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ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice

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American Bar Association Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice

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10/17/2026

in 1992, the United Nations officially designated October 17 as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

This day calls attention to the struggles of indigent communities and amplifies their voices to governments and citizens across the globe. The first observance of the day took place in 1987, when 100,000 people gathered on the Human Rights and Liberties Plaza in Paris, France, to honor victims of poverty, hunger, violence, and fear. At this commemoration, Joseph Wresinski, the founder of the International Movement ATD Fourth World, unveiled a stone with the following quote engraved:

"Wherever men and women are condemned to live in extreme poverty, human rights are violated. To come together to ensure that these rights be respected is our solemn duty." — Joseph Wresinski

Learn more about International Day for the Eradication of Poverty here: bit.ly/33HRwFQ

10/16/2026

⚖️ Explore the ABA CRSJ Fair Elections Toolkit!

How can you help protect voting rights and support free, fair, and accessible elections? The ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice offers resources to help you take action.

🗳️ Explore state-by-state election laws and voting resources.
🤝 Find nonpartisan election protection volunteer opportunities.
📚 Access civil rights resources and educational materials.
🎥 Watch Rapid Response episodes on redistricting, the SAVE Act, and emerging voting rights issues.
📖 Read expert insights on voting rights, election law, and protecting our democracy.

Whether you’re a legal professional, student, or community advocate, there are ways to get involved!

🔗 Explore the toolkit and discover resources to support election protection: https://ow.ly/KNg650ZYvB8

10/16/2026

Notario Fraud, Attorney Impersonation, and Scams Targeting Immigrant Survivors

📅 Date: Monday, November 2, 2026
🕰️ Time: 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET
📺 Format: Free non-CLE Webinar, available on-demand immediately after on YouTube
Sponsor: ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice, ABA Commission on Immigration, ABA Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence
Joint Sponsor: Immigrant Survivors

Immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and other crimes are increasingly vulnerable to fraudulent immigration consultants ("notarios"), attorney impersonators, and scammers who exploit fear, urgency, and misinformation. These scams can have devastating consequences, including loss of legal protections, financial exploitation, missed filing deadlines, and increased risk of detention or deportation.

This webinar will examine emerging fraud schemes affecting immigrant survivors, including the misuse of attorney identities and bar numbers, use of immigration relief, AI-generated impersonation tactics, and predatory practices targeting vulnerable communities. Panelists will discuss the unique barriers survivors face in identifying and reporting fraud, available consumer protection and legal remedies, and practical strategies for prevention, outreach, and victim support.

📋 Participants will learn:
✅ Common notario fraud and attorney impersonation schemes impacting immigrant survivors.
✅ How fraud can jeopardize immigration benefits such as VAWA, U visas, T visas, asylum, and other humanitarian protections.
✅ Best practices for identifying, documenting, and reporting immigration-related scams.
✅ Available legal, consumer protection, and law enforcement responses.
✅ Community education and outreach strategies to help prevent victimization and rebuild trust in legitimate legal services.

This session is designed for attorneys, advocates, victim service providers, social workers, community organizations, and government agencies working to protect immigrant survivors and strengthen access to justice.

📢 Speakers:
💠 Yasmine Ahkami - Immigration & Project End Staff Attorney, Ayuda Project End
💠 Emily McCabe – Pro Bono Counsel, ABA Commission on Immigration
💠 Jonathan Smith – Chief, Civil Rights Division, Maryland Attorney General
💠 Cristina Velez – Legal and Policy Director, ASISTA Immigration Assistance

✴️Moderator:
💠 Maricarmen Garza – Chief Counsel, ABA Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence

🔗 Register HERE ➡️ https://ow.ly/J9TF50ZYAlp

10/15/2026

The ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice is proud to announce that our longtime friend and fearless Section leader, Drucilla “Dru” Ramey Stender, has been selected as a recipient of the 2027 Spirit of Excellence Award (In Memoriam).

Presented by the ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession, this prestigious award recognizes lawyers whose exceptional efforts and accomplishments advance racial and ethnic diversity within the legal profession.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Dru’s daughter, Jessica Stender, on this well-deserved recognition of her mother’s extraordinary legacy.

Few embodied the spirit of this award more fully than Dru. A pioneering civil rights attorney, educator, bar executive, and institution builder, she dedicated her career to advancing equal opportunity and building lasting pathways for diversity and inclusion throughout the legal profession.

Though she is deeply missed, Dru’s impact will endure through the institutions she helped build, the lives she touched, and the generations of lawyers who will continue the work she championed. Her legacy remains an inspiration to us all.

