CLASSACT NEWS

ClassACT, as part of its Justice & Civic Engagement Initiative, hosts this examination of one of the hot-button issues of our time: understanding racism in the criminal system and ending mass incarceration and police abuse of BIPOC communities. The panel has voices deeply familiar with community activism, prosecution, policing and public defense. Panelists include Rick Jones, Executive Director of JusticeAid’s 2021 grantee partner, NDS PACE; Gina Clayton-Johnson, Executive Director & Founder, Essie Justice Group (JusticeAid grantee partner in 2018); Christy E. Lopez, Law Professor, co-leader of the Innovative Policing Program at Georgetown Law; and Jason Williams, newly elected Orleans Parish District Attorney and former City Council President, New Orleans, La. Classmate Sylvester Monroe, former Washington Post journalist and author, will serve as the moderator. Each year, JusticeAid, a ClassACT multi-year sustained collaborative partner, shines a spotlight on timely issues related to civil and human rights. “Following the events of 2020, police accountability and community empowerment demand a national conversation," explains JusticeAid co-Founder & CEO, our classmate, Steve Milliken. "This year we are raising money to support the expansion of NDS PACE, which is working on the front lines to address these issues." To prepare our audience for this important conversation, we reached out to Steve, who connected us to Rick Jones, who heads the NDS PACE program (Police Accountability/Community Empowerment). Classmate Dick Friedman interviewed him for this article.

Rick Jones Rick promises that attendees will get a thorough look at the state of justice—and injustice. “This is an opportunity for folks to hear from a good mix of people all along the spectrum of the criminal legal system,” he says. “It’s an opportunity to do a deep dive on the state of policing in America, and also a way to understand how communities can take a more proactive role and be empowered in terms of self-determination and figuring out how they want to have public safety operate in their communities, all of which are the hallmarks of the NDS PACE program.” Jones sees JusticeAid’s support of NDS PACE as a worthy follow-up to JusticeAid's focus on voter suppression in 2020. “JusticeAid was right on the money last year to be supporting election protection,” he says. "To see how dramatically important that protection was, particularly in a place like Georgia—we’re already seeing the manifestations of this.” He also points to how 2020 “really changed the landscape in lots of different ways. It really underscored the inequities, the disparities, the injustices. If you look at the communities that were the most heavily impacted by COVID, they were primarily communities of color and communities that were poor. The year 2020 and the pandemic really put a spotlight on the injustices of our society and of the legal system.” In fact, there was a synergistic effect—a deadly one. Says Jones: “If you’re arrested and you’re poor and you’re black, the likelihood is that you’re going to have bail set on you and the likelihood is that you’re going to be unable to make that bail. Because of the situations in jail and your inability to protect yourself from that virus, it might very well be a death sentence. So we really began thinking about the business of compassionate release, how to safely take people out of the prisons and prevent prisons from being super spreader sites.” With this year’s initiative, JusticeAid is returning to its roots in public defense. “NDS has always been about realizing and maximizing the underutilized and undervalued power of public defenders,” says Jones. “I think we have a different landscape now. You wouldn’t have the problems we have now if you had a strong and robust public defense program from the beginning. Prosecutors and police have been able to roam unfiltered and unfettered. Now with the NDS PACE program, we can try dismantling those systems in our society that perpetuate these inequalities.” What does Jones seek from ClassACT? “Time and treasure!” He responds. “For us to be successful, we need to have the resources. This is a 10-year, $10 million enterprise. Plus, we need people who have particular connections and specific talents—[especially] those who can help us strategize and plan.”

Tuesday, February 23, 6:00 - 7:15 pm EST

Please join the HR class of 1979 for a conversation with HR79 classmate Ray McGuire (and HBS/HLS 84), moderated by NPR’s Michel Martin, HR80, and learn about Ray’s life so far and why he’s running for “the second toughest job in America.”

