Rule of Law & Due Process: How the legal system can ensure fairness and protect civil rights
This priority area invites content and conversation around the work people do, both in and outside of court systems, every day to ensure fairness and protect our rights. This includes work by advocates, organizers, unions, teachers, social workers, justice workers, clergy, lawyers, judges, and more. Sessions should help us unpack concepts such as notice, rule of law, due process, and separation of powers. Presenters should engage the audience in discussions about how advocates work to ensure these principles are protected in daily life activities.
The following prompts (and examples of session topics) are offered as a guiding inspiration; original proposals related to this priority area are welcome.
- How do people learn about and exercise their legal rights? (E.g. history and future of right to counsel; Miranda warnings; role of inspectors general, community justice workers, tenant unions; building resilience; interdisciplinary practices; immigration & criminal defense)
- What are barriers and opportunities in our legal system? (E.g. public safety with defense-minded prosecutors; privatization of prisons; regulatory reform; supporting clients/witnesses amidst fear of immigration enforcement; use of technology)
- What lessons can we learn from history, experience and legal precedent? (E.g. how court data can help/hinder fairness in sentencing, eviction, etc.; Obergefell and the future of LGBTQ+ rights; Korematsu and immigration policy; Goldberg v. Kelly and due process in administrative proceedings; Students for Fair Admissions and DOJ priorities)
Government Programs & Funding: How federal, state, tribal, and local governments do (and do not) work for people
This priority area invites content and conversation around the ways various levels of government directly and indirectly provide programs and services to help people in communities. Attendees should develop a deeper understanding of the myriad of ways local, tribal, state, and federal government resources impact daily life. Sessions should also explore the risks to communities created by cuts to funding and reductions in force. Presenters should engage audience members in strategizing around problems and sharing creative solutions.
The following prompts (and examples of session topics) are offered as a guiding inspiration; original proposals related to this priority area are welcome.
- What to know about the social safety net: past, present, and future (E.g. changes to Medicaid and legal aid intake; work requirements; SNAP changes, housing crisis; reentry services)
- Exploring the intersection of government funding and legal / community services (e.g. scenario planning; funding indigent defense; creative revenue sources; role of philanthropy; changes to block grants, assessing new terms and conditions; engaging volunteers; shifting priorities for board members)
- What is the future of public safety and public education? (E.g. victim services; criminalization of homelessness; changes to immigration laws; reductions in force at Department of education; school vouchers)
Expanding the Narrative: Recognizing, reclaiming and respecting different voices
This priority area invites content and conversation around the ways information is shared, who is listening, and who has the opportunity to speak. Increasingly, we hear different, sometimes conflicting messages about the same topic in the media and in public discourse. Additionally, we are flooded by information on social media, via email, online, and on TV. Sessions should explore strategies for amplifying community voices and correcting misinformation in advocacy with people who cannot afford counsel. Presenters should engage the audience in discussion of successful examples, cautionary tales, and pursuing opportunities.
The following prompts (and examples of session topics) are offered as a guiding inspiration; original proposals related to this priority area are welcome.
- How can people speak up, literally and figuratively? (e.g. valuing lived experience, effective storytelling, building collective power, alternatives to “speaking” - art, music, dance, writing, participating, etc.)
- Making our voices heard: leveraging relationships and pursuing opportunities (e.g. using media in litigation; serving on boards, cultivating relationships, knowing your audience, understanding timing, unlikely allies)
- Telling the truth still matters (e.g. how to effectively correct the record, holding decision-makers accountable, amplifying the perspective of people with lived experience, myth versus fact)
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