Chair: Melanie Fontes
Email: HBLSASpringConferenceCommittee@gmail.com
Our Past Spring Conferences:
Harvard Black Law Students Association
33rd Annual Spring Conference:
because, freedom.
March 25-26, 2016 | Harvard Law School | Cambridge, Massachusetts
Register Now!
You are invited to the 33rd Annual Harvard Black Law Students Association Spring Conference. This year’s theme answers the question, “Why must we continue to improve, promote, celebrate, and uplift Black life in the wake of oppression?” Our answer? “because, freedom.” Black people deserve to live our fullest, most free lives at the intersections of all of our identities, and we must work to ensure that reality. All are welcome!
The Conference will take place March 25-26, 2016 at Harvard Law School, Cambridge Massachusetts. The weekend will include a Youth Summit, a “Black Joy Matters” happy hour and mixer, panels, workshops, two keynotes, and concludes with Black “Lituation” (an official after party).
With hundreds of participants, the annual Spring Conference is Harvard BLSA’s largest event of the year. Spanning two days, this event seeks to explore the connections between the law and media, art, religion, sexuality, class, gender, professional development, and activism in 21st century Black communities. Spring Conference provides a forum for change for more than just Harvard BLSA members, admitted students, faculty and alumni, but also for community members, artists, organizers, and students from other law schools across the world.
Locations and speakers will be updated periodically.
Friday Agenda
[*] Youth Summit / 10 AM – 3 PM / all day (see schedule below)
[1] Black Media, Pain, and Imagination / Noon / Ames Courtroom in Austin Hall
Clint Smith / poet, ph. d. student, educator / Harvard University
Daunasia Yancey / organizer / Black Lives Matter Boston
Kareem “Tef Poe” Jackson / rap artist, co-founder / Hands Up United
Kayla Reed /organizer / Organization for Black Struggle
Meggie Noel / student organizer, founder / B.L.A.C.K. at Boston Latin School
Aaron Bray / student, organizer / Harvard Law School
[2] Critical Race Theory Teach-In with Prof. Justin Hansford / Belinda Hall in Wasserstein / 3 PM
[3] “Black Joy Matters” / happy hour and mixer / Harvard Law Pub in Wasserstein Hall (WCC) / 7 PM
Saturday Agenda
Registration / 8 AM / All Day / Wasserstein Hall,1585 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, Massachusetts
Breakfast & Welcome / 9 AM / Ames Courtroom in Austin Hall
Selection: Kuumba Singers
Speaker: Colette Pichon Battle / executive director / Gulf Coast Center for Law & Policy (GCCLP)
Consecutive Panels:
[1] As Obama Exits: Reform, Revolution, and Solidarity
Location: Ames Courtroom / 10:30 AM
Justin Hansford, Esq. / professor, Ferguson activist / St. Louis University School of Law
Ifeoma Ike, Esq. / co-founder / Black and Brown People Vote (BBPV)
Kendra Brown / policy director / The Congressional Black Caucus
Carl Williams, Esq./ civil rights attorney / American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Massachusetts
Aziz Rana, Ph.D. / professor / Cornell Law
Lunch: Darryl’s Corner Kitchen and Bar Catering / Noon
[2] #SayHerName and #BlackGirlMagic: Must We Choose?
Location: Ames Courtroom / 12:30 PM
Geneva Reed-Veal / activist / Mother of Sandra Bland
Kei Williams / organizer, designer, writer / Black Lives Matter NYC
Dr. Yaba Blay / professor, producer, publisher / Pretty. Period / (1)ne Drop: Shifting the Lens on Race
Aja Monet / poet, songwriter, singer, human rights advocate / Aja Monet
Khiara Bridges, Ph.D. / law professor and professional ballet dancer / Boston University
Concurrent Panels:
[3] #Law4BlackLives: Building Relationships for Movement and Community Based Lawyering
Location: Ames Courtroom / 2 PM
Oren Nimni, Esq. / co-chair / National Lawyer’s Guild; The United People Of Color Caucus
Amanda Alexander, Esq. / assistant professor and postdoctoral scholar in Afro-American studies and law / University of Michigan
Purvi Shah, Esq. / director / Bertha Justice Institute, Center for Constitutional Rights
Amna Akbar, Esq. / assistant professor of law / The Ohio State University
[3] Finding Your Voice: Freedom in Law Firms
Room 1: Austin Classroom 101 East
Michelle Wimes, Esq. / director of professional development & inclusion / Ogletree Deakins (Kansas City)
Jomaire Crawford, Esq. / associate / Quinn Emanuel (New York)
Kwaku Akowua, Esq. / partner, supreme court and appellate group / Sidley Austin (Washington, D.C. )
Brandon Whittaker / associate / Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Room 2: Austin Classroom 111 West
Jennifer Bunting-Graden / associate / Jones Day (Atlanta)
- Alex Davis / associate / Sullivan Cromwell (New York)
Kendall Enyard / hiring partner / Steptoe & Johnson LLP
Everson Ladson / associate / Cleary Gottlieb (New York)
Saturday Evening Agenda
Keynote Dinner / Sheraton Commander / 7 PM
16 Garden St, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
Speaker: umi selah / mission director / Dream Defenders
Black “Lituation” (After Party) / Savvor / Immediately Following Keynote Dinner
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Friday Youth Summit Agenda
10 AM / Harvard Law Tours: Meet at Wasserstein Hall, 1585 Massachusetts Ave
11 AM / Lunch: Ames Courtroom in Austin Hall
Noon / Black Media, Pain, and Imagination Panel: Ames Courtroom
1 PM / Organizing Workshop: From Tweets to the Streets: Ames Courtroom
3 PM / Presentations and Close
*Itinerary may be subject to change