The conversation will focus on Ray’s journey through Harvard and its impact on his career. Along with looking back at his career highlights, they will explore the personal reflections that led him to decide to enter public service and run for mayor. Award-winning journalist and weekend host of NPR’s All Things Considered Michel Martin will guide us through this discussion, which will include a Q&A with attendees.

Click here for more information: https://www.classacthr79.org/McGuire_and_Martin

Spend an evening with bestselling authors Evan Thomas '73 and Oscie Thomas.

Their talk will be followed by personal reflections from two of Justice O'Connor's former judicial clerks: Ivan K. Fong, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary 3M; and Lisa Kern Griffin, Candace M. Carroll and Leonard B. Simon Professor of Law, Duke University.

Evan Thomas is one of the most respected historians and journalists writing today. He is the bestselling author of ten works of nonfiction including the New York Times bestsellers John Paul Jones, Sea of Thunder, and Being Nixon. Thomas was a writer, correspondent, and editor for 33 years at Time and Newsweek. Thomas will be in conversation with his wife, Oscie Thomas, a legal professional and a frequent collaborator with her husband on his books over the years.

Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/1298340887198817

Did you miss the symposium on Benazir Bhutto in December? Click below for highlights from the interactive session organized by the Alumnae-i Network for Harvard Women (ANHW) Pakistan in partnership with #CourtingTheLaw. The session features reflections from speakers who have either personally known Benazir Bhutto or studied and written about her life’s work.

Click here

ClassACT HR73 is pleased to announce two great events taking place in December.

1. Remembering Benazir Bhutto: Lessons in Resilience, Democracy, and Leadership

The first, on Saturday, December 12 at 9am EST, features former Benazir Bhutto Leadership Program Fellow, Natasha Jehangir Khan, as co-moderator, and HR73 classmate Peter Galbraith, as a member of the panel.

To join, please register at anhwlahoresecretary@gmail.com

Co-sponsors: Harvard Law School Women’s Law Association, ClassACT HR’73

Media Partners: Courting the Law

Optional Resource Materials:

● Benazir Bhutto’s biography and interview by the Academy of Achievement

● Benazir Bhutto: Paying the Ultimate Price (Podcast) 

● Benazir Bhutto’s interview on “Rendevouz with Simi Grewal” 

● Obituary by the NY Times

2. ClassACT HR85 Presents:

Healing American Democracy: A Conversation with Michael Abramowitz, ’85, president of Freedom House

Tuesday, December 15, 8pm EST

For the second, the ClassACT HR73 Justice and Civic Engagement Initiative is proud to promote this forum presented by ClassACT HR85.

Register here

The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 seemed to mark the triumph of democracy. Yet, three decades later, democratic governance is declining around the globe. Shockingly to many, recent events have called into question the security and vibrancy of American democracy as well.

ClassACT HR85 welcomes fellow alumni to join us in exploring the issue of democracy protection. To launch our initiative into this vital and timely issue, we are excited to announce an upcoming online event: “Healing American Democracy: A Conversation with Michael Abramowitz, ’85, president of Freedom House.” The event will take place on Tuesday, December 15 @8:00 PM EST.

Freedom House was founded in 1941 to advocate for American participation in World War II and the fight against fascism. Since 1973, Freedom House has been assessing levels of democracy in every country around the globe in its annual report Freedom in the World. Michael Abramowitz has been the president of Freedom House since 2017.

This online event will consist of a moderated conversation between Michael and David Schanzer, ’85, followed by an open discussion on democracy protection and ways private citizens can work towards securing American democracy.

Preregistration for the event is required. Please join us here.

ClassACT HR85 uses the communications platform – Shindig. Anyone that would appreciate some assistance navigating the Shindig platform is encouraged to log on at 7:45pm.

