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Hi John,

The Supreme Court’s term ended in familiar fashion with the justices saving their most cruel, inhumane, and unconstitutional rulings for last. On June 29th, the Court effectively ended the use of affirmative action in higher education admissions, trampling precedent and ending a nearly 70-year march toward an integrated society. Then, on June 30th, the Court ruled [[link removed]] that it is acceptable for businesses to discriminate and deny service to members of the LGBTQ+ community, reversing another decades-long commitment to equal access to public accommodations—and without any sound legal justification.

And last, on the same day, they rejected President Biden’s debt forgiveness plan, saddling tens of thousands of Americans with debt that serves no public interest while overstepping their proper constitutional role. It was a tough way to start summer.

We are, like you, deeply saddened. But we are not deterred.

After a few weeks on vacation re-centering on our common purpose and vision for the future, I am more confident than ever that we have the strategy, people, and community necessary to push back against these outrages. This past year was replete with victories that definitively demonstrate that all is not lost—in fact, we are making progress amid these setbacks.

Read on for excellent news on more confirmations of diverse, highly qualified judicial nominees committed to equal justice, the Bolder Advocacy team’s work to equip and empower nonprofit organizations across the nation with the tools to fight back, the latest work on the ground from our State Court Justice Program, and much more.

And tomorrow, Wednesday July 19th at 2PM ET, join me [[link removed]] , podcast host and activist DeRay Mckesson, and Prairie Rivers Network Executive Director Maggie Bruns in conversation with author Ken Grossinger on his new book Art Works: How Organizers and Artists are Creating a Better World Together. Register to be a part of this conversation here. [[link removed]]

Yours in the fight,
Rakim

Sign our Justice Thomas Resign petition. [[link removed]]

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Federal Courts

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Senate Democrats confirmed some fantastic civil rights champions this past week. Last week, Tiffany Cartwright [[link removed]] (W.D. Wash.), and Judge Myong Joun [[link removed]] (D. Mass.) were confirmed. Rachel Bloomekatz [[link removed]] (6th Cir., Ohio) has a final vote scheduled for later today.

Tiffany Cartwright [[link removed]] is an experienced civil rights and employment litigator, who has dedicated her career to ensuring that our legal system works for all. She will also be the first woman to serve as a federal district court judge from the Tacoma, Washington courthouse. Her nomination had been pending since January 2022.

Judge Myong Joun [[link removed]] dedicated his career in litigation to criminal defense and civil rights and already has nearly a decade of experience on the bench. Judge Joun would make an excellent judge for the District of Massachusetts. He brings a wealth of experiences—that of an immigrant, a veteran, and a judge—to the bench.
One of the nation’s leading appellate advocates, Rachel Bloomekatz [[link removed]] has devoted her career to advancing equal justice and is exceptionally qualified to serve on, and bring diversity to, the Sixth Circuit, which has tended to lean conservative. Bloomekatz has worked in both the public and private sectors as well as for both plaintiffs and defendants. In that time, she upheld and protected the rights of all people, an orientation that is much needed on the bench.

State Courts
[link removed] [[link removed]] Multiple state supreme court vacancies were announced recently, and AFJ's state courts team will be watching closely. Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie Gildea announced that she will step down from the bench this fall. Missouri Supreme Court Judge George W. Draper III, the second Black judge to ever serve on the court, will retire in August. In West Virginia, Supreme Court Justice John Hutchison announced that he will not seek reelection beyond his current term which expires at the end of next year. In Massachusetts, Supreme Judicial Court Justice Elspeth Cypher announced that she will retire in January.

In Oregon, Governor Tina Kotek released the names of thirteen finalists for the Supreme Court vacancy created by the confirmation of former justice Adrienne Nelson to the US District Court for the District of Oregon. Importantly, the slate includes multiple candidates with direct experience fighting for civil rights and protecting individuals’ freedoms.

Latest Resources from Bolder Advocacy
[link removed] [[link removed]] Bolder Advocacy is proud to introduce Lights, Camera, Change: A Filmmaker’s Guide to Private Foundation Funding for Social Impact [[link removed]] —a comprehensive resource that empowers social justice filmmakers and creatives to navigate the complexities of foundation funding.

[link removed] [[link removed]] Discover how you can build your advocacy power by integrating effective recordkeeping and reporting into your nonprofit’s advocacy program with our newest factsheet [[link removed]].

[link removed] [[link removed]] And don’t miss the latest episodes of our Rules of the Game podcast [[link removed]] , featuring discussions on fiscal sponsorships [[link removed]] , tax-exemptions in sports [[link removed]] , and more!
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Our spotlighted member for June and July is CenterLink [[link removed]] . In case you missed it, our Member spotlight for April and May was Western Leaders Network [[link removed]] .

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Rebecca Buckwalter-Poza
Aron Senior Justice Counsel

“I took—and I take—a lot of heart in the idea that there is a way to a fair and impartial judiciary that is not so steeped in the scandals and political aspects that we see now.”

With more than two decades of experience championing progressive causes across five continents, Rebecca joined Alliance for Justice in April 2023 as the Aron Senior Justice Counsel. AFJ is a perfect fit: “It’s pretty hard to find a place where you can find use for politics, journalism, policy, and law all at once,” Rebecca notes. “I feel really lucky to have the opportunity to do so at AFJ.”

As the Aron Senior Justice Counsel—a position named for AFJ Founder Nan Aron to honor her legacy—Rebecca works on federal nominations and confirmations, ethics reform, and legislative and judicial developments. It is a portfolio through which she expands and deepens the public’s knowledge about the federal judiciary, “the least accessible aspect of our government, when it should be the most accessible.”

Read our full profile of Rebecca. [[link removed]]

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