Standing for Justice (Lawyers’ Committee Newsletter October 2025)
Across the country, civil rights are facing renewed challenges—and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law continues to meet this moment with action and resolve. In this edition of Standing for Justice, we highlight the legal advocacy, partnerships, and leadership driving our work to defend democracy, protect voting rights, and advance racial justice.
25th Annual Higginbotham Leadership Awards Gala
An unforgettable evening of inspiration, leadership, and solidarity, the Lawyers’ Committee’s 25th Annual Higginbotham Leadership Awards Gala on October 16, 2025, at Cipriani Wall Street celebrated 62 years of advancing civil rights and honored extraordinary leaders shaping a more equitable future. Against the backdrop of renewed attacks on racial justice, President and Executive Director Damon Todd Hewitt reminded us that “we are not powerless in fighting against racism and injustice.” The evening recognized trailblazers across sectors, including Laurence Fishburne, Kristen Clarke, Yolanda Renee King, Chicago Women in Trades, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and was co-emceed by Melissa Murray and Symone Sanders Townsend—spotlighting the resilience, courage, and collective power driving the movement for justice forward.Read the full press release: https://lnkd.in/eZ2g_hiS
Honoring strength, leadership, and enduring sovereignty of Indigenous peoples.
On #IndigenousPeoplesDay, we honored the strength, leadership, and enduring sovereignty of Indigenous peoples. At the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, we’re proud to stand alongside Indigenous communities in the pursuit of justice —protecting the right to vote, challenging discriminatory redistricting, defending inclusive education, and calling out inequities like the 2020 Census undercount that limited Indigenous representation. Our work continues to ensure that every community has a voice in our democracy.
Digital equity isn’t a luxury—it’s a civil right.
We were proud to join partners nationwide in celebrating #DigitalInclusionWeek2025, powered by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, under the theme “Community-Driven Digital Futures.” The week underscored that equitable innovation begins at the local level and must be rooted in civil rights.
Throughout the week, the Lawyers’ Committee’s Digital Justice Initiative highlighted how digital discrimination continues to disproportionately harm Black communities, communities of color, and other historically underserved populations—and why digital equity is not a luxury, but a civil right. As we marked #DIW2025, we reaffirmed our commitment to closing the digital divide and advancing community-driven solutions so every person has an equal opportunity to thrive.
Learn how you can get involved: https://lnkd.in/eNvsyai9
Louisiana v. Callais: The Future of Fair Representation
On October 15, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Louisiana v. Callais — a landmark case that will determine whether Black voters in Louisiana and communities of color nationwide can have meaningful representation in Congress.
Damon Hewitt, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, speaking at the Fight for Fair Maps rally on the steps of the Supreme Court, October 15, 2025. | Photo Credit: Getty Images for Legal Defense Fund
For years, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law has stood shoulder to shoulder with communities fighting to ensure that every voter’s voice is heard and every map is fair. From the redistricting battles in Louisiana and Alabama to litigation challenging discriminatory maps in Texas and Georgia, our work implements the Voting Rights Act and its promise of equal political participation.
The Lawyers’ Committee also led a coalition of civil rights organizations in submitting an amicus brief in this case, underscoring our commitment to defending the right of every voter to fair representation.
This fight is about more than lines on a map. It’s about the strength of our multiracial democracy and whether hard-won protections will endure. Learn more.
Official Press Releases & Statements
- Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and National Digital Inclusion Alliance Sue Over the Repeal of the Digital Equity Act Competitive Grant Program| October 8, 2025| Read more
- Lawyers’ Committee Sues Trump Administration Over Anti-DEI Executive Orders on Behalf of Anti-Human Trafficking Organization | October 10, 2025| Read more
- The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Honored Laurence Fishburne, Kristen Clarke, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Chicago Women in Trades, and Yolanda Renee King at its 25th Annual Higginbotham Leadership Awards Gala| October 17, 2025| Read more
Court Reaffirms Earlier Decision Granting Nationwide Injunction in Case Challenging Anti-DEI Executive Orders | October 31, 2025 | Read more
Litigation Spotlight: Texas Redistricting— Standing Up for Fair Maps
From the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (from left to right): Jennifer Nwachukwu, Senior Counsel, Voting Rights Project; Jeremy Lewis, Dechert Fellow; David Rollins-Boyd, Senior Counsel, Voting Rights Project; Rob Weiner, Director, Voting Rights Project; and Kyle Jackson, Paralegal Supervisor.
A 10-day federal court hearing concluded on a challenge to Texas’s latest redistricting plan, which threatened to dismantle majority-minority districts and dilute the voting strength of Black and Latino communities. Representing the Texas State Conference of the NAACP, the Lawyers’ Committee’s Voting Rights Project presented evidence that the map was intentionally drawn in violation of the Voting Rights Act and the Constitution, underscoring what was at stake: the right of communities of color to choose their representatives.
Litigation Spotlight: Freedom Network USA (FNUSA)
On October 10, 2025, Freedom Network USA filed a federal lawsuit challenging executive orders that chilled and restricted DEI initiatives, threatening its ability to serve survivors of human trafficking. Represented by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee, and pro bono counsel at Crowell & Moring LLP, FNUSA asked the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois to block enforcement of the orders as unlawful and unconstitutional, affirming that equity is essential to protecting survivors and dismantling the systems that enable trafficking.
