Diversity

Los Angeles to Elect Five Superior Court Judges Amid Calls for Diversity and Reform

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Los Angeles, CA — This November, Los Angeles voters will take to the polls to elect five judges to the Los Angeles Superior Court, selecting from a field of ten candidates who advanced from the March primary elections. The judges elected will serve six-year terms in offices numbered 39, 48, 97, 135, and 137. These elections are critical as Superior Court judges handle a wide range of legal matters including criminal, civil, and family cases. Campaigns for Superior Court positions tend to be less visible than those for other offices, due to fewer resources and … Read more

Atlanta Celebrates Diversity in Cinema: “Out on Film 2024” Festival Announces Esteemed Award Winners

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Atlanta, GA — The 37th annual Out on Film festival, one of Atlanta’s premier events celebrating LGBTQIA+ cinema, unveiled its array of filmmaker awards. The festival, sponsored by GILEAD, concluded with significant accolades for various films that captured the hearts and minds of both the audience and the jury. The festival, known for showcasing diverse and compelling stories from the LGBTQIA+ community, saw Anthony Schatteman’s “Young Hearts” clinch the Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature and the award for First Feature. The film paints an evocative portrait of young love through 14-year-olds Elias and Alexander, … Read more

Jury Selected for Brett Hankison’s Federal Retrial in Breonna Taylor Case, Commences With Single Black Juror Amid Concerns of Diversity

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The stage is set for the federal retrial of former Louisville Metro Police Department Detective Brett Hankison, whose actions on the night Breonna Taylor was fatally shot by police are under scrutiny once again. The trial is scheduled to begin with opening statements on Monday. The newly selected jury is composed of eight women and seven men, with only one of the jurors being Black. This racial makeup mirrors that of Hankison’s initial federal trial, which concluded last November without a verdict, resulting in a hung jury and a mistrial. The composition … Read more

Federal Judge Issues Partial Injunction on Transportation Department’s Diversity Initiative

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Washington, D.C. – A federal judge recently issued a partial blockade against a Transportation Department initiative aimed at enhancing opportunities for minorities and women in the infrastructure sector. This move has spurred debate over the methods used to rectify historical inequities within federal government contracts. The program, designed to allocate a portion of federal contracts to businesses owned by minorities and women, faced a legal challenge from conservative advocacy groups. They argued that the program’s design was based on race and gender preferences, which they claim are unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor, based in … Read more