On Monday, Congress began negotiations on a COVID-19 relief bill that would address the current economic and public health crisis. To discuss, we SPOTLIGHT Alejandra Y. Castillo. Castillo is the CEO of YWCA USA which serves 2.3 million women and girls around the country with a network of over 200 associations. YWCA plays a dual role as both a social service provider and an advocate for reform and justice. Castillo has over two decades of professional experience in Washington, D.C., having served in senior leadership in two presidential administrations. In 2014, Castillo was appointed by the Obama Administration to serve as the national director of the Minority Business Development Agency, becoming the first Hispanic American woman to lead the agency. In that role, she helped secure financing and capital in excess of $19 billion and created or retained over 33,000 jobs. Media includes: The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, NBC, CNN, Fox News.
Donald J. Trump is threatening to send federal troops to other U.S. cities beyond Portland to quell protests against police brutality and systemic racism. Governors and others have vowed to stop him. To discuss, we FEATURE Tia Sherèe Gaynor. Gaynor is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science and director of the Center for Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation. Her research focuses on the unjust experiences’ individuals at the intersection of race, gender identity and sexual orientation have when interacting with systemic racism and social hierarchy in public administration. Media includes: Christian Science Monitor, PopSugar, Huffington Post, NPR.
Georgia Democrats have chosen State Sen. Nikema Williams to replace the late Rep. John Lewis on the November ballot. The civil rights legend died Friday after serving 17 terms. To discuss, we FEATURE Beth Schapiro. Schapiro, who is based in Georgia, is a nationally recognized expert on campaign strategy and public affairs. With over 30 years of experience in the field, she has developed campaign strategy for successful candidates for all levels of office throughout the Southeast. She is particularly proud of her experience helping to elect several officials who were the first of their race, gender, or sexual orientation to win a particular office. Her areas of expertise include American elections, Southern politics, women in politics, women candidates, voter behavior, and gay candidates. Media includes: USA Today, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Roll Call, Richmond Times-Dispatch, CNN, Fox.
As coronavirus cases rise in Florida, the largest teachers union in the state has sued Gov. Ron DeSantis over his push to reopen schools in the fall. To discuss, we FEATURE Ileana Jiménez. Jiménez is a leader in the field of social justice education. Passionate about creating inclusive schools, she believes in transforming education for gender, racial, and economic justice. She appeared on the Melissa Harris-Perry Show to talk about teaching feminism to high school students and to advocate for safe schools. Media includes: Melissa Harris-Perry Show, The Atlantic, Feministing, NOW-NYC.
The University of Oxford has found a potential vaccine for COVID-19, with initial trials looking promising. To discuss, we FEATURE Amy Finan. Finan was appointed as the chief executive officer of the Sabin Vaccine Institute on April 18, 2016. In her time as CEO, Finan has led the development and implementation of a strategic plan focusing Sabin on a mission to make vaccines more accessible, enable innovation and expand immunization across the globe. Prior to joining Sabin, Finan served as senior vice president responsible for business development at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), the world's largest membership organization representing biotechnology companies, academic institutions and state biotechnology centers. Extensive media experience.
Civil rights leaders have planned a march to rally for criminal justice revisions. The march, “Get Your Knee Off Our Necks,” will take place on August 28, starting at the Lincoln Memorial. To discuss, we FEATURE Connie Razza. Razza is Chief of Campaigns and Policy for the Center for Popular Democracy and oversees CPD’s broad-ranging campaigns for economic justice and a robust, inclusive democracy, as well as the organization's research efforts. She had previously served as CPD's campaign director and research director. Prior to returning to CPD, Raza was Vice President of Policy and Research at Demos, where she directed the work of the policy team and developed a social exclusion framework to understanding the drivers of racism in the US. She has worked for economic and racial justice for nearly a quarter century, as a union activist, organizer, researcher, policy analyst, and strategist. Media includes: The New York Times, The Guardian.
"Anti-feminist" lawyer Roy Den Hollande is a suspect in the killing of federal judge Esther Salas's son. Hollander had openly shown vitriol towards Salas, calling her "a lazy and incompetent Latina judge appointed by Obama.” To discuss, we FEATURE Lisalyn Jacobs. Jacobs is the CEO of Just Solutions: Bringing in justice to counteract injustice, and the former V.P. of Government Relations for Legal Momentum (formerly NOW Legal Defense & Education Fund). She has testified before congressional committees at both the state and federal levels. She has also fought for and secured needed protections for poor women and survivors of violence in a number of key federal laws including two reauthorizations of the Violence Against Women Act (2005 and 2013). Media includes: The New York Times, Huffington Post, MSNBC, CNN, NPR.
Former female employees of the Washington NFL team have spoken in detail about alleged sexual harassment in the workplace. To discuss, we FEATURE Amy Epstein Gluck. Epstein Gluck serves as a trusted legal advisor to business owners and in-house counsel advising employers about workplace culture, compliance with anti-discrimination laws (Title VII, ADA, FMLA, ADEA, FLSA, etc.), HR policies, retaliation, and navigating #MeToo issues while complying with federal, state, and local employment laws with an eye toward preventing organizational problems, not just reacting to them. Epstein Gluck regularly conducts sexual harassment trainings for managers and employees and trains supervisors on how to recognize and respond to accommodation requests. Media includes: The New York Times, The Washington Post, Business Insurance.
The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to hear House Democrat's requests to speed up Donald Trump's tax case in the lower courts. To discuss, we FEATURE Ciara Torres-Spelliscy. Torres-Spelliscy is a professor, teaching courses in Election Law, Corporate Governance, Business Entities, and Constitutional Law at Stetson University College of Law. She is also a Brennan Center Fellow. Prior to joining Stetson's faculty, Professor Torres-Spelliscy was counsel in the Democracy Program of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law where she provided guidance on the issues of money in politics and the judiciary to state and federal lawmakers. Media includes: The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, The New York Times, Time, Bloomberg, Mother Jones, Newsweek, NBC, NPR, Fox.
Sunday is the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To commemorate, we FEATURE Emily Ladau. Ladau is a passionate disability rights activist, writer, speaker, and digital communications consultant whose career began at the age of 10, when she appeared on several episodes of Sesame Street to educate children about her life with a physical disability. In 2018, she was awarded the Paul G. Hearne Emerging Leader Award from the American Association of People with Disabilities. Ladau is the Editor in Chief of the Rooted in Rights Blog, a platform focused on amplifying authentic writing on disability rights issues. She is dedicated to harnessing the powers of communication and social media as tools for people of all abilities to become informed and engaged about disability and social justice issues. Media includes: The New York Times, SELF, Salon, Variety, Huffington Post, NPR.
Liz Theran
