New York, NY– The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is proud to host its annual Higginbotham Leadership Awards Gala on Wednesday, September 28th, in New York City to celebrate leaders who demonstrate a commitment to racial and social justice and uphold the values that promote an inclusive democracy.
Named in honor of federal judge and civil rights champion A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., the annual Higginbotham Gala will honor an exemplary group of leaders in business, politics, academia, and the arts. Honorees include award-winning actress, producer and CEO Tracee Ellis Ross, United States Senator Cory Booker, Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw, and American Express CEO Stephen Squeri. The event will also honor several members of the U.S. Capitol Police for their courage in defending the Capitol from a mob of insurrectionists on January 6th. The event will be hosted by Emmy award-winning journalist and commentator Sunny Hostin.
“We are inspired and humbled by the accomplishments of our honorees at this year’s Higginbotham Gala. While this event is a celebration of their work, it’s also a call to action. The fight for racial and social justice continues, and it is more important than ever for leaders in this movement to stand together.” said Damon Hewitt , President and Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. “The Gala comes at a critical point in our efforts to defend and expand democracy. We must all rededicate ourselves to the pursuit of a more just, equitable America – one that Black people, people of color, and Americans of all backgrounds deserve.”
This year’s honorees:
Award-winning actress, producer and CEO Tracee Ellis Ross will receive the Racial Justice Trailblazer Award. A committed advocate for voting rights and the passage of the Crown Act to end hair discrimination, Ross’s mission is to create fundamental change that allows safety, equity, and freedom for everyone.
https://www.lawyerscommitteegala.org/tracee-ellis-ross
Senator Cory Booker will receive our Distinguished Civil Rights Advocate Award for his lifelong dedication to ending mass incarceration as well as his support for the confirmation of Supreme Court Judge Ketanji Brown, and his work pursuing meaningful police accountability.
https://www.lawyerscommitteegala.org/hon-cory-booker
Pioneering scholar Kimberl é Williams Crenshaw will be honored with the Beacon of Justice Award. As the originator of the terms “Critical Race Theory” and “intersectionality” and, years later, the #SayHerName campaign to promote awareness about women impacted by police violence, Professor Crenshaw is a thought leader on civil rights, racism, and gender justice and continues her commitment to teaching the truth about race in America.
https://www.lawyerscommitteegala.org/kimberl%C3%A9-williams-crenshaw
American Express CEO Stephen J. Squeri will receive the Higginbotham Corporate Leadership Award for his work as a leader of change in the corporate sphere. While at American Express, Squeri has spearheaded the development of the company’s Environmental, Social and Governance framework and established the Office of Enterprise Inclusion, Diversity and Business Engagement. His leadership led American Express to announce a $1 Billion action plan to promote racial, ethnic and gender equity for colleagues, customers and communities.
https://www.lawyerscommitteegala.org/stephen-j-squeri
Several U.S. Capitol Police Officers who risked their lives to protect our democracy on January 6th, 2021 will be presented with the Courageous Client Award for their bravery and service facing the threat to our nation’s Capital. The Lawyers’ Committee is representing these officers in a civil rights lawsuit against former president Donald Trump, Roger Stone, and over two dozen alleged co-conspirators.
https://www.lawyerscommitteegala.org/plaintiffs-in-smith-v-trump
To learn more, please visit https://www.lawyerscommitteegala.org/
About the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law– 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. For more information, please visit https://lawyerscommittee.org
