Civil Rights Community Day

On Friday, IDEAL’s Civil Rights Community Day kicked off with a welcome from Ms. Wolfe, who reminded us that the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision was released 70 years ago on May 17. Bobby Brown, a civil rights lawyer, and the event’s keynote speaker, followed, noting that he proudly shares a name with the decision. He reflected on “We the People” and “Justice” as the most important parts of the Constitution. He inspired us with the understanding that when “we the people” do not agree with that the laws reflect a fair interpretation of justice, it is an attorney’s obligation to stand up for justice. For example, Mr. Brown told us that, in his current work, he fights against the underfunding of  Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Mr. Brown motivated us to recognize our own role as civil rights heroes right here in our school. Our second speaker was Dayton Campbell-Harris, a lawyer with the ACLU Voting Rights Project. Mr. Campbell-Harris gave a presentation on practices such as gerrymandering that infringe upon people’s right to vote. He also spoke about how the ACLU helps people tell their stories and argue for their rights in court, and he explained his work with the Innocence Project. Students presented their Civil Rights Museum projects between and following the two speakers. Thanks to our guests, Mx. Estrin, for organizing the event, and teachers for helping the students with their year-long projects. Photos are in this Facebook album