We are partnering again this year with Sue Press in the Treme neighborhood of New Orleans in her annual winter coat giveaway to neighborhood children. We made a wish list on Amazon for Sue here.  You can order coats from the list until December 14th. Please make sure to specify Sue's address for delivery. It is included in the wish list, and just in case, it is: Sue L. Press The Ole & Nu Style Fellas Social Aid & Pleasure Organization 1830 Dumaine Street  New Orleans, LA  70116 (504-905-9086); e-mail ttmillerj77@gmail.com

THE OLE & NU STYLE FELLAS SOCIAL AID & PLEASURE ORGANIZATION The Ole & Nu Style Fellas Social Aid & Pleasure Organization was established in 1997 to contribute to the community culture known as “Second Line.”  “Second Liners” are best described as an organized group which follows brass bands onto the streets of our wonderful city of New Orleans.  Children hold our future in their hands, so we must prepare them for every aspect of becoming responsible adults.We believe that education is the key to freedom and progress; without it, our future is lost.

THE GRACE OF GOD & THE MAN MACHINE A BLACK LIVES MATTERS PLAY JOCUNDA FESTIVAL

Jocunda Festival presents the award-winning playwright (and HR'73 classmate!) Robert Bowie Jr.’s Black Lives Matter play, THE GRACE OF GOD & THE MAN MACHINE, formally known as “ONAJE”, will appear on Sunday, October 25th at 8:00 p.m. EST on Zoom. Donations are $15.00. A Q&A with the playwright, director, actors and audience will follow led by Van Dirk Fisher, the director and founder of the Riant Theatre.

For tickets register in advance for this webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_nS9PhZTyTMimDacMyxCCeA

Join JusticeAid and music artists Rosanne Cash, Tom Morello, Regina Carter, Lila Downs, and Ivan Neville to rock for justice and voting rights in JusticeAid’s fall concert VOICES TO PROTECT THE VOTE. 100% of any money raised during the concert will go to support JusticeAid’s 2020 grantee-partner Election Protection, and their work fighting voter suppression and guaranteeing every American of voting age has access to the polls on November 3rd.

The concert will be live streamed on JusticeAid’s YouTube and Facebook  channels.

Tune in. Have fun. Make a difference.

Hitler. Mussolini. Hirohito. Totalitarian dictators whose names and ideologies are trapped in the pages of 20^th century history lessons – or are they? Is it possible their ideas and policies are taking root in America right now, at a frighteningly rapid pace?

Authoritarianism, illiberalism, nationalism, fascism: these words appear with alarming frequency in editorials, analyses, and popular articles in 2020. What are the shades of meaning among them? How do they play out in the politics of our time? What can we learn from recent history to help us understand and combat a darker future than many would wish to see?

Moderator A'Lelia Bundles ’74, award-winning journalist, writer and historian, will lead our outstanding panelists William Kristol ’73, political analyst; Nadine Strossen ’72, J.D. ’75, the first female President of the ACLU; and Dr. Chad Williams, RI ’17, Chair of African and African American Studies, Brandeis University, in a wide-ranging and provocative conversation.

Join us October 20 for this eye-opening discussion of fascism and its very real presence in our country’s past, present, and possibly its future.

To sign up, click here.

Given the challenges with Covid-19 and all the misinformation about voting in the upcoming election, everyone we talk with wants to do something other than sit around and complain. Well, here’s your chance!

ClassACT HR73 and JusticeAid have teamed up to provide you with opportunities to make a difference.

1. JusticeAid Film Forum, September 17^th, 7pm  

• https://justiceaid.org/film-forum/

• Cross platform live stream, screening JusticeAid Prize winners in documentary & social media, meet youth film makers. Special appearances: Jason Hehir/ Director The Last Dance; Kimberley Martin reporter ESPN. Live link to share to come.  (links to 2 finalists below.)

• Democracy Must Be Learned  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6VoCzt9GNQ
• You Need to Vote https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yNRP1CPqD0&feature=emb_title

• A rockin’ for Justice virtual concert featuring Grammy award winner Rosanne Cash;  multi-instrumentalist Ivan Neville;  musician, songwriter activist Tom Morello; and others. 

• Hot line for lawyers, 866- OUR-VOTE UPDATE - if you have legal experience, contact Ryan O’Connell
• Link to volunteer as poll monitor https://protectthevote.net/