AFJ Insider - August 2023

Hi Friend,

Washington slows down in August and every year I revel in the opportunity to write and reect, but also, connect with my leadership team to take stock of what we are doing well and what opportunities lie ahead.

I’m so proud of this organization and what we are contributing to the movement for justice for all –and yet I know that we can always nd new ways to meet our mission. The summer slowdown is our chance to get stronger and recharge for the ghts ahead.

August also means travel and this summer I am looking forward to the chance to spread the word about the indispensable work of the AFJ at this crucial historical moment. I just attended the New Leaders Council conference and will head to the Black Economic Forum next week. At both, I get to connect with national leaders driving innovative change across the country. Getting outside of the DC bubble reinforces my condence that equity and justice remain a priority for most Americans.

Finally, last week my monthly piece in Democracy Docket was published, celebrating the number of movement lawyers that have been conrmed during the Biden administration. The piece argues that while this is still the best antidote to an unhinged Supreme Court, the insidious blue slip custom continues to be an obstacle to the conrmation of new judges. This arcane practice allows for Republicans to arbitrarily and cynically block judicial nominees from being conrmed, a power grab that allows them to maintain control of the courts. Our movement is dedicated to lling every vacancy possible during this administration, with as many movement lawyers as possible, no matter what. Our ght continues when the Senate reconvenes in September.

Yours in the ght,

Rakim

SignourJusticeThomasResignpetition.

Federal Courts

President Biden announced four new judicial nominations in late July—his 36th slate. This latest wave keeps the momentum going for this administration’s historic work to strengthen the judiciary and ensure it works for—and represents—all Americans, not just a select few.

We are particularly thrilled by the nomination of Judge Eumi K. Lee, to the District Court for the Northern District of California, and that of Richard E. N. Federico, to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Lee has been a judge on the Superior Court of California in Alameda County since 2018; prior to that, she was a clinical professor at the University of California’s Hastings College of Law Lee also clerked at both the federal district and appellate level and will bring immense experience and expertise to the bench.

Like Lee, Federico will bring greatly needed professional diversity to the bench Currently the Senior Litigator for the Federal Public Defender for the District of Kansas, he also serves as a Captain in the United States Navy Reserve, Judge Advocate General’s Corps

We are also excited to note that the nomination of Judge Jeffrey Bryan, who’s been a judge on Minnesota state courts since 2013, to the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota means that court will have a Hispanic judge for the rst time in its history.

Additionally, in July, the Senate Judiciary Committee considered the Supreme Court Ethics, Transparency, and Recusal Act of 2023 (SCERT Act), sponsored by Senators Whitehouse, Blumenthal, Booker, Feinstein, Durbin, Hirono, Welch, Padilla, and Klobuchar The bill would require Supreme Court justices to adopt a code of conduct, create a mechanism to investigate alleged violations of that code of conduct and other laws, improve disclosure and transparency, and require justices to explain recusal decisions to the public.

State Courts

AFJ’s state courts team is gearing up to educate and equip Pennsylvanians ahead of November’s state court elections for their supreme court and their intermediate appellate courts, the Commonwealth Court and Superior Court. AFJ and our members continued our advocacy for the Oregon Supreme Court vacancy, sending a sign-on letter alongside AFJ members emphasizing the importance of having professionally and demographically diverse judges on the bench. In addition to Oregon, the state courts team is continuing to monitor current and upcoming vacancies in Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Tennessee, and West Virginia

Latest Resources from Bolder Advocacy

With election season upon us, Bolder Advocacy wants to make sure your nonprot’s voter engagement and GOTV efforts are amplied AND compliant. Our Nonprot Voter Assistance series, created in partnership with the Democracy Capacity Project, helps nonprots navigate these complexities.

Is your nonprot or foundation in search of ways to navigate this post-SFFA world? Our latest blog explains how nonprots can and should continue to work towards an equitable, just, and inclusive society.

Lastly, don’t miss our recent Rules of the Game podcast episode featuring People’s Parity Project cofounder and executive director, Molly Coleman Join us as we explore PPP’s grassroots origins, nationwide presence, and bold strategies for a justice-centered legal system

Our spotlighted member for August and September is Texas Freedom Network In case you missed it, our Member spotlight for June and July was CenterLink.

Taylor Miller Senior Digital Communications Strategist

“Asacommunicationsprofessional, ethicsareappliedtoyourworkeveryday. Youalwayswanttomakesurethatyou’reputtingoutthemostaccurate, honestinformation.”

Taylor Miller is condent that if the nonprot sector were a sport, it would be football (she would knowas an undergraduate at Howard University, she minored in sports administration). Like football, Taylor says, nonprots are “a game of strategy and a game of inches.” The aim is to keep moving forward no matter what: “Every inch we make towards our goal is progress.”

As a Senior Digital Communications Strategist at Alliance for Justice, Taylor helps craft the organization’s online gameplan, using social media and other online tools to build AFJ’s audience. After years of working in nonprot communications, she joined AFJ in January 2022, drawn by the opportunity to explore a new subject: “I was really intrigued by the courts system and interested in learning about what is, in my opinion, the forgotten branch of our government,” she explains.  Read our full prole of Taylor.

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Alliance for Justice

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