LDF is proud to announce the inaugural cohort of the groundbreaking Marshall-Motley Scholars Program!
The program will endow the South with the next generation of civil rights lawyers trained to provide legal advocacy of unparalleled excellence. naacpldf.org/press-release/…
Born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, Ashley Fox has a profound passion for racial justice. The human cost of conditions for Black people – particularly in the South – results in Ashley’s commitment to pursuing the practice of civil rights law.
Briana Hayes derives much of her inspiration from childhood growing up in Baxley, Georgia, where she witnessed racism in her classroom as a child and how it negatively impacted so many students. This gave her the zeal that would catapult her passion for social change forever.
Dominique Erney is from Gainesville, Florida. As a student at Harvard University, she sought to educate herself thoroughly on the systemic and historic anti-Black racism in America and gain the skills to dismantle it to make room for a new world.
Kendell Long is a Dallas, Texas native. Growing up in a state with one of the highest incarceration rates in the country inspired his interest in criminal justice. Kendell’s commitment to racial justice stems from the belief that his existence is tied to his community.
Markus Reneau was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. February 6, 2012, marks a trifecta of hallmarks for Markus. It was the day that Trayvon Martin was murdered. It was Markus’s fifteenth birthday. And it was the start of his interest in civil rights litigation.
Maydrian Strozier-Lowe is a St. Louis, Missouri native. His enthusiasm for political involvement and voting rights activism grew after watching his parents encounter a legal system rife with inequities and lawyers who worked against their interests.
Princess Jefferson is from Houston, Texas. As a full-time student at Bryn Mawr College, Princess worked 30-hour weeks between 3-5 jobs to provide for her family in Houston. During this time, she continued to excel in her political science academic endeavors.
Shandrea Sellers is a Montgomery, Alabama, native and graduate of the University of Alabama. Determined to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline found in predominantly Black schools, Shandrea has served in many educational roles in Houston.
Traelon Rodgers is a Dallas, Texas, native with a remarkable history of civil justice advocacy. His first call to action came in the form of marching, lobbying, and protesting as he sought justice in response to the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
Victor Olofin is a South Florida native who graduated from Florida State University, where he studied political science. He plans to use a law degree to bring much needed change to the criminal justice system that disproportionately targets Black people in America.
.@Sifill_LDF underscores the importance of the Marshall-Motley Scholars Program:
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67 years ago, the #BrownvBoard decision completely transformed America. Litigated by LDF’s brilliant legal team that included Thurgood Marshall and Constance Baker Motley, this victory paved the way for the desegregation of American society. We owe so much to Brown. #OTD
The #BrownvBoard legal team featured civil rights heavyweights Thurgood Marshall and Constance Baker Motley. Each attorney on the case brought a unique background, but their shared determination was a unifying force. Learn more about their work. naacpldf.org/ldf-celebrates…
The testimonies and research of social scientists played a key role in the legal strategy behind Brown. Kenneth and Mamie Clark’s “Doll Test” was only part of Dr. Clark’s testimony in Brown, but it was incredibly influential. naacpldf.org/ldf-celebrates…
Today, President and Director-Counsel @Sifill_LDF will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the latest assault on voting rights. Our fundamental right to vote is sacred, and we need federal oversight to ensure its protection.
"Contrary to numerous news reports, the 2020 Election did not go smoothly. Instead, voters overcame a litany of barriers and obstacles with determination and resilience to produce the highest turnout ever recorded in a presidential election." --@Sifill_LDF
"Since January 7, state lawmakers in dozens of states have unleashed a wave of restrictive voter laws. According to @BrennanCenter, as of March 24, state legislators have introduced 361 bills with restrictive provisions in 47 states." --@Sifill_LDF
In her confirmation hearing today, @vanitaguptaCR showed the country exactly why she should be the next Associate Attorney General of the United States. Her commitment to equity and justice is what our nation needs at this time.
Here are some highlights from her testimony.
"I am deeply grateful & proud of my father & my mother. The ethical character of my parents & their love of this country, because it showed them enormous opportunities that they sought, but never expected to have. I hope every day that I can live a life to give them honor."
"As a life-long civil rights lawyer, I have committed my career to ensuring that the promises made in the Constitution are kept & that our federal laws are fairly & impartially applied. If confirmed, I will aggressively ensure that the DOJ is independent from partisan influence."
As an LDF attorney, she led the effort to overturn the wrongful convictions of Tulia residents. They were ultimately pardoned by Gov. Rick Perry and received a $6 million settlement, which Ms. Gupta also worked on. #ConfirmGupta
In 1999, more than 10% of Tulia, Texas’ Black population was arrested as the result of a drug “sting” conducted by a lone police officer with a troubled history in law enforcement. In a “sting” that yielded no money, no drugs, and no weapons, 38 Black residents were arrested.
Arrests were made on Tom Coleman's word - a lone undercover narcotics agent who used no surveillance video or audio as corroborating evidence. No second officer was present. The guilty verdicts piled up, with sentences ranging from 20 - 434 years. naacpldf.org/case-issue/bad…
"The heart of this is about accountability. The question remains, 'Will law enforcement officers be held accountable for their acts of brutality that result in death or harm to black people?'" -@Sifill_LDF
"We have to confront that we are facing a new normal, that Jan. 6th revealed to us the depth of the cracks in the foundation of our democracy...the truth and the reality of white supremacy as a political force in this country, and the need to confront it with power." -@Sifill_LDF
"This is the first commemoration of #BloodySunday without John Lewis. John Lewis was our moral compass, our North Star...He left us this past year, but he didn't leave us without directions & instructions. He told us to vote like never before. And we did." --@Sifill_LDF#Selma56
"That day...Georgia elected for the first time since Reconstruction a Black United States Senator, and GA also elected for the first time in its history a Jewish United States Senator...They are symbols of what we can do when we marshal our strength and determination to vote."
"What Black voters have faced for centuries, when white supremacists have found themselves to be losing power, was finally seen by the entire country on January sixth. And that means we have a lot more work to do than many people understood." --@Sifill_LDF