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W STAND WITH SUGAR LA ESSENTIAL: Community Justice ^ A Reception for Sugar Law Center for Economic & Social Justice Wednesday, November 16, 2011 at the United Way for Southeastern Michigan Presenting the Maurice Sugar Voice for Justice Award to 28 Michigan Citizens Challenging the “Emergency Manager” Law DEMOCRACY EMERGENCY PITT,MCGEHEE,PALMER, RIVERS &GOLDEN, P.C. Guarding the Civil Rights and Liberties of All Citizens With over 150 years of combined experience in employment law, our firm is a national leader in complex employment, civil rights, consumers’ rights and class action litigation on behalf of individuals. Michael L. Pitt, Cary S. McGehee, Robert W. Palmer, Beth M. Rivers, Joseph A. Golden and Megan A. Bonanni are honored to be listed in Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers. 117 West 4th Street, Suite 200, Royal Oak, Michigan (MI) 48067 221 N. Main Street, Suite 300, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 89 Ionia NW, Suite 300, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 248-398-9800 888-398-3822 www.pittlawpc.com PRECEDING THE RECEPTION: “Movement Lawyers and Citizen Activists— Essential Collaboration for Justice” Attorney Michael Pitt, First Annual Leonard Grossman Memorial Lecture N 4 pm (free admission) ESSENTIAL: Community Justice ^ A RECEPTION & AWARD PRESENTATION IN HONOR OF THE DEMOCRACY EMERGENCY BATTLE THROUGHOUT THE EVENING: LIVE JAZZ Guitarist A. Spencer Barefield & Bassist Jeff Pedraz COMING TOGETHER: 6:30 PM WELCOME Donald Jones, Senior Consultant, New Economy Initiative Essential Advocacy Host APPRECIATION OF ALLIES, PARTNERS, FRIENDS Tova Perlmutter, Executive Director MAURICE SUGAR VOICE for JUSTICE AWARD PRESENTATION to THE 28 DEMOCRACY EMERGENCY PLAINTIFFS John C. Philo, Legal Director INSIDE THIS PROGRAM BOOK, LOOK FOR: Who’s Who at Sugar Law Center ........................................................................................................3 In Memoriam: Sugar Law Founders Leonard Grossman and Debra Evenson .........................................4 Thanks to Sugar Law Supporters .........................................................................................................7 Sugar Law’s Work in 2011 .................................................................................................................8 Democracy Emergency: The Law, The Challenge, The Plaintiffs, The Attorneys..................................20 Michael Pitt: Lawyer for the People....................................................................................................25 Essential Cuisine: Tonight’s Menu .....................................................................................................39 Essential Music: Tonight’s Artists ......................................................................................................40 Design: Barbara Barefield DesignWorks C Printed on recycled paper Sugar Law Center for Economic & Social Justice 1 ESSENTIAL: Advocacy for Community Justice 2011 “A law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to vote, had no part in enacting or devising the law.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Letter from Birmingham Jail (1963) “The right of voting for representatives is the primary right by which other rights are protected. To take away this right is to reduce a man to slavery…” Thomas Paine, First Principles of Government (1795) Saluting the Sugar Law Center and the plaintiffs in Brown v. Snyder for defending democracy in Michigan and throughout the nation The Labor & Employment Committee of the National Lawyers Guild Sugar Law Center for Economic & Social Justice 2 ESSENTIAL: Advocacy for Community Justice 2011 Sugar Law Center for Economic & Social Justice is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to defending the rights of working people and their communities. Founded as a project of the National Lawyers Guild, Sugar Law shares the Guild’s belief that human rights are more sacred than property interests. We work for economic and social justice by demanding accountability from corporations and government. Sugar Law and its broad network of cooperating attorneys serve people nationwide fighting injustice and seeking to exercise fundamental human rights. HONORARY HOST COMMITTEE (affiliations for identification purposes only) AFSCME District Council 25 Bob King, President, UAW International Kim Bobo, Executive Director, Interfaith Worker Justice Andy Levin, Social Entrepreneur and Community Leader Jeff Breslin, RN, President, Michigan Nurses Association The Hon. Claudia Morcom, Retired Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Juan Cartagena, President and General Counsel, LatinoJustice PRLDEF Kary Moss, Executive Director, ACLU of Michigan The Hon. Hansen Clarke, U.S. House of