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Spring Conference

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)

  1. 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

__________________________

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

Email: hblsaspringconferencecommittee@gmail.com 

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