Black Public Defender Association

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Black Public Defender Association

A national network of Black public defenders building power, advancing justice, and fighting for the communities we serve.
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06/04/2026

Our Executive Director, Alaina Bloodworth, was recently featured on WRKF-FM 89.3, where she spoke to the systemic underfunding of public defenders and what it really costs the people they serve.

Alaina shed light on how public defenders in Louisiana largely go it alone, without the teams and support staff that offices in other states rely on. Sustainable, consistent funding isn’t just a budget issue — it’s a justice issue.

📖 Read the full article: https://www.wrkf.org/wrkf-news/2026-03-24/east-baton-rouge-public-defender-still-underfunded-despite-new-money-from-parish

06/02/2026

⬇️ 2026 BPDA Summer Conference Session Announcement ⬇️
Muddy Waters: Attorneys, Social Workers, and Race in Holistic Defense

Holistic defense works best when attorneys and social workers work together — but that collaboration isn't always seamless. This session gets honest about the challenges that can arise within holistic defense teams, and the role race plays in those dynamics.

Meet the Speakers:
🗣️ Brandon Banks, Chief Assistant Public Defender, Contra Costa Public Defender
🗣️ Angelene Musawwir, Forensic Social Work Supervisor, Contra Costa Public Defender

If you're committed to building stronger, more intentional defense teams — this one is for you.

Ready to be in the room? Register now: https://blackdefender.org/summer-conference/

06/01/2026

Graduation season has us feeling all the way up. 🎓🖤

We're celebrating some of our very own BPDA Fellows who have officially crossed the college stage.

➡️ Swipe to celebrate — we're so incredibly proud of each of you!

🎓 Lakiowa S. Milan
🎓 LaRae Morning
🎓 Lianna Shakoor
🎓 Sylvia Nganga

You showed up for your communities as BPDA Fellows, and now you're heading into the next chapter as graduates. The work you'll do from here matters, and BPDA will always be in your corner. Congratulations! ✊🏾

05/29/2026

⏰ Only 25 tickets left for the 2026 BPDA Summer Conference, and regular registration closes in 2 days!

Starting June 1, late registration opens at an increased price of +$100. If you've been on the fence, now is the time. Don't let the price go up AND the tickets run out.

Don't wait — secure your ticket before they're gone: https://blackdefender.org/summer-conference/

05/28/2026

This is what the BPDA Summer Conference feels like. 🫂

Every year, defenders from across the country come together to learn, reconnect, recharge, and remind each other why this work matters. And we want YOU in the room this summer.

We only have 25 tickets left, and regular registration closes May 31. After that, the rate goes up by $100. Secure your spot now, and we’ll see you in Brooklyn. ✊🏾

Register today: https://blackdefender.org/summer-conference/

05/27/2026

Last month, we had the privilege of gathering with some of the most dedicated people in public defense for our Train the Trainer program, part of our Antiracism Training (ART) Institute, and it was truly something special. 🖤

Over two days, the conversations were honest, deep, and necessary. Watching attorneys, investigators, social workers, client advocates, and policy advocates come together (all committed to this work) reminded us exactly why we do this.

To everyone who joined us, thank you. Your presence, openness, and investment in building stronger, more equitable advocacy made this space what it was.

This is only the beginning. 👀

Learn more about the ART Institute: https://blackdefender.org/antiracism-training-institute/

05/25/2026

⬇️ 2026 BPDA Summer Conference Session Announcement ⬇️
Mitigating the Risk of Family Separation: Practicing at the Intersection of Family, Criminal, and Civil Law

When our clients come into contact with the criminal legal system, the ripple effects don't stop with them — they reach their children, their housing, their benefits, and their family unit as a whole. Defenders know this. But knowing isn't enough. This session gives advocates the technical tools to identify and address the overlapping consequences of the criminal, family regulation, immigration, and housing systems on Black families — before separation happens.

Attendees will explore the historical context of these intersecting systems, develop issue-spotting skills, and walk away with practical strategies to keep families together and mitigate harm from the family regulation system.

Meet the Speaker:
🗣️ Sidni P. Rouse, Co-Training Director of the Family Defense Practice and Supervising Attorney, The Bronx Defenders

If you're ready to defend not just your client — but everything they stand to lose — this one is for you.

Ready to be in the room? Register now: https://blackdefender.org/summer-conference/

05/22/2026

‼️ Heads up: The Tillary Hotel room block closes on Monday, May 25!

If you're planning to stay with us for the 2026 BPDA Summer Conference, don't wait. We've partnered with The Tillary Hotel for discounted accommodations, but the deadline to book your room at our group rate is FAST approaching.

After May 25, rooms at our group rate are gone, and so is the convenience of staying steps away from the conference.

Book your room now: https://blackdefender.org/summer-conference/

05/21/2026

⬇️ 2026 BPDA Summer Conference Session Announcement ⬇️
Race Is Already in the Room: Youth Defense in a Racialized System

Race shapes every stage of youth system involvement. And even when unspoken, it's already influencing how our young clients are perceived and treated. But communities hold real power in this system, and this session shows defenders how to use it.

This interdisciplinary training brings together a public defender and a social worker to examine how race operates in juvenile court, and how community power can be strategically mobilized in youth defense. Attendees will leave with practical tools to identify and challenge racialized narratives while building stronger, community-centered advocacy.

Meet the Speakers:
🗣️ Alena Aguilar, Senior Social Worker, The Center for Family Representation
🗣️ Yasmin Davis, Staff Attorney, The Legal Aid Society Decarceration Project

If you're ready to name what's already in the room — and fight back — this one is for you.

Ready to be in the room? Register now: https://blackdefender.org/summer-conference/

05/20/2026

Spots are filling up. ⏰

Only 14 spots are remaining for public defender offices to join BPDA’s Collective Access Program (CAP) — and we don’t want you to miss out.

CAP was built to connect public defender offices with the resources, community, and support they need to do this work well. If your office has been waiting for the right moment to join, this is it.

Apply now before spots are gone: https://blackdefender.org/collective-access-program/

Address

1901 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 500
Washington D.C., DC
20006

Website

http://blackdefender.org/

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