2018 CLE Advancing Racial Justice and Human Rights: Rights Based Strategies | Columbia Law School

COLUMBIA LAW SCHOOL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTE

The Bringing Human Rights Home Lawyers’ Network
Annual Human Rights in the U.S. Symposium/CLE

Advancing Racial Justice and Human Rights: Rights-Based Strategies for the Current Era

Friday, June 1, 2018
9:15 A.M. - 4:20 P.M.

Hosted by:
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
One Liberty Plaza, New York, NY

Co-Sponsors:
ACLU
Columbia Law School Human Rights Institute
Center for Constitutional Rights
Center for Reproductive Rights
Latino Justice PRLDEF
US Human Rights Network
University of Pennsylvania Transnational Legal Clinic

AGENDA

8:30 – 9:15 A.M. – Registration & Coffee

9:15 – 9:30 A.M. – Welcome 

• JoAnn Kamuf Ward, Director, Human Rights in the US Project, Columbia Law School Human Rights Institute

9:30 – 10:00 a.m. – Opening Remarks

• Todd Cox, Director of Policy, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. 

10:00 – 11:15 A.M. – SESSION I: OVERVIEW OF LEGAL FRAMEWORK & CORE PRINCIPLES

This introductory panel will introduce the normative basis for addressing racial justice through an international human rights lens.  Panelists will explore how human rights norms and principles can complement U.S. legal protections, and the renewed emphasis on human rights in the current political context.  Speakers have engaged in diverse efforts to address migrants’ rights, challenge state use of force, advance gender and economic justice, promote access to education, and mobilize collectively for international accountability. Drawing from these efforts, the speakers will highlight the elements of an inclusive, rights-based approach to advocacy, and the strengths and limitations of using human rights discourse and strategies to advance social justice.

Panelists:

• Lisa Crooms-Robinson, Professor of Law, Howard University School of Law
• Roxanna Altholz, Assistant Clinical Professor of Law, Berkeley International Human Rights Clinic
• Farah Tanis, Executive Director, Black Women’s Blueprint

Moderator: Jamil Dakwar, Director, ACLU Human Rights Program

11:15– 11:30 P.M. – Break

11:30 – 1:00 P.M.  – SESSION II: STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT & LEVERAGING SUCCESS DOMESTICALLY

This session will emphasize how a rights-based approach holds the potential to raise the visibility of key community concerns, foster strong partnerships, and enhance accountability. Panelists will also discuss ways to effectively use human rights standards and strategies, including through engagement with regional and international mechanisms, in advocacy to advance racial justice in the United States. The panel will cover advocacy on a range of issues, including police violence, maternal health, voting, the right to water, and economic justice in Puerto Rico. Drawing on such advocacy, this session will explore approaches to centering the voice of individuals and groups impacted by human rights violations, and share how human rights-based claims, as well as the results of international engagement, can be a component of policy-advocacy and movement building.

Panelists:

• Justin Hansford, Associate Professor of Law & Executive Director, Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center
• Annette Martinez-Orabona, Director, Human Rights Clinic, Universidad Interamericana en Puerto Rico
• Pilar Herrero, Human Rights Counsel, Center for Reproductive Rights
• Sylvia Orduno, Michigan Welfare Rights Organization
• Marcia Johnson Blanco, Co-director, Voting Rights Project, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

Moderator:  Cindy Soohoo, Director, CUNY School of Law Human Rights & Gender Justice Clinic 

1:15-1:30 P.M. – Break

1:30 – 2:30 P.M.. – Lunch & Keynote

• Catherine Lhamon, Chair, United States Civil Rights Commission ​​
  • Introduced by Robin Toma, Executive Director, Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission 

2:30-4:00 P.M. – ROUNDTABLE: RESPONDING TO EMERGING THREATS WITH RIGHTS-BASED APPROACHES

This roundtable will explore the threats and challenges posed by the current political environment, and the opportunities for new strategies and alliances.  What role do, and can, human rights play in addressing both the increasingly urgent threats facing communities of color, and people living in poverty, as well as persistent forms of discrimination? How do we build the strength and collective power of the domestic human rights movement in light of current challenges we face? What role can lawyers play?

Speakers:

• Nicole Austin-Hillery, Executive Director US Program, Human Rights Watch
• Chase Iron Eyes, Counsel for the Dakotas, Lakota People’s Law Project  
• Baher Azmy, Legal Director, Center for Constitutional Rights
• Meena Jagannath, Co-founder, the Community Justice Project 

Moderator: Natasha Bannan, Associate Counsel, LatinoJustice PRLDEF

4:00 – 4:20 P.M. – CLOSING REMARKS

• Rosalee Gonzalez, Acting Director, US Human Rights Network 

Information Regarding New York CLE Credits:  Columbia Law School has been certified by the New York State Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Board as an Accredited Provider of CLE programs. Under New York State CLE regulations, this live non-transitional CLE Program will provide 5 credit hours that can be applied toward the Areas of Professional Practice requirement. This CLE credit is awarded only to New York attorneys for full attendance of the Program in its entirety. Attorneys attending only part of the program are not eligible for partial credit for it, although they are most welcome to attend it. Attendance is determined by an attorney's sign-in and sign-out, as shown in the Conference registers. On final sign-out, attorneys should also submit their completed Evaluation Form, provided at the Conference. Please note the NYS Certificates of Attendance will be sent to the email address as it appears in the register unless otherwise noted there.

CONFERENCE MATERIALS: Conference materials will be distributed to attendees. Printed review copies of the materials will be available at the conference. Registrants can request a printed copy.

REGISTRATION: Online registration will close for all transactions, including refunds, at 5pm on Tuesday, May 29. On-site registration will be available at the Conference, space permitting. Confirmed reservations are transferrable. Kindly notify the Human Rights Institute ([email protected]) of transfers by the close of preregistration and otherwise as soon as possible

Registration Rates

Please note that all rates are 'per person' and, as flat fees, cannot be prorated according to attendance. The CLE is free for attorneys and persons who are serving in public interest organizations (including government, academic, and non- and not-for profit organizations) or are experiencing financial hardship.

Professional/Private Practice: $350
Public Interest/Nonprofit/Academia/Government: $0

Attendees working in private practice (including lawyers and consultants) that are seeking a hardship scholarship should register using the online form and then separately complete their registration by submitting a scholarship request, no later than May 15, 2018, to HRI ([email protected]). Requests, which will be answered, should detail in a few sentences the basis of the applicant's need and the background to his or her interest. Please understand that without a complete scholarship request, the applicant may be notified that the scholarship registration has been cancelled.