“A Colony Is a Colony Is a Colony: Puerto Rico and the Courts” by Bertha Justice Fellow Luna Martinez 

To wrap up Latinx Heritage Month, we’re happy to share a piece from Bertha Justice Fellow Luna Martinez titled “A Colony Is a Colony Is a Colony: Puerto Rico and the Courts” on our blog. She writes: 

Colonialism is generally not a topic of discussion or analysis in constitutional law studies in the United States. Yet U.S. constitutional law has both shaped and been shaped by projects of colonial expansion and continues to have a material impact on Indigenous Peoples across the American continent. As we reflect upon Latinx Heritage Month, and on the heels of the anniversary of our continent’s pillage by European colonizers, the intersection between colonial rule and the case of Puerto Rican self-determination emerges as one of the many sites of ongoing anti-imperialist struggle.

Puerto Rico’s colonial status dates to the “discovery” of the American continent by European imperial powers 528 years ago. ...

Continue reading on our website.

You’re invited to Grasping at the Root: White Supremacy and the So-Called “War on Terror” 

The Institute for Policy Studies, Haymarket Books, and the Center for Constitutional Rights present Grasping at the Root: White Supremacy and the So-Called “War on Terror”, the second event of a four-part series marking the 20th anniversary of 9/11. The conversation with scholars, lawyers, and journalists is an invitation to reflect on and interrogate the pillars of white supremacy upon which the U.S. constructed the last 20 years of policy. The post-9/11 human rights crisis is but the latest chapter in over half a millennium of colonialism, capitalism, and war. Only in situating today’s injustices within a history of U.S. domination, exceptionalism, and impunity can we begin to chart a new future rooted in accountability, solidarity, and interdependence.

RSVP for the event at the Eventbrite registration page.

Join us Thursday for a hearing in our case challenging long-term indefinite solitary confinement in California 

Join us for a hearing in our case challenging long-term indefinite solitary confinement in California state prisons, Ashker v. Governor of California, on Thursday, October 28. Tune in at 2:00 p.m. PT — arguments in Ashker will likely start between 2:00 and 2:30, depending on the length and order of arguments. 

There will be a link to the livestream available on the court’s website.

Upcoming Events: Lessons for Social Justice Lawyers: Michael Ratner, A Warrior for Justice; War on Terror Film Festival 

Lessons for Social Justice Lawyers: Michael Ratner, a Warrior for Justice
Tuesday, October 26, 2021 | 4–6 p.m.

Please join Hofstra Law's Monroe H. Freedman Institute for the Study of Legal Ethics on Tuesday, October 26, at 4:00 p.m. ET for a panel discussion commemorating the life of Michael Ratner.

Michael Ratner handled some of the most significant human rights cases of his time and left a remarkable legacy of progressive and radical lawyering. His posthumous autobiography, Moving the Bar, was recently published. The panel of prominent lawyers who worked closely with Michael will examine his work and explore Michael’s lessons for future social justice lawyers. Deputy Legal Director Maria LaHood and Executive Director Vince Warren will speak on the panel. 

This event is free, open to the public, and will be held via Zoom. RSVP is required. Registrants will be emailed a link to the Zoom session prior to the event.

War on Terror Film Festival

We’re excited to co-sponsor the War on Terror Film Festival, a month-long, virtual program organized by the Coalition for Civil Freedoms featuring 20 award-winning films made over the last 20 years that document abuses, highlight crimes, and satirize absurdities of the so-called “War on Terror.”

On Friday, October 29, our own Senior Staff Attorney Katherine Gallagher will join speakers to reflect on the film Ghosts of Abu Ghraib. Please check the festival schedule for the exact time.

For the schedule of screenings and conversations throughout October, FAQs, registration, and panelist information, visit the War on Terror Film Festival website.