The Present and Future of Civil Rights Movements: Race and Reform in 21st Century America, Duke Law School
Duke Law School is hosting an incredible conference on the “The Present and Future of Civil Rights Movements: Race and Reform in 21st Century America.” I had the pleasure of participating on the opening plenary panel along with Professors Angela Onwuachi-Willig (organizer and moderator, Iowa), Walter Dellinger III (Duke), Karla F.C. Holloway (Duke), Ted Shaw (North Carolina), Rachel Moran (UCLA), and Madhavi Sunder (UC Davis). (Madhavi’s remarks are encapsulated here). Our panel offered reflections on the present and future of the civil rights movement, with a wide variety of contrasting and interesting perspectives. As one might expect, my remarks touched on immigration reform as well as the need to take care to build coalitions, be wary of bargaining away too much, and take care not to sacrifice the interests of the most vulnerable in the community.
The second plenary panel discussed trends in immigration law and policy. Professor Cristina Rodriguez (Yale) led a wonderful discussion with Professors Leisy Abrego (UCLA), Jennifer M. Chacón (UC Irvine), Robin Lenhardt (Fordham), and Hiroshi Motomura and activists Alejandra Gomez (Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA)) and Mariaelena Hincapie (National Immigration Law Center). The discussion was an energizing blend of the thoughts if scholars and grass roots activists.
This afternoon, there is a first rate concurrent panel on racism and immigration law and policy. Professor Margareth Etienne (Illinois) will moderate an exchange of ideas among Professors Daniel Morales (DePaul), Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancic (Alabama), and Laura Lopez-Sanchez (North Carolina) and a senior Federal Public Defender Natasha Silas.
There is an incredible amount of energy and enthusiasm at the conference, especially given the national dialogue currently underway about racism on our college campuses and in the nation’s criminal justice system. A full house of students, faculty, and community members are attending the conference. All are indebted to the organizers, Professors Trina Jones (Duke), Angela Onwuachi-Willig (Iowa), and Guy Uriel-Charles (Duke).
KJ