📖 Read the full press release to learn more about Dru and her fellow recipients ➡️ https://ow.ly/Kx9W50ZYg3M

10/14/2026

AI on the Docket: The New Toolkit 🧰

📅 Date: Oct 15, 2026
🕰️ Time: 12:00 PM CT
Sponsor: ABA Criminal Justice Section
Co-Sponsor: ABA Section of Civil Rights & Social Justice

AI is no longer coming – it’s here. Prosecutors are using machine learning tools to analyze evidence, predict recidivism, and manage caseloads. Public defenders are deploying AI to identify patterns in charging decisions and surface Brady material. But most practitioners are navigating this terrain without a map.

This session brings together voices from both sides of the courtroom to examine what AI tools are actually being used right now, what’s working, what isn’t and what every criminal justice practitioner needs to understand before their next case.

🔗 Register HERE ➡️ https://ow.ly/1iuV50ZXLNY

10/14/2026

⚖️ ABA Giving Day | Invest in Civil Rights & Social Justice!

This ABA Giving Day, support the ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice and help advance our mission to protect human rights, defend civil liberties, uphold the rule of law, and promote justice for all.

Through education, advocacy, collaboration, and innovative programming, CRSJ brings together attorneys, law students, civil rights advocates, and community leaders to confront pressing legal and social challenges. Our initiatives provide critical resources, foster meaningful dialogue, strengthen access to justice, protect the independence of the judiciary, and safeguard our democracy.

Your generosity helps CRSJ continue this important work by supporting programs that educate and empower the legal community, advance civil rights and social justice, and equip advocates to respond to emerging challenges. Together, we can strengthen the legal profession’s commitment to fairness, equality, and the protection of fundamental rights.

Make your gift this ABA Giving Day and invest in a more just and equitable future!

🌟 Make your gift now or before October 29 ➡️ https://ow.ly/tT7X50ZXJi3

10/13/2026

Webinar | The Threat of SLAPPs to Environmental and Climate Justice Advocates: A Global Day of Action 🌍
📅 Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2026
🕰️ Time: 11:00 a.m. CT

During this year's Global Day of Action, attend this conversation on Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) and how the law is responding as low-tech resistance is met with high-tech surveillance.

During the Dakota Access Pipeline protests, a private security firm laid the groundwork for a legal campaign against Greenpeace and other advocacy groups with aerial surveillance, social media monitoring, and a subscription intelligence database. That campaign culminated in a $667 million jury verdict against Greenpeace, demonstrating how, as surveillance technologies and legal strategies rapidly evolve, so do the risks SLAPPs pose to water and land protectors and climate advocates. This raises a key question for legal professionals: how can the law evolve in response?

🔗 Register HERE ➡️ https://ow.ly/gmwo50ZXozc

Join the ABA Section of Environment, Energy, Resources’ Indigenous Law Committee and Climate Change Committee, and the ABA Civil Rights and Social Justice Section and ABA Litigation Section, for a Community Conversation on how extractive industries leverage SLAPPs and the gaps in federal and state protections for defendants.

10/10/2026

💚 World Mental Health Day | October 10

Mental health is a human right. Everyone deserves access to the support, care, and resources they need to thrive.

This World Mental Health Day, ABA’s Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice (CRSJ) recognizes the importance of breaking down stigma, expanding access to mental health services, and building communities where everyone’s well-being matters.

Let’s continue working toward a world where mental health care is accessible, equitable, and available to all. 💚

10/09/2026

Criminalizing Coercive Control: A Cross-Jurisdictional Perspective

📅 When: Tuesday, October 13, 2026
🕰️ Time: 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM EDT
Sponsor: ABA Commission on Domestic & Sexual Violence

While coercive control has been criminalized in several countries, efforts to criminalize it in the United States have faced significant challenges. Yet coercive control already appears in criminal cases in important ways, shaping victim behavior, contributing to recantation, and sometimes resulting in survivors themselves becoming defendants.

This program brings together experts from England, Scotland, France, Australia, and the United States to examine the benefits and challenges of criminalization, lessons from international approaches, and how coercive control is already showing up in the criminal legal system.

This CLE is free for ABA members. Please join us for this timely and important conversation.

💡 Learn more ➡️ https://ow.ly/s50N50ZO1kc

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Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5:30pm
Tuesday	9am - 5:30pm
Wednesday	9am - 5:30pm
Thursday	9am - 5:30pm
Friday	9am - 5:30pm

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