Economic Justice Summit

The Summit began with a morning welcome and overview from Section Chair Juan R. Thomas, GULC Dean William M. Treanor, and Georgetown University Law Center Professor Peter B. Edelman.

Congressman Al Green, a lifelong champion of civil rights, discusses his legislative priorities – the “Conscience Agenda,” which consists of five pieces of legislation dedicated to aiding in the elimination of invidious discrimination.

Experts on guaranteed income programs and policy provide an overview covering what is guaranteed income, how are programs implemented, and whether guaranteed income programs are reducing the racial wealth gap and increasing equity.

From policy advancement to implementation, this panel of experts from the federal and state levels discusses both the role of lawyers in advancing guaranteed income programs and how to influence policymakers to move beyond pilot programs.

This keynote shares research findings on promising policy ideas applicable to today’s most pressing problems facing people of color and people with low incomes and highlights recent policy successes.

This panel discusses trends and policy development in the debt collection space and will address the forthcoming Uniform Debt Collection Default Judgments Act and make consumers aware of assistance that may be available from legal aid organizations.

This panel explores hot topics and action steps lawyers and civil rights advocates can advance to reforming the tax system to ensure the wealth and corporations pay their fair share.

After welcome remarks from and introductions, we hear from Professor Dorothy Brown, author of 'The Whiteness of Wealth,' as she discusses the way the tax code has been used to create wealth disparities in America.

Day two of the Summit began with a morning welcome from Section Chair Juan R. Thomas and ABA President Deborah Enix-Ross, followed by a keynote from U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Deputy Director Zixta Q. Martinez.

This panel of expert legal professionals and policymakers addresses the long-term impacts of redlining on community development, housing, education and economic justice.

Dr. Darrick Hamilton and Section Chair Juan Thomas engage in a vibrant discussion of Dr. Hamilton’s vision for a more inclusion and just economy that acknowledges and accounts for as well as corrects historic and current civil wrongs.

This program explores the contemporary interconnection of race and wealth on the ground in American communities, and pathways forward to finally breaking the unholy bond between them.

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Demetria L. McCain discusses the recently proposed “Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing” Rule, and provides an update on other current critical economic justice issues.

Concluding the Economic Justice Summit, the final panel discusses the lessons we’ve learned from the two-day conference and what lawyers, advocates, students and anyone interested in making an impact on economic justice can do to help.