Diversity News

The Legal Aid Society Celebrates Pride

On June 23rd, The Legal Aid Society celebrated Pride Month with a special brunch at BLUJEEN Restaurant in Harlem before participating in the Harlem Pride parade. Jason Wu, Staff Attorney, from the Harlem Community Law Office, who was recognized this year by the LGBT Bar Association as one of the best 40 lawyers under 40, and Jasmina Chuck, paralegal in the LGBT Law and Policy Initiative Unit spoke at the brunch about the importance of activism and solidarity for LGBTQ+ communities who are directly impacted by multiple layers of oppression. The Harlem LGBTQ Parade was the culmination of a month of activities including community tabling at LGBTQ Pride Marches in Staten Island, Queens, Bronx and Brooklyn.

NLADA 2018 Holistic Leadership Conference

On June 6, The Legal Aid Society continued the important discussion of Black Lives Matter: How it Has shaped our Advocacy in Courts and Communities, by hosting a supper club session at the National Legal Aid & Defender Association’s 2018 Holistic Leadership Conference in Philadelphia. Victor Dempsey, community organizer in the Criminal Defense Practice; Loretta Johnson, staff attorney in the Juvenile Rights Practice; Morenike Fajana, staff attorney in the Civil Rights Practice and Nikita Price, community organizer and partner from Picture the Homeless, led an interactive discussion with advocates from across the country examining the systemic oppression and racial inequities that black communities face every day. They highlighted the necessity and importance of the Black Lives Matter Movement in the context of their work, while providing diverse insights into how racial injustices permeate every part of our legal system.

Events

July 9th
4:00 pm-6:00 pm

7th Annual TransLatina March

Coming up is this year’s 7th Annual Trans-Latina March!! TRIP Queens– Make the Road New York’s TGNCIQ Justice Project is pleased to invite you to join the 7th Annual Trans-Latina March. This event is aimed at celebrating the diversity of our membership.

July 14th
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Opening Reception: Bronx Now

Bronx Now, on view July 14 through September 8, 2018, explores the burgeoning community of Bronx-based artists creating remarkable work outside of traditional spheres. Curated by visual artist Laura James and gallerist Eileen Walsh, who work under the name BXNYCreative, Bronx Now marks another milestone in their effort to expand interest in Bronx-based artists.

July 11th—July 19th

BAMcinématek and The Racial Imaginary Institute: On Whiteness

Despite being a powerful social and political force, whiteness has often been treated as a neutral, rather than racialized, identity. Presented in collaboration with Claudia Rankine’s The Racial Imaginary Institute, this series explores how whiteness has been deliberately and subconsciously constructed, ignored, and challenged in the history of American film. In bringing together a diverse array of works that touch on issues of ethnic identity, assimilation, racial grievance, passing, and privilege, On Whiteness aims to foster a dialogue about what it means to be white in America.

July 20th—July 26th

BAM CINEMATEK PIONEERSFIRST WOMEN FILMAKERS

In the Wild West days of early filmmaking—before Hollywood hardened into an assembly-line behemoth and boys’ club—talented women worked regularly as writers, producers, and directors, instrumental in shaping the very language of cinema as we know it. Nevertheless, figures like Alice Guy Blaché and Lois Weber are known today primarily by aficionados, and artists like Nell Shipman, Grace Cunard, and Marion E. Wong remain woefully obscure. Bringing together dozens of essential new restorations, this series spotlights the daring, innovative, and trailblazing work of the first female filmmakers and restores their centrality to the creation of cinema itself.

July 19th-August 30th

RESISTANCE, ROOTS, & TRUTH: AN ICA ALUM GROUP EXHIBITION

Resistance, Roots, and Truths - 1st ICA Alumni Exhibit: is an art exhibit showcasing the work of emerging visual artists, facilitators, and performers who have completed the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI), Innovative Cultural Advocacy Fellowship (ICA) program. Curated and organized by (ICA) alumni Yelaine Rodriguez, and Carlos Jesus Martinez Dominguez. Each participant is an ICA alum. The Innovative Cultural Advocacy Fellowship (ICA) provides a platform for emerging artist to recognize and share the history of under-represented communities. Over 70 emerging visual artists, facilitators, educators, and performers have participated in the program.

July 21st
2:00 pm-5:00 pm

National Town Hall Meeting: Ending Incarceration of Women and Girls: How We Get There!

A New York City convening in collaboration with women across the nation impacted by the Criminal Justice system including, community members and leaders working on gender-responsive, criminal justice reform efforts.

July 23rd
7:00 pm-10:00 pm

The People's Coalition: Social Justice Work in the Trump Era, Panel and Reception

The People's Coalition, invites you to join us for a panel discussion and reception at the DUMBO Made in New York Media Center. We will be moderating a very necessary and stimulating discussion with a diverse panel of local activist and artivist about social justice work in the Trump Era. We hope that you'll join us as we also celebrate our restorative justice informed organization and our charitable initiatives. The People's Coalition is a 501(c)3 that aims to increase access to resources to interrupt the impact of structural violence experienced by marginalized people through smartphone applications and social media campaigns.

Amazon's fourth-annual Prime Day is coming up on Tuesday, July 17 and will feature one-of-a-kind deals exclusively for Prime members. Shop at smile.amazon.com and Amazon will donate to Legal Aid Society!