Read the full press release and complaint: https://lnkd.in/ez5jwbdt
Litigation Spotlight: National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA)
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, on behalf of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, filed a lawsuit challenging the administration’s unlawful repeal of the Digital Equity Act Competitive Grant Program, arguing that the unilateral termination violated the Constitution’s separation of powers and undermined Congress’s mandate to close the digital divide and ensure equitable access to the internet.
Litigation Spotlight: Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT)
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois issued an opinion in Chicago Women in Trades v. Trump reaffirming a nationwide injunction blocking enforcement of the Department of Labor’s anti-DEI certification requirement. Sabrina Talukder, Senior Counsel with the Lawyers’ Committee’s Economic Justice Project, noted that the court found the injunction necessary to provide complete relief and consistent with Supreme Court precedent, preventing the government from enforcing provisions targeting so-called “illegal DEI” activities.
Read the opinion and learn more: https://lnkd.in/e9TDbGar
PODCAST OF THE MONTH
Shaylyn Cochran, Deputy Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, joined host Angela Reddock-Wright, Esq. on The Legal Lens podcast for an in-depth conversation on what it took to defend democracy—from protecting voting rights and fair redistricting to advancing DEI and civil rights impact litigation. Her insights underscored that democracy is not self-sustaining, but built through collective action every day.
🔗 Listen now: https://lnkd.in/eB8xVzXQ
In the News: Defending Civil Rights in a Shifting Legal Landscape
Civil rights are under renewed threat across multiple fronts. Here are some of the month’s most impactful stories highlighting the Lawyers’ Committee’s advocacy and impact:
Higher Education & Workplace Protections
Law360 (Oct. 31, 2025) – New Rule Limits Loan Forgiveness for Public Service Workers
Michael Pillera, Director of the Educational Opportunities Project, warned that new federal rules weaken Public Service Loan Forgiveness and exceed the Department of Education’s legal authority, harming educators, health professionals, and communities they serve. Read more
Legal News Feed (Oct. 31, 2025) – Trump Administration Alters Student Loan Forgiveness Program
Pillera and other civil rights leaders criticized the rule as coercive and unlawful, with legal challenges forthcoming. Read more.
DEI & Federal Oversight
Law360 (Oct. 31, 2025) – Illinois Judge Won’t Stay Nationwide DEI Injunction
Chicago Women in Trades, represented by the Lawyers’ Committee’s Economic Justice Project, continues its legal challenge defending DEI initiatives. Read more.
Voting Rights & Redistricting
CounterPoint (Oct. 27, 2025) – Supreme Court Case Could Resurrect Jim Crow–Era Disenfranchisement
Robert Weiner analyzes Louisiana v. Callais and its implications for racial gerrymandering and the future of voting rights. Read more.
The Wesleyan Argus (Oct. 24, 2025) – Texas Redistricting and the Dilution of Black Votes
Coverage of the NAACP and Lawyers’ Committee lawsuit challenging racially gerrymandered maps. Read more.
The Indiana Citizen; WVXU-FM; VisaVerge (Oct. 21–22, 2025) – Indiana Proof-of-Citizenship Laws Challenged
The Lawyers’ Committee and partners filed suit arguing new requirements unlawfully burden naturalized citizens and violate federal law. Read more.
Digital Justice & Economic Equity
Total Telecom; Law.com; Broadband Breakfast; Inside Towers; NDIA (Oct. 8–17, 2025)
The Lawyers’ Committee is representing the National Digital Inclusion Alliance in multiple lawsuits challenging the Trump Administration’s termination of the Digital Equity Act grants, arguing the move is unconstitutional and threatens community broadband access nationwide. Read more.
Civil Rights Institutions Under Attack
The Boston Globe (Oct. 3, 2025) – Dismantling Federal Civil Rights Enforcement
An op-ed highlights the erosion of DOJ civil rights enforcement and the critical role of organizations like the Lawyers’ Committee in filling the gap. Read more.
Movement Moments
POLITICO Playbook PM (Oct. 17, 2025) – Higginbotham Leadership Awards Gala
National leaders and advocates gathered at Cipriani Wall Street to celebrate civil rights champions, including Yolanda Renee King and other movement leaders. Read more.
EIN Presswire (Oct. 17, 2025) – Barbara McDowell Social Justice Center Anniversary
The Lawyers’ Committee was recognized among organizations receiving new grants to support landmark civil rights litigation. Read more.
Career Opportunities
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Events (November)
- National Native American Heritage Month (November 2025)
- Veterans Day (Nov. 11, 2025)
- Thanksgiving (November 27,2025)
Donate & Support
Give today to support voting rights, educational opportunities, digital justice, and to combat hate. Introducing our new Civil Rights and Solidarity Fund, where you can partner with us to meet the moment and help us take strategic action against the dismantling of civil rights.
Every gift is an act of solidarity — and a building block for justice.
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The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to mobilize the nation’s leading lawyers as agents for change in the Civil Rights Movement. Today, the Lawyers’ Committee uses legal advocacy to achieve racial justice, fighting inside and outside the courts to ensure that Black people and other people of color have the voice, opportunity, and power to make the promises of our democracy real. The Lawyers’ Committee implements its mission and objectives by marshaling the pro bono resources of the bar for litigation, public policy, advocacy and other forms of service by lawyers to the cause of civil rights.