Law Firm Antiracism Alliance Inc

FROM ITS FIRST DAYS IN THE SUMMER OF 2020, THE LFAA RECOGNIZED THE NECESSITY OF ESTABLISHING STRONG CONNECTIONS WITH LEGAL SERVICES PROVIDERS IN EACH REGION OF THE NATION. THESE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN WORKING IN THE FIELD OF POVERTY LAW AND CIVIL RIGHTS, WITH VARYING DEGREES OF EXPLICIT FOCUS ON THE RACIAL JUSTICE ASPECT OF THEIR WORK. OVER A 6-MONTH PERIOD, WE CONVENED NUMEROUS REGIONAL MEETINGS WITH LEGAL SERVICES PROVIDERS TO INTRODUCE THE LFAA, EXPLAIN OUR MISSION, AND TO SEEK INPUT FROM THE NGOS ABOUT THEIR OWN ANTIRACIAL EFFORTS AND THEIR THOUGHTS ABOUT WORK TO BE DONE. AS AN ONGOING PROGRAM, LFAA OFFERS PERIODIC SUMMITS TO BRING TOGETHER OUR ALLIANCE FIRMS FOR STRATEGIC DISCUSSIONS MODERATED BY EXPERTS ABOUT ANTIRACISM PRINCIPLES AND CRITICAL ISSUES RELATED TO SYSTEMIC RACISM AND RACIAL EQUITY. SUMMITS PROVIDE ALLIANCE FIRMS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN FROM LEGAL SERVICES ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITY-BASED NONPROFITS, POLICY MAKERS, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.LFAA'S INAUGURAL SUMMIT WAS HOSTED ON JULY 29 AND 30, 2020. RACIAL JUSTICE EXPERTS PROVIDED A FOUNDATION AROUND ANTIRACISM PRINCIPLES AND HELPED DEEPEN PARTICIPANTS' UNDERSTANDING OF INTERSECTING COMPONENTS OF SYSTEMS THAT CREATE AND PERPETUATE DISADVANTAGES FOR BLACK COMMUNITIES AND OTHER COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, WHILE ADVANTAGING WHITE INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES. OVER 500 LAW FIRM PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED.FOLLOWING THE INAUGURAL SUMMIT, LFAA CONVENED OVER 600 LAW FIRM PARTICIPANTS IN OCTOBER 2020 FOR OUR SECOND SUMMIT. AT THIS TWO-DAY SUMMIT, MORE THAN 70 EXPERTS LED SESSIONS ON VARIOUS SUBSTANTIVE ISSUE AREAS THAT LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR OUR SYSTEMIC RACISM LEGAL INVENTORY, WHICH CATALOGUES RESEARCH ON THE LAWS, RULES, REGULATIONS, AND POLICIES THAT HELP SUSTAIN SYSTEMIC RACISM.