Legal (U - Social Activism)

<p>The very personification of courage, optimism, and resilience, former U.S. Congresswoman Gabby Giffords shares her remarkable story on stage, joined by her renowned speech pathologist, Dr. Fabi Hirsch Kruse. </p><p>Gabby Giffords’ story of perseverance and hope is unparalleled. The youngest woman ever to serve in the Arizona State Senate and a trailblazer in other offices, Gabby became a rising star on the national stage after being elected to the U.S. Congress in 2006.

<p>Robert Bilott is the tenacious environmental lawyer who became “DuPont’s worst nightmare,” according to <i>The New York Times</i>. The story in his book, <i>Exposure: Poisoned Water, Corporate Greed, and One Lawyer’s Twenty-Year Battle Against Dupont</i>, inspired the major motion picture, <i>Dark Waters</i> (November 2019), featuring Academy-Award nominee Mark Ruffalo as Rob Bilott.  </p><p>Bilott was a corporate defense attorney for eight years until he took on an environmental suit that upended his entire career—and exposed a braze

<p>Defense attorney and cancer survivor Jerry Buting has worked on many high-profile cases while also serving as a frequent lecturer on DNA, computer crimes, and other forensic evidence.  </p><p>His reputation as a tenacious, talented defense attorney preceded his being the co-defense attorney in the State v. Steven Avery murder trial in 2007. His performance throughout the trial shined light on the shaky integrity of law enforcement and inherent flaws in the justice system.

<p>The Black and Latina daughter of a working-class family, Victoria Pratt learned to treat everyone with dignity, no matter their background. When she became Newark Municipal Court’s chief judge, she knew well the inequities that poor, mentally ill, Black, and brown people faced in the criminal justice system.</p><p>Judge Victoria has gained national and international acclaim for her commitment to reform the criminal justice system.

<p>Mónica Ramírez, who helped ignite the #TimesUp movement, discusses strategies for fighting gender-based sexual harassment and achieving gender equity across industries.</p><p>Mónica Ramírez is a co-founder of Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, or the National Farmworker Women&#39;s Alliance, and she created the first legal project in the U.S. focused on representing farmworker women in legal cases involving sexual harassment and other forms of gender discrimination.

<p>One of the most highly accomplished public figures in America today, Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch has been a leading progressive voice during her 30+ year highly distinguished career.</p><p>She is the first female African American Attorney General of the United States, appointed by President Barack Obama in 2015. She also served as the head of the U.S.

<p>Angela Rye delivers thoughtful yet incisive commentary and real talk about the power of activism, advocacy, and politics, and stokes much-needed conversation about the state of America.</p><p>Politico, lawyer, and self-described empowermenteur, Angela Rye is one of America’s most influential voices for positive change in the political process. As the principal and CEO of IMPACT Strategies, she advocates for economic empowerment, civic engagement, and political involvement among young professionals.

<p>Tina Tchen shares hope, ideas and strategies that inspire others to recognize the power of diverse teams and keep equality on the forefront of the global agenda.</p><p>Now the Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy and Policy Officer for the Obama Foundation, Tina Tchen served previously as Chief of Staff to the First Lady, Special Assistant to President Barack Obama and Executive Director of the Council on Women and Girls. She led the first-ever White House Summit on Working Families as well as the first-ever United State of Women Summit.

<p>Nadine Strossen is a leading expert in constitutional law and human rights and former President of the American Civil Liberties Union who speaks on free speech, intellectual freedom and civil discourse.</p><p>A former national President of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and a constitutional law professor, she is a leading political liberal who advocates for classical liberal values. She is serving as host for a three-part PBS series about free speech, to air in 2023. </p><p>Her 2018 book, <em>HATE: Why We Should Resist it With Free Speech, N

<p>Jennifer Thompson is the Founder and President of Healing Justice, which aims to address the collateral human damage of wrongful convictions to all involved. Jennifer founded Healing Justice based on her experience with a failed criminal justice process that sent an innocent person to prison and left the true perpetrator free to commit additional crimes. </p><p>Jennifer’s ordeal with the criminal justice system began in 1984, when she survived a brutal attack as a college student in North Carolina.