break, Vince Warren joins Advancement Project National Office staff members Maria Fernandez, Tyler Whittenberg; and Losmin Jimenez.
Prof. Justin Hansford—Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center at Howard University School of Law
Marbre Stahly-Butts—Law for Black Lives
Judith Browne Dianis—Advancement Project National Office
Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson encourages a little crowd participation during the opening plenary.
Vince Warren—Center for Constitutional Rights
All eyes are on Thomas Mariadason for his thoughts during the opening plenary.
Gilda Daniels takes a moment to encourage attendees to tweet during the conference.
Nkechi Taifa gives an empassioned take on reparations during the first set of breakout sessions.
Oscar Lopez from East Bay Community Law Center shares some insights on building power in schools of color.
Breakout Session I: Movement Lawyering to Build Power for Youth of Color in School in Holy Cross Foyer.
Speakers (left to right): Moderator Tyler Whittenberg—Advancement Project National Office; Ashley Sawyer—Girls for Gender Equity; Oscar Lopez—East Bay Community Law Center; and Maria Fernandez—Advancement Project National Office.
Rukia Lumumba from People's Advocacy Institute shares her thoughts on reparations during the morning breakout session.
Joey Mogul from People's law takes the mic during the breakout session on reparations.
Attendees at lunch during the conference break.
Breakout Session II: Climate Justice: Surviving Through Natural Disasters & Racist Responses.
Speakers: Moderator Ashley Carter—Advancement Project National Office; Valencia Gunder—New Florida Majority; Alana Greer—Community Justice Project; Jennifer Lai-Peterson—Advancement Project National Office; and Judith Browne Dianis—Advancement Project National Office.
Valencia Gunder speaks on climate justice during the afternoon breakout sessions.
Mary Hooks from Southerners on New Ground was part of the conference's closing panel discussion.
Jennifer Lai-Peterson shares her experiences with climate justice as a career organizer during the afternoon breakout session.
Breakout Session II: Climate Justice: Surviving Through Natural Disasters & Racist Responses in Holy Cross Foyer.
Closing Plenary: Freedom Now, Freedom Forever in Moot Court.
Speakers (left to right): Moderator Prof. Justin Hansford; Paromita Shah—Just Futures Law; Amanda Alexander—Detroit Justice Center; Judith Browne Dianis—Advancement Project National Office; and Mary Hooks—Southerners on New Ground.
Speakers (left to right): Prof. Justin Hansford; Paromita Shah; Amanda Alexander; Judith Browne Dianis; and Mary Hooks.
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