Representatives Hasan Newash, Palestine Cultural Office of Michigan The Hon. Kenneth V. Cockrel Jr., Detroit City Council Fred Redmond, International Vice President, United Steelworkers The Hon. John Conyers, U.S. House of Representatives Lynn Rhinehart, General Counsel, AFL-CIO David Elsila, Retired Editor, UAW Solidarity Magazine Amanda Stitt, Director, Michigan Voice Ponsella Hardaway, Executive Director, MOSES The Hon. JoAnn Watson, Detroit City Council Charity Hicks, Detroit Black Community Food Security Network Saundra Williams, President, Metropolitan Detroit AFL-CIO The Hon. Brenda Jones, Detroit City Council Diann Woodard, President, American Federation of School Administrators DEMOCRACY EMERGENCY CAMPAIGN TEAM (affiliations for identification purposes only) Al Cholger, United Steelworkers, Co-Chair Tammy Force, AAUP-AFT Local 6075, WSU Chapter Brenda R. Moon, AFL-CIO, Co-Chair Michael Friedman, Honigman Miller Sugar Law Board of Directors Frank Joyce, Writer/Activist/Radio Commentator Sugar Law Staff Katie Kalahar, Goodman Kalahar PC Patricia Kubic, Curves Warren East William Bryce, Southeast Michigan Jobs with Justice Edith Lee-Payne, Brown v. Snyder Plaintiff Linda Campbell, Building Movement Project Susan Lund, National Lawyers Guild, Madison Chapter Sarah Coffey, National Lawyers Guild Sid Simon, Former Sugar Law Board Member Jeff Ditz, Southeast Michigan Coalition for Occupational Safety & Health Ron Williams, Happyfrogdetroit.com SUGARLAWCENTER FOR ECONOMIC & SOCIAL JUSTICE Tova Perlmutter, Executive Director Stephanie R. Ellis, Legal Analyst John Philo, Legal Director Patrina Griffin, Office Manager Tony Paris, Lead Attorney James E. Hunter, Project Coordinator Phyllis Jeden, Wayne State Law Post-Graduate Fellow Julius Carter and Dianne Thomas, Special Assistants for the Democracy Emergency Campaign BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ken Briggs Julie H. Hurwitz Brenda R. Moon Mark D. Stern William Goodman Joseph Lipofsky Jerome L. Reide The Hon. Rashida Tlaib Holly K. Herndon Jeanne Mirer Sue Marx Smock David Whitaker Sugar Law Center 4605 Cass Avenue, Detroit MI 48201 • www.sugarlaw.org • 313-993-4505 The Sugar Law Center is proud to be affiliated with the National Lawyers Guild, and to conduct all its work under contract with UAW Local 2320. Sugar Law Center for Economic & Social Justice 3 ESSENTIAL: Advocacy for Community Justice 2011 IN MEMORIAM Leonard Grossman, Gentle Warrior By Tova Perlmutter, Sugar Law Executive Director he death in 2011 of Leonard Grossman, one of the TSugar Law Center’s founding board members and a tireless advocate for workers’ and community rights, was a huge blow to peace and justice. Though he made his living as a real estate develop- er, Leonard gave a lifetime of service to the causes that mattered most to him: civil liberties, education and economic justice. In addition to Sugar Law, Leonard served as president of the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan and on the boards of the Fund for Equal Justice and the Cranbrook Peace Foundation. For many years, Leonard was treasurer for the annual Buck Dinner, which raises money for progres- sive causes. During 16 years on the West Bloomfield School Board, three as president, Leonard was trusted by both teachers and fellow board members. He was also an early investor in the MetroTimes and played a key role in its history. civil and economic rights did not constitute his livelihood, “His work for progressive causes was constant,” says at least while I knew him. But his example made it abun- Rudy Simons, an activist friend of Leonard’s for 50 years. dantly clear that sound business judgment, attention to Born in 1922 in St. Clair Shores, Leonard was wounded detail, and fundamental reliability are tremendously valu- badly while serving in the 94th Infantry Division during able to the struggle for social justice. World War II. Although doctors feared he might not walk A tribute to Leonard’s role with Sugar Law cannot omit again, his dogged persistence led to near-full recovery. He mention of his and Audrey’s extraordinary generosity. graduated from the University of Michigan Law School and Sugar Law can be said without exaggeration to owe its exis- married Audrey Buckner Gelbard. Over 53 years together, tence today to Leonard—not only his leadership and skills they raised six children and enjoyed ten grandchildren. in Board service, but very concretely through financial con- I met Leonard only six years ago, but I learned immedi- tributions that both sustained the organization and ately what a dear friend and advisor he was to those who inspired essential support from others. worked alongside him. There are very few people one meets Those of us who knew Leonard will miss him dearly. I who exude goodness, wisdom and humor from every fiber hope that we live out even a small part of what he was.