Eden Williams
Embarking on this year’s National Lawyers Guild 2024 #Law4ThePeople Convention was one of excitement and anticipation. Knowing we would be in the company of some of the Guild’s best legal professionals, scholars, and activists, made the trip worth the many hours travelled for the 200+ who ventured out from all over the U.S.A and other parts of the world. What to expect I did not know, especially since the last time we met in person was in 2019, at the onset of COVID.
What a difference 5 years have made! This year’s first-time meeting had a good number of participants, but not as many as in pre-COVID times which often numbered over 300 in participation. Still, this did not dampen our spirits as it was a great time of catching up with old friends and faces, and embracing the new ones.
Let me list some of the highlights of our 5-day conference, starting with the inspiring presentation of civil and human rights attorney and grassroots community organizer Jaribu Hill who is the Founder and Executive Director of the Mississippi Workers’ Center for Human Rights. Look her up! Jaribu, a proud Southern force to be reckoned with, strongly admonished her listeners not to become complacent as many have been within the Guild. She addressed micro aggressions and how easy it is for Guilders to tolerate and even become comfortable with some forms of intolerance, as she stated it must be crushed at its every level and form. Being complacent leads to a level of comfort that can destroy any organization from within and the NLG is exempt from it in no way. She admonished the NLG to remain faithful to its mission. In-fighting and bickering could be the downfall of any organization but that we must be precision focused in not allowing any political parties to use us for their whims to only abandon us in the end. Gone are the days of the typical status quo and business as usual.
Another highlight of our conference was the dynamic group T.A.K.E. Civic Engagement (TRANSGENDER, ADVOCATES, KNOWLEDGABLE, EMPOWERING), an Alabama statewide group based In Birmingham. T.A.K.E. Resource Center is the only center that is Trans focused, Trans lead, and all of the staff members are Trans women of color, all residing in Birmingham. Its iconic Executive Director Ms. Daroneshia Duncan-Boyd challenged the attendees to continue to support the work of the Trans people of color throughout the United States. Ms. Duncan-Boyd believes the NLG is a powerful force in Birmingham and beyond in protecting the human and civil rights of our courageous comrades within the Alabama Trans community.
Regional meetings were well-attended and engaging. We discussed our local work and ways to collaborate within the regions in a more effective way, as well the regions’ engagement with the National Office. Yes, there were some heated discussions, but, at the end, we knew that we could achieve our goals via partnerships and collaborations and excel in 2025.
The closeout was very powerful, and we were admonished the National Lawyers Guild cannot forget our 87-year history in the world of advocacy, forcing power to acknowledge power.
As we are experiencing amazing shifts in how the nation views the work of the Guild, we, especially the Mass Chapter, must continue to go in full swing working within and with local communities, inside the courts, and mobilizing and supporting grassroots community organizations to empower them to do what they do best by making sure they have the fighting power to overturn any political or social system which enslaves peoples, not to be who they are destined to be.
