LAFLA Symposium Panels
Registration is now open for our virtual symposium, February 22-26, 2021. See our panelist information below.
Racial Justice and the Delivery of Legal Services
When: Monday, Feb. 22, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Description: This panel will help frame what racial justice lawyering is and is not. Reflecting on the 1992 Los Angeles uprising, as well as last year’s protests after George Floyd’s killing and continued calls to address systemic racism, we will examine how these events have shaped (and are shaping) the legal services sector.
Panelists:
- Yolanda Arias, Managing Attorney, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
- Lynette Jones, Assistant Vice President – Senior Legal Counsel, AT&T Entertainment & Board Member, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
- Antonio Moore, Attorney, Founder of American Descendants of Slavery, Host of Tonetalks, and Producer of Emmy-Nominated Documentary Crack in the System on the Iran Contra and Crack Epidemic
- Chris Punongbayan, Executive Director, California ChangeLawyers
Moderator:
- Tyler Nicole Smith, Staff Attorney, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
Housing Justice is Racial Justice
When: Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Description: This panel will closely examine the work of housing advocates and how housing is, at its core, a racial justice issue. We will also explore the homelessness crisis, how racist policies fuel it, and the solutions that advocates are pursuing to address the situation.
Panelists:
- Gary Blasi, Professor of Law Emeritus, UCLA School of Law
- Monique King-Viehland, Director, State and Local Housing Policy, Urban Institute
- Zella Knight, Client Board Member, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
- Shayla Myers, Senior Attorney, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
Moderator:
- Pete White, Founder & Executive Director, Los Angeles Community Action Network (LA CAN)
Health, Race, and the Way Forward
When: Friday, Feb. 26, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Description: Our final panel will discuss the health disparities experienced by BIPOC communities, as well as the racist policies fueling those inequities. We will also reflect on efforts by LAFLA and the legal community to ensure access to quality care – and how the pandemic and other recent events are reshaping the dialogue, and how these efforts can continue to build community trust.
Panelists:
- Wendy Cabil, Client Board Member, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
- Rayshell Chambers, Co-Founder & COO, Painted Brain
- Dr. Rishi Manchanda, President & CEO, HealthBegins
- Sadena Thevarajah, Managing Director, HealthBegins
- Yolanda Vera, CEO, MLK Outpatient Center
Moderator:
- Tyler Press Sutherland, Staff Attorney, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
