LAWYERS for CIVIL RIGHTS BOSTON Table of Contents
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LAWYERS FOR CIVIL RIGHTS BOSTON Table of Contents Program 7 Mission & History 8 Message from the Executive Director 12 BizGrow’s 20th Anniversary 14 Founders’ Award 18 Keeper of the Flame Award 23 BizGrow Founders & VIPs 32 Diversity in the Legal Profession 33 Sponsors & Supporters 34 Timeline & Case History 38 Leave a Legacy 49 @LCRBOSTON #BizGrow #LegalWarriors lawyersforcivilrights.org Design by OverUnder © 202� Lawyers for Civil Rights GOOD ADVOCATES Eastern Bank is committed to recognizing HarborOne Bank is proud to the good in our communities and celebrating 20 years of growth and achievements of support the important work LAWYERS FOR of Lawyers for Civil Rights. CIVIL RIGHTS BOSTON. Congratulations to LCR on the We proudly support the th 2021 CIVIL RIGHTS RECEPTION. 20 Anniversary of Bizgrow. Congratulations to the event honoree and harborone.com President of Eastern Bank, Quincy Miller. His leadership in supporting small businesses and promoting economic mobility and inclusion, inspires us all. Member FDIC Member FDIC. Member DIF. Program Latin Jazz Introduction of Keeper Jose Allende of the Flame Honoree LCR | BizGrow Client Linda Davidson Board Member The BizGrow Cocktail Lauren Sampson Honoree Remarks LCR Segun Idowu BECMA Welcome Remarks Lisa Pirozzolo & Executive Director’s Inez Friedman-Boyce Remarks Board Co-Chairs Iván Espinoza-Madrigal LCR BizGrow’s 20th Anniversary Priya Lane Closing Remarks LCR | BizGrow Director Jenny Rikoski & Colin Van Dyke Board Members Introduction of Founders’ Award Honoree David Bowman LCR Board Member Honoree Remarks Quincy Miller Eastern Bank The BizGrow Cocktail Learn how to make your own BizGrow signature cocktail: vimeo.com/558216436 7 Mission & History Lawyers for Civil Rights fosters equal opportunity and fights Over the years, our organization has also grown, adding discrimination on behalf of people of color and immigrants. new projects and initiatives to respond to the changing face of We engage in creative and courageous legal action, discrimination. While working closely with an ever-increasing education, and advocacy in collaboration with law firms and number of diverse community partners, we remain true community partners. Our organization is a leading hub for to our core mission to challenge and eradicate all forms litigation, advocacy, and resistance to discrimination. of discrimination. Our organization was founded in 1968 in the midst of In 2018, we celebrated our 50th anniversary and we also riots, the aftermath of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther rebranded. The U.S. Congress marked this landmark occasion King, Jr., and the findings of the Kerner Commission report with a Congressional Resolution honoring our organization and concluding that the nation was “moving toward two societies. 50 years of impactful work. The Boston City Council also issued One black, one white – separate and unequal.” a resolution declaring October 18 as Civil Rights and Economic With funding and pro bono legal services contributed Justice Day in Boston. by Boston law firms, the organization became the first of The struggle continues, but the future is bright. Lawyers eight independently funded and governed local affiliates of the for Civil Rights will continue advancing justice and equality for Washington, D.C.-based Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights decades to come. Under Law, a national organization formed at the request of President John F. Kennedy to enlist the private bar in provid- ing free legal representation to address racial discrimination. In 1973, we became the first pro bono project of the Boston Bar Association (BBA) and the only Lawyers’ Committee in the country directly connected with a major bar association. Although the organization is now separately incorporated with its own 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, we continue to maintain strong ties to the BBA and the private bar in Boston. “It is not enough to be Membership by private law firms still forms the working foundation of our organization. Member law firms fund non-racist, we must a significant part of our annual operating expenses and provide millions of dollars in pro bono legal services be anti-racist.” by working closely with the organization. In this way, for decades, we have harnessed the resources and talent of Boston’s leading law firms to secure and protect the civil rights of Massachusetts residents. Angela Davis 8 9 Congratulations to Quincy Miller, President of Eastern Bank and to Lawyers for Civil Rights for their 20th Anniversary of BizGrow. We are proud to work alongside all of you to promote equal opportunity and to fight discrimination. 