austinbar.org APRIL 2021 | VOLUME 30, NUMBER 3
Building Momentum for Upcoming Equity Summit The Inaugural Equity Summit Is Scheduled for May 14, 2021 BY CRAIG MOORE
O
ver the past year, the Austin Bar Association has hosted a variety of activities aimed at highlighting and promoting the need for more equity, diversity, and inclusion in the legal profession. The impetus to act in a meaningful way was shaped by our collective grief and outrage following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many others. The toxic rhetoric from our state and national leaders promoting racism and intolerance was also a motivating factor for us to do something. As lawyers, we should never sit on the sidelines and deliberately ignore acts of injustice. We decided to act. On June 3, 2020, the Austin Bar released a public statement advising that it “unequivocally condemns racism in all forms,” and that it will “lead our legal community in the pursuit of justice for all people.” Following this statement, the Austin Bar launched the 21-Day Racial Equity Habit-Building Challenge. From July 1 through July 29 (21 business days), Austin Bar members who accepted this challenge received daily
assignments of articles, podcasts, or videos designed to increase their awareness and engagement of issues in racial equality. The public statement, the 21-Day curriculum, and a list of antiracism resources were posted on the Austin Bar’s website and are still available at austinbar.org/ anti-racist-resources. Realizing the need to organize and pursue future programming, the Austin Bar formed the Equity Committee and announced the leadership team of Judge Maya Guerra Gamble, Judge George C. Thomas, former Texas Supreme Court Justice Craig Enoch, Cathy Garza, Mindy Gulati, Craig Moore, Ayeola Williams, Drew Williams, and Austin Bar President Kennon Wooten. Since then, more attorneys have joined and contributed to the committee’s efforts. Despite the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, members of the Equity Committee have hosted multiple events leading up to a day-long virtual Equity Summit scheduled for May 14, 2021. All of the events have been free and open to the public. In October, the Equity Committee hosted a virtual
EQUITY SUMMIT Fri. May 14, 2021 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Register at austinbar.org to receive the Zoom link. Registration is free. Open to the public. All are invited to attend.
viewing party and discussion of the award-winning documentary “13th,“ directed by Ava DuVernay. The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolished slavery in this country with one exception, as criminal punishment for a person that has been “duly convicted.” This documentary explored the links between slavery, racism, and the mass incarceration of African Americans since the Civil War. In November, the Equity Committee hosted a virtual book club discussion on “So
You Want to Talk about Race?” by Ijeoma Oluo. After taking a break for the holidays, the Equity Committee led another virtual book club discussion on “How to Be an Anti-Racist” by Ibram X. Kendi. The Equity Committee actively encouraged participants to purchase their books from Black Pearl Books, a Black-owned independent bookstore in Austin. The viewing party and book club discussions were facilitated by members of the Equity Comcontinued on page 8