Border Patrols: The Legal, Racial,
Social and Economic Implications of United States Immigration
Policy (2012) The RHB Center and the Journal of
Civil Rights and Economic Development hosted this full-day
symposium which offered a multi-disciplinary exploration of
immigration reform that was thoughtful, intellectually rigorous and
provocative. Panelists explained how immigration has changed the
demographics of the U.S., examined the laws, processes, and social
factors that affect immigrants, and analyzed and evaluated the
constitutionality of recent state immigration laws.
Opening Doors: Making Diversity Matter
in Law School Admissions (2011) The RHB Center hosted and
co-sponsored this engaging day-long event which drew over 80
people, including law school deans and admissions officers, bar
association members, St. John's Law students and faculty members.
Panels addressed the lack of diversity in legal education and the
number of college students of color applying to and gaining
admission to law school. The day after the Symposium, The Center
hosted its third annual
Diversity Day and Admissions Fair, which was keynoted by
Congressman Charles B. Rangel ’60.
Legal, Secular, and Religious Perspectives on Marriage
Equality/Marriage Protection/Same-Sex Marriage (2010) The RHB
Center and the Journal of
Civil Rights and Economic Development hosted this timely and
important symposium. Expert panelists from across the country
offered an introduction to the same-sex marriage topic, as
well as discussions on law and religion perspectives of marriage
protection/marriage equality, constitutional issues related to
same-sex marriage, the Proposition 8 case (Perry v.
Schwarzenegger), and the New York same-sex marriage bill that
failed to pass in 2009. The featured speakers included Bob Barr,
former Congressman, 2008 Libertarian Presidential Candidate, and
author of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA); Ian Ayres, the
William K. Townsend Professor of Law at Yale Law School; and Fr.
Robert Araujo, the John Courtney Murray S.J. University Professor
at Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
The Fall of the Economy: How New York Can Rise to the Challenge
(2010) Hosted by The RHB Center and the Journal of
Civil Rights and Economic Development, this symposium fostered
a discussion about business social responsibility, government
bailouts of big business and the mortgage foreclosure crisis. As a
backdrop, the panels explored the economic inequities in the United
States, and in New York City, that predated the recent economic
crisis and have been exacerbated by the biggest economic collapse
since the Great Depression.
40th Anniversary of Ronald H. Brown’s Graduation from St. John’s
School of Law (2009) This two-day symposium celebrated the 40th
Anniversary of Ronald H. Brown’s law school graduation and
honored his legal career by showcasing The RHB Center’s
scholarship and programs. The first day of the symposium featured
scholarly presentations by St. John’s law faculty on modern
adaptations of issues of racial, social, economic justice. The
second day of the symposium featured national experts who explored
ways to increase diversity in the legal profession. In addition,
the symposium featured testimonials by students who completed The
RHB Center’s signature pipeline programs—The Ronald H. Brown Prep
Program for College Students and the Legal Outreach Program for
high school students.
America’s New Class
Warfare (2009) This conference, co-sponsored with the Northeast
People of Color (NEPOC) at the University at Buffalo Law School,
explored scrutiny of the wealthy and, in particular, of the people
commanding the heights of corporate America, in the wake of the
financial meltdown of 2008. Participants addressed an array of
timely and thought-provoking questions, including whether this
scrutiny constitutes class warfare and if the invisibility of the
wealthy is ever warranted given the economic and social power they
command, including the power to shape law. They also considered
what role the law plays in shaping the structures, power,
interests, resource uses, individual and group identities and
distributions of wealth and recovery.
Thinking
Outside the Box: New Challenges and New Approaches to Domestic
Violence (2009) At this symposium, hosted with the Journal of
Legal Commentary, established scholars and activists and new
upcoming voices joined together to discuss the past, present and
future of the movement against domestic violence in our
country.
Making History: Race, Gender, Media,
and the 2008 Elections (2008) For this symposium, a diverse and
interdisciplinary group explored issues of race, gender, media,
election law and policy through a series of engaging and expert
panel discussions, featured dialogues, and addresses. Marquee
speakers included CNN commentator Donna Brazile, then-FCC
Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, FEC Commissioner Ellen Weintraub,
Common Cause President Bob Edgar, New York Daily News Columnist
Errol Lewis, and New York Times columnist Marcus Mabry. Ronald H.
Brown Trailblazer Awards were presented posthumously to Shirley
Chisholm, the first African American woman to run for president,
and Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to run for
president.
Education and the Economy:
The Real Lives of People of Color (2008) Hosted with NEPOC and
Boston University, this conference addressed a range of topics,
including how home care workers continue to suffer outside the
protection of the law; how minority law school applicants must
often choose distant locales far from home in order to receive a
legal education; and how charter schools remain controversial. At
the event, Professor Baynes received the prestigious Haywood
Burns/Shanara Gilbert Award for law professors who use their
scholarship and teaching to improve the lives of people of color.
View event photo gallery.
National
Conference for Media Reform (2007) The RHB Center secured a
$10,000 grant from the Ford Foundation to send a 10-person,
interdisciplinary delegation of media diversity experts to this
conference in Memphis, TN. Over 3,000 media scholars, policymakers,
policy professionals and activists attended the event.
Please
contact us for more information on The RHB Center’s past
symposia and conferences.