50 Milk Street, 21st Floor Boston, MA 02109 www.andersonkreiger.com Message from the Executive Director LCR is Boston’s hub for racial and economic justice. As legal Every day, we’re bringing people together to make first responders at a time when many doors are closing, we are positive change. Our clients now have hope and believe there opening ours wider. BizGrow is now supporting more than 1000 is opportunity ahead. Still, there is much more work to be entrepreneurs annually. We’re well-positioned to help promote done. Your continued support fuels our life-changing work equitable post-pandemic community revitalization. providing free legal support to communities of color, immigrant Injustice doesn’t take a break—and neither do we. That’s communities, and low-income communities. Thank you for why in addition to a substantial body of small business helping us create a world full of equality and justice. work, we continue to fight for justice for people of color and immigrants. We’re fighting for justice for Boston’s own George Floyd: Terrence Coleman, an unarmed young Black man who was fatally shot when his mother called 911 for assistance to get her son to the hospital for mental health treatment. We’re fighting for justice for immigrants so they can have access to COVID-19 vaccines. We’re fighting for justice for all our communities. The pandemic makes it even more critical than ever to shine the spotlight on visionaries who are leading by example on racial justice, diversity and equity. Today, we are proud to honor Eastern Bank’s Quincy Miller for his leadership on inclusion and community engagement. Now more than ever, corporate leadership on issues of race, diversity, and inclusion is essential to help address systemic and structural racism. We’re also proud to honor Segun Idowu and his inspiring team at the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts (BECMA) for advancing the economic well-being of people Iván Espinoza-Madrigal across the Commonwealth. Lawyers for Civil Rights 12 13 In 2016, we launched our “Create Your Own Job” workshop BizGrow’s 20th series in partnership with Roxbury Community College (RCC). This unique 10-week seminar, held at RCC’s campus, Anniversary provides the surrounding community with the technical support and resources to launch successful small businesses. In 2017, we launched Food Biz 101 with CommonWealth Kitchen and Goodwin. This unique food business accelerator allows entrepreneurs to go from concept to kitchen in three Celebrating our 20th anniversary in 2021, LCR | BizGrow months — providing legal, business, and food production provides free legal assistance, business support, and technical support. assistance to minority, immigrant, and women business In 2018, in response to natural gas explosions in the owners—ensuring they encounter fewer obstacles and more Merrimack Valley, particularly in Lawrence, BizGrow opportunities. immediately addressed the needs of affected and displaced Our innovative programs to meet the needs of diverse small businesses joining forces with Ropes & Gray to provide entrepreneurs include: free legal representation, technical free legal support to help stabilize the community. BizGrow assistance, and workshops for small business owners on rapidly mobilized pro bono attorneys to help dozens of subjects such as entity formation, contracts, taxes, leases, and struggling small businesses to recover. intellectual property. In 2018, we also launched the BizGrow Conference in We started BizGrow (then known as the Economic Justice partnership with Suffolk University Law School, Goodwin, Project) in 2001. The program was initiated by Laurie Hauber, Latham & Watkins, Nixon Peabody, and other Member with instrumental support from Scott Harshbarger, and Firms. This unique one-day event provides a one-stop shop was inspired by the successful model created by our sister for entrepreneurs to attend over 20 legal and technical organization, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the workshops and to meet with volunteer attorneys for private San Francisco Bay Area. With the significant commitment one-on-one consultations about their specific business needs. of many of LCR’s Member Firms and Board of Directors Serving hundreds of entrepreneurs in one day — and featured — particularly Anna Dodson (Goodwin), Susan Mazur in the Boston Business Journal and Bay State Banner — (WilmerHale/ Latham & Watkins), John Regier (Mintz), this uplifting pro bono and community engagement is now and Scott Harshbarger (Casner & Edwards), along with BizGrow’s flagship annual event. several community partners — the project served over 500 In 2019, we undertook a comprehensive strategic branding entrepreneurs in its first year alone. and messaging process focused on strengthening our identity, Through generous support from The Boston Foundation more effectively articulating what we do, and better engaging and donors such as the family