Events

The Center for Law and Social Justice at Medgar Evers College (CLSJ) is New York State’s only racial justice law center with an explicit mandate to advocate on behalf of New Yorkers of African descent and the disenfranchised. As part of our racial justice advocacy initiatives, CLSJ worked in conjunction with Educated Voter, the Medgar Evers College Public Administration Department (ranked 8th in the nation!) and the DuBois Bunche Center for Public Policy at Medgar Evers College  to develop a training program for newly elected leaders in the New York City Council to understand how to more effectively represent the specific needs and concerns of Black New Yorkers.

This 2-day session is designed to ensure that newly elected NYC Council Members are aware of how structural inequities can be managed such that the most vulnerable New Yorkers are equitably represented.

The February 4th Session will cover the following topics:

• Session A: The NYC Racial Justice Commission Explained: Cultivating a Racial Justice Lens for Leadership
  • Presenter: Lurie Daniel Favors, Executive Director, Center for Law and Social Justice & Commissioner, NYC Racial Justice Commission
• Session B: Culturally Responsive Constituent Services & Agency Oversight
  • Presenter: Nicole Yearwood, Founder Educated Voter
• Session C: People of African Descent in New York City: A Communities of Interest Report
  • Presenter: Zulema Blair, PhD, Chair, Public Administration Department, Medgar Evers College
• Session D: Council Finance and City Budgeting
  • Presenter: John H. Banks, REBNY President Emeritus

For many New Yorkers, the legislative process is one that contains the promise of effective governance forging a path towards a more just and equitable distribution of resources and political power.

Unfortunately, as noted by the New York City Racial Justice Commission, for Black New Yorkers, the legislative process is also replete with “…structural and institutional laws, regulations, policies, and practices that by design, implementation, or impact, enable and perpetuate inequitable power, access and opportunity.”

The “inequitable power, access and opportunity” noted by the Racial Justice Commission, is distributed or withheld based on race.

For Black New Yorkers, it does not matter if this City Council is one of the most diverse or representative in history. Unless city council members are specifically prepared to navigate the inherent structural inequities built into the legislative process, the diversity of the council – and the potential it represents – will fail to translate into meaningful and substantive change for the New Yorkers who need it most. Legislators must understand the institutional and structural challenges facing Black New Yorkers and other communities of color in order to effectively mitigate these factors in their work. This 2-day program is designed to do just that. For more information, visit the eventbrite link here.

The Center for Law and Social Justice at Medgar Evers College (CLSJ) is New York State’s only racial justice law center with an explicit mandate to advocate on behalf of New Yorkers of African descent and the disenfranchised. As part of our racial justice advocacy initiatives, CLSJ worked in conjunction with Educated Voter, the Medgar Evers College Public Administration Department (ranked 8th in the nation!) and the DuBois Bunche Center for Public Policy at Medgar Evers College  to develop a training program for newly elected leaders in the New York City Council to understand how to more effectively represent the specific needs and concerns of Black New Yorkers.

This 2-day session is designed to ensure that newly elected NYC Council Members are aware of how structural inequities can be managed such that the most vulnerable New Yorkers are equitably represented.

The February 11th Session will cover the following topics (click here to see the presentation agenda for the Feb 4 session):

• Session A: Legislative Calendar Management
• Session B: Culturally Responsive Land Use
• Session C: Council Finance and Community Based Organizations
• Session D: City Redistricting and the Impact on Vulnerable New Yorkers

For many New Yorkers, the legislative process is one that contains the promise of effective governance forging a path towards a more just and equitable distribution of resources and political power.

Unfortunately, as noted by the New York City Racial Justice Commission, for Black New Yorkers, the legislative process is also replete with “…structural and institutional laws, regulations, policies, and practices that by design, implementation, or impact, enable and perpetuate inequitable power, access and opportunity.”

The “inequitable power, access and opportunity” noted by the Racial Justice Commission, is distributed or withheld based on race.

For Black New Yorkers, it does not matter if this City Council is one of the most diverse or representative in history. Unless city council members are specifically prepared to navigate the inherent structural inequities built into the legislative process, the diversity of the council – and the potential it represents – will fail to translate into meaningful and substantive change for the New Yorkers who need it most. Legislators must understand the institutional and structural challenges facing Black New Yorkers and other communities of color in order to effectively mitigate these factors in their work. This 2-day program is designed to do just that. For more information, visit the eventbrite link here.

In the 2020 census, approximately 33 million people (around one in 10) responded that they identify as more than one race. With multi-racial Americans now the fastest growing demographic, what are the implications for New York City and beyond as we move past an easily compartmentalized view of race? How does this affect political representation, the notion of a majority-minority society, and the American psyche as we continue to combat racism?

Featuring: Richard Alba, distinguished professor of sociology at the CUNY Graduate Center and author of The Great Demographic Illusion: Majority, Minority, and the Expanding American Mainstream; Jenifer Bratter, professor of sociology at Rice University and co-editor of Unmaking Race; Lurie Daniel Favors, executive director at the Center for Law and Social Justice at Medgar Evers College and host of The Lurie Daniel Favors Show on Sirius XM’s Urban View; and Michael Li, senior counsel for the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, NYU School of Law. Moderated by John Mollenkopf, distinguished professor of political science and sociology and director of the Center for Urban Research at the CUNY Graduate Center.

Presented with the Center for Urban Research.

Black Caucus of the NYS Public Employees Federation BHM presents: Protecting Our Democracy

Program Agenda:

6:00 Welcome by President Carrie Saunders

6:10 Address by President Wayne Spence

6:30 State Senator Zellnor Myrie

​7:00 Ms. Lurie Daniel Favors Presentation

7:30 Tribute to The Late Congressman John Lewis

Closing Statement by President Carrie Saunders.

Please contact program organizers directly for additional information.

CLSJ Executive Director Lurie Daniel Favors will provide the key note address for this dynamic conference which takes a deep dive into the role that social JUSTICE plays in social WORK.

Who voted? Who won? What’s next?

Join us to build community and political power together!

The first round of NY primaries is over. Our work isn’t done after we cast our vote, and it’s more important than ever to stay engaged in the civic process. Are you ready for what comes next? The Center for Law and Social Justice will host a virtual workshop on July 12 to review this primary election and how these elections affect our communities. We will discuss voter engagement strategies and how redistricting, party nominations, and more will play a role in the 2022 election process.

Racial Justice, Climate Justice & so much more are on the ballot this election!

On November 8th, NYC voters will have the opportunity to vote on four ballot proposals: one related to climate justice and three that address racial justice in our city government. Your votes will have a direct impact on the functioning of NYC & NYS government.

If New Yorkers vote the three racial justice ballot initiatives into law this November – it will require every NYC agency to embrace a racial justice framework. Join the Center for Law & Social Justice “Our Future, Our Vote” Voting Rights & Education Campaign as we kick off our Workshop Wednesdays Series at 7pm on October 5th with a breakdown of what ballot proposals are and what these specific 2022 ballot proposals can mean for OUR FUTURE with the power of OUR VOTE! To attend the workshop, sign up through this link and we will do our part to get you everything you need to be #VoteReady this election!