Estimad@s Amig@s / Dear Friends:

Bienvenid@s! Welcome! The NEPOC Planning Committee is very excited to announce that the 2013 NEPOC Legal Scholarship Conference will be hosted by the University of Puerto Rico School of Law on December 5-8, 2013. This is a particularly special time and venue as the UPR Law School is celebrating its100th anniversary this year.

This year's conference theme is "Defining Vice: Evolving Standards of Morality, Law and Governance." Vice has been around as long as humans have and comes in many forms in all communities. Puerto Rico and many other states and territories are currently struggling to deal with the legal governance of drugs, gambling, guns and violence, human trafficking, hate and fear mongering and numerous other human vices.

Please join us as we take a deeper look at the growing number of casinos and other gaming outlets, the debate over gun control, the legalization of marihuana, the changing attitudes about homophobia and misogyny, prostitution and pornography and their particular significance for people of color. We will also host special panels on the issue of Puerto Rico’s status and other situations facing Puerto Rico. This will be a very exciting conference and aims to be academically stimulating and also intimate, relaxing and family friendly.

As you review your travel budget for this year, know that there are many reasonably priced flights from the mainland US to Puerto Rico, and we have secured accommodations at the beautiful Caribe Hilton Hotel at a discounted rate of $145 plus tax. Car rentals are as low as $21.95 per day and there will be free shuttle service to and from the UPR Law School.

If you are interested in participating in the conference, please submit a proposal as guided in our online Call for Papers.

The 2013 NEPOC Legal Scholarship Conference is organized through the collaborative efforts of University of Puerto Rico School of Law and the NEPOC Planning Committee, which is composed of law professors of color at many different law schools and colleges in the country. If you have any questions about the conference, please contact Professor Elaine Chiu.

We look forward to seeing you all in Puerto Rico!