Teach-in on Civil Rights, Civil Liberties, and the Rule of Law — with David Cole, Skye Perryman, Rep. Jamie Raskin, and Kelley Robinson - with Ally Coll

Politics and Prose is pleased to announce the first in a planned series of discussions meant to keep our community informed and engaged during this exceptional period in our nation’s political history. With the help of a distinguished group of panelists, our initial event will examine the recent challenges to individual rights and liberties posed by some early Trump administration actions. These include the effort to undo birthright citizenship, expel massive numbers of immigrants, roll back LGBTQ+ protections, and eradicate initiatives promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. The panel also will explore how traditional norms are being discarded and the rule of law eroded by extensive attacks on the administrative state, bold assertions of executive power, disregard for congressional mandates, and questioning of judicial authority. In addition to elaborating on these developments, the discussion will suggest ways for people to act on their concerns. How, for instance, can citizens ensure existing legal precedents are enforced effectively? What new mechanisms might be developed to better protect the civil rights and civil liberties currently under threat? What can we all do--as lawyers and non-lawyers alike--to come together as a community and stand up for the principles that motivate and define us as Americans? We are calling these events “teach-ins,” echoing the teach-ins of the 1960s that provided a foundation for education and tools for action during the civil rights and anti-war movements. We hope our sessions will serve a similar purpose in these times. Our panelists for the first teach-in include:David Cole is the Hon. George J. Mitchell Professor in Law and Public Policy at Georgetown University Law Center and former National Legal Director of the ACLU. He writes regularly for the New York Review of Books and is legal affairs correspondent for The Nation. Skye L. Perryman is President and CEO of Democracy Forward, a nonpartisan, national legal organization that promotes democracy and progress through litigation, regulatory engagement, policy education, and research. Perryman took the helm at Democracy Forward a few months after January 6, 2021, in the midst of rising extremism in communities and courts across the country. Rep. Jamie Raskin proudly represents Maryland’s 8th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Prior to his time in Congress, Raskin was a three-term State Senator in Maryland, where he also served as the Senate Majority Whip. He was also a professor of constitutional law at American University’s Washington College of Law for more than 25 years. Kelley J. Robinson, President of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), is a pioneering advocate in the realm of LGBTQ+ equality and social justice. As the first Black, queer woman to helm HRC, the largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization in the U.S., she brings over 15 years of experience, leading numerous successful campaigns for LGBTQ+, racial, and gender equity. Under her leadership, HRC declared a national State of Emergency, responding to a concerning surge in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. Mobilizing HRC's extensive network of over 3 million members, supporters, and volunteers, Robinson has fought discrimination and fostered safer, more inclusive environments for LGBTQ+ communities. Her efforts have secured significant political victories, countering anti-transgender rhetoric and mobilizing "Equality Voters" to historic wins in 2023. To date, Robinson's presidency has witnessed landmark legislative achievements, including the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act and the defeat of numerous anti-LGBTQ+ amendments in the U.S. House. This event will be moderated by Ally Coll, an Assistant Professor of Law at the City University of New York (CUNY), where she teaches courses about constitutional separation of powers, the modern administrative state, and the federal courts system.