D&I Value Proposition
“Building Community through Action”
The Minnesota Chapter of the Federal Bar Association is committed to maintaining a culture that respects, values, and includes all individuals in the Association, the legal profession, and the justice system, regardless of their various unique differences. The Chapter believes that our diversity enriches us, and our inclusion empowers us. Diverse membership generates diverse ideas. Diverse ideas inspire targeted action for the betterment of our judicial system. The commitment to diversity and inclusion is part of our collective duty as lawyers to uphold the Rule of Law and ensure that our justice system considers and reflects the diverse nature of our society. Through thoughtful programming, events, networking opportunities, outreach initiatives, and collaboration with other diverse groups, the Chapter not only connects people through action, but builds community, both inside and outside the Association.
View the Diversity and Inclusion Communications Plan here.
View the Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan for 2020 and beyond here.
Diversity Committee Programs
(Check out the history of D&I programming here!)
September 23, 2020: FBA Annual Disability Justice Seminar held via Webinar – a panel discussion about voting rights of individuals with disabilities (co-sponsored by Robins Kaplan and the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Development Disabilities)
September 30, 2020: America v. China: World Domination and the Genocides in Tibet and of the Uyghurs- a Zoom webinar examining the shift in global power from the US to China and China’s impunity in carrying out violence against the people in Tibet and the Uyghurs in Xinjiang province, western China (co-sponsored by World Without Genocide)
October 1, 2020: Voter Suppression and the Impact of COVID-19 on Voting Rights- a webinar; (co-sponsored by MABL and MHBA)
October 22, 2020: The Global Decline of Human Rights and Freedom of the Press – a webinar; The speakers addressed the decline of human rights around the world, the grave risk to journalists for attempting to report about the crises in certain countries around the world, and the extreme danger to journalists who have been jailed during a global pandemic (co-sponsored by World Without Genocide)
November 17, 2020: The Spread of Hate Today – a webinar; This program examines the failure to protect human rights during the Holocaust, when Jews were deported to their deaths, and again today, in the face of increasing governmental targeting of members of the LGBTQ community both abroad, as in Poland’s label of ‘gay-free’ on more than a hundred municipalities, and in the United States. (co- sponsored by World Without Genocide)
December 2, 2020: Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity: Punishing and Preventing the World’s Worst Crimes – a webinar; This program addresses the failure by states to prevent mass atrocities against civilians through perpetrating genocide and crimes against humanity. Genocides and crimes against humanity from the 20th and the 21st centuries will be highlighted. (co-sponsored by World Without Genocide)
January 13, 2021: Affinity Bar Meet-and-Greet Event social event with Affinity Bar Organizations in Minnesota held via webinar; This event highlighted the Affinity Bar’s key events and initiatives and possible ways for the Diversity Committee to be of resource. (hosted by Best & Flanagan)
January 23, 2021 and January 30, 2021: Born on the Battlefield: International Humanitarian Law – webinar; This event explores the laws of war: protections for civilians, aid workers, prisoners of war, and other non-combatants, and the limitations of weapons and techniques that can be used in warfare. (co-sponsor with World Without Genocide)
February 18, 2021: US Reparations: The Holocaust, Japanese American, American Indians, and Black Americans – webinar; Reparations are a form of justice to make amends for past harms. This program focuses on U.S. reparations for Holocaust survivors; Japanese Americans interned during World War II; American Indians; and Black Americans (co-sponsor with World Without Genocide)
March 8, 2021: Ending Impunity for Femicide and Violence against Women in Guatemala – webinar; Guatemala has one of the world’s highest rates of femicide. This program addresses causes of the violence and efforts to prosecute perpetrators. (co-sponsor with World Without Genocide)