Events Calendar - Month View

Judge Debra Walker and Kendra Abercrombie (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager for the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism) through the University of Illinois College of Law present, "We Have to Talk: Navigating Challenging Conversations About Diversity."

Having difficult conversations about diversity in the workplace can be challenging. Compared to a year ago, 82% of lawyers reported they had conversations with colleagues about racial justice more or much more often than years before. In this course, participants will learn how to approach these conversations head-on. Participants will engage in techniques to interrupt microaggressions and develop strategies that will help them navigate challenging conversations around culturally sensitive topics. Those outfitted with these skills can serve as a better ally while working to recognize and eliminate bias in the legal profession.

This course will be submitted for 1.0 hour of ILLINOIS Professional Responsibility (Diversity and Inclusion) CLE credit.

Loyola University Chicago Law School and the Catholic Criminal Justice Reform Network present a discussion of The Rage of Innocence: How America Criminalizes Black Youth with author and Professor Kris Henning in conversation with Pulitzer Prize winning author of Locking Up Our Own, Professor James Forman, Jr.

In January 2019, Pope Francis told the detainees at a Panamanian youth prison: “You are part of [God’s] family; you have a lot to share with others.” A fruitful society, he said, “is able to generate processes of inclusion and integration, of caring and trying to create opportunities and alternatives that can offer new possibilities to the young, to build a future through community, education and employment. Such a community is healthy.” Unfortunately, our communities fail to offer a healthy, inclusive, and caring environment for court-involved youth--particularly youth of color--as Professor Kris Henning dramatically reveals.

In a searing and clear indictment of the juvenile and criminal legal system, Kris Henning draws on her 25 years of representing young people accused of crimes to show the day-to-day brutalities endured by Black youth growing up under constant surveillance and persistent threat of physical and psychological abuse by police. Join Profs. Henning and Forman in a discussion of her critical and timely new book. Participants can attend in person or online.

Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts and the Chicago Council of Lawyers work together in a Collaboration for Justice to promote fair, accessible, and anti-racist courts. This year they are presenting an online series focused on identifying and fighting hidden injustices.

This event will feature two keynote speakers: first, Illinois Attorney General, Kwame Raoul will discuss what the judicial, legislative, and executive responsibilities are in eliminating disparities and improving the Illinois Courts; then, Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, Honorable Anne Burke, will discuss judicial redistricting in Illinois, the Illinois Supreme Court’s new centralized approach to pretrial programs, and what the judiciary can do to help ensure accessible justice for all.

Over 94% of people inside of women’s prisons have experienced gender-based violence. Yet all-too-often they are left out of conversations about domestic violence. The Women’s Justice Institute invites you to join survivors from Logan Prison as they present a series of performances and poetry they are writing and performing for Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

We will watch the premiere of their recorded performances and then hear from a panel of the performers, live from inside of the prison. We will also learn about upcoming legislation aimed at reducing punitive responses to survivors of gender-based violence.

This is a free event. However, in lieu of a ticket price, if you wish to support criminalized survivors, we encourage you to donate to this fundraiser. The funds will be divided between the authors/performers of the pieces and the WJI survival fund. You can donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/look-at-me-seeing-incarcerated-survivors

Please feel free to invite friends to attend this event. The performances are truly incredible. For questions, please contact alexis@womensjustice.net

During adolescence, youth are learning and adapting in ways that naturally take advantage of supportive relationships, environments, and experiences for growth and development. Unfortunately, the social systems that serve young people are seldom structured to provide the support they need for positive learning and adaptation. In particular, the experiences and impacts of anti-Black racism, both interpersonal and structural, can be amplified for Black youth during adolescence. In this webinar (targeted at all audiences, not specifically attorneys), the Hunt Institute in collaboration with the Center for the Developing Adolescent, participants will explore the interactions between adolescent development and anti-Black racism.