NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc.

"Our game at the state level and local levels needs to be aggressive. We need to mobilize. We need to organize. We need to understand every lever of power at state and local levels, and not to give up the fight at the federal level." - President and Director-Counsel of LDF, Janai Nelson

LDF — along with the NAACP, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, National Action Network, National Urban League, The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, and National Council of Negro Women, Inc. HQ — sent a letter to top lawmakers in Congress urging them to oppose H.R. 9495 — legislation that would give the secretary of the Department of the Treasury broad power to revoke the tax-exempt status of nonprofit organizations. The letter argues that, if passed, the bill could be weaponized to target racial justice organizations and protestors, which have long been targets of biased criminal investigations. https://lnkd.in/eBVrPbKV

On November 12, the Appellate Court of Maryland dismissed a lawsuit brought on behalf of families with children in Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPSS) challenging the State’s chronic failure to provide sufficient funding to ensure the city’s students receive an adequate education. The Court’s choice to dismiss this critical lawsuit is deeply disappointing and fails to acknowledge the substantial failure of the State Board of Education to ensure that Baltimore City Public Schools receive the funding and resources they need to adequately serve their students. https://lnkd.in/eSuTNa5f

No one deserves to be discriminated against because of their identity, or to be targeted with erasure and suppression because of their lived experiences. On this Transgender Day of Remembrance, we honor Rita Hester and all the Black trans people who've faced violence or discrimination for simply living their lives. Pulling on our deep knowledge of this nation’s history and LDF's body of work defending Black LGBTQ+ folks, we will continue challenging efforts to deny equality and justice to queer communities of color.

Join the next generation of civil rights lawyers dedicated to working in the South and apply to the Marshall-Motley Scholars Program! This five-year program invests in future lawyers prepared to advocate for Black communities in the South. Fellows are supported from law school to post-graduate, with a full scholarship for law school tuition, summer internships focused on racial justice, a two-year postgrad fellowship, and access to special training sponsored by LDF: https://lnkd.in/e72v5qfg

Join the next generation of civil rights lawyers dedicated to working in the South and apply to the Marshall-Motley Scholars Program! This five-year program invests in future lawyers prepared to advocate for Black communities in the South. Fellows are supported from law school to post-graduate, with a full scholarship for law school tuition, summer internships focused on racial justice, a two-year postgrad fellowship, and access to special training sponsored by LDF: https://lnkd.in/e72v5qfg

Those of us who see and feel the boundless potential of this radical American experiment still have the power to shape and transform it. At LDF, we will continue to honor our noble calling to fight for its future — together and unafraid.

The cost of a private law school education has grown by 175% since 1985. The Marshall-Motley Scholars Program is an intentional effort to address the racial and economic barriers that often deter students of color from pursuing a law degree. Apply now: https://lnkd.in/e72v5qfg

On September 23, 2024, a federal court judge in the NYPD stop-and-frisk and trespass enforcement cases published a detailed report that examined the NYPD’s disciplinary system for misconduct by uniformed officers. The Discipline Report reveals the many ways in which the NYPD fails to hold its officers accountable for misconduct during pedestrian stops, frisks, and searches. LDF and partners prepared a Summary of the Discipline Report highlighting key findings, issues, and recommendations described in more detail in the Report. LDF and The Legal Aid Society represent the plaintiffs in Davis v. City of New York, which challenges the NYPD’s discriminatory trespass stops and arrests of NYCHA residents and guests. Find the full Summary of the NYPD Discipline Report in our statement. https://lnkd.in/etKvfSg3

Congratulations to LDF Assistant Policy Counsel David Wheaton! We are so proud of his advocacy regarding issues like housing, water access, Black farming in the U.S., and more!