To mark the 67th anniversary of the #BrownvBoard decision, we're live with @TeensTakeCharge and civil rights activist @LeonaTate!

Special message: Yara Shahidi
Opening remarks: @SecCardona
Moderated by: @JNelsonLDF

Join us!
"Brown rejected 'separate but equal,' but the work to achieve true, lasting equity is far from over." --@SecCardona #BrownvBoard
"Brown represents the triumph of the rule of law over injustice, the triumph of brilliant lawyers and courageous clients over the systemic racism that is designed to keep them as second-class citizens...In many ways, it represents American democracy at its most noble moment."
WATCH: @LeonaTate describes the day she became one of the first students to desegregate an American public school.

"We didn't realize how confined we really were and how dangerous it could have been."
La'Toya Beecham, a @TeensTakeCharge member, discusses what drives her to speak out against education inequity.

"We have to call attention to this because it's putting you at a disadvantage, and you don't know about it, and it just really inspires me to advocate for change..."
"Segregation is a barrier, no matter how smart you are, no matter how much work you put in." -- Stephanie Pacheco
Leona Tate's advice to student activists: Whatever is out there and whatever it is that you're seeking to do, you can do it. Just don't let the negative stuff get in your way...Don't let anything hold you back.
La'Toya Beecham discusses how we make education more equitable.

"School is definitely about learning, but it's where you discover who you are...so it's about building around that and seeing how we can uplift those students to really become who they want to be."
What an honor to have Yara Shahidi close out our #BrownvBoard event by discussing the #MarshallMotleyScholars Program and introducing the inaugural cohort of scholars.

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More from @NAACP_LDF

19 May
Texas has a long history of singling out Black and Brown defendants for execution. It will add to that history if it executes Quintin Jones today as planned. (1/4) nytimes.com/2021/05/10/opi…
Texas’s failure to grant Mr. Jones’s petition for clemency raises serious questions of racial discrimination. In 2018, Governor Abbott granted clemency to Thomas Whitaker, a white man, in very similar circumstances. (2/4) texastribune.org/2018/02/22/tex…
Like Mr. Jones, Mr. Whitaker killed a member of his family, and the family opposed the execution. Unlike Mr. Whitaker, Mr. Jones is Black. The parole board recommended clemency for Mr. Whitaker and Gov. Abbott granted it—but not for Mr. Jones. (3/4)
Read 5 tweets
17 May
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.
Read 12 tweets
17 May
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…
Read 4 tweets
20 Apr
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.

Watch live: judiciary.senate.gov/meetings/jim-c…
"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
Read 6 tweets
10 Mar
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."
Read 5 tweets
9 Mar
Let’s talk about Vanita Gupta’s work in Tulia, TX

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…
Read 4 tweets

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