The Women's Political Collaborative of Tennessee will host “Racism: Then and Now – Have We Changed?” next Tuesday at 6 p.m. CDT. The Zoom discussion will be moderated by attorney and Tennessee State University professor Larry Woods. Panelist will include Dwight Lewis, author and former editorial writer for the Tennessean; Joyce Searcy, founding director of the Belmont Office of Community Relations; and Sabina Mohyuddin, executive director at the American Muslim Advisory Council. Register here for the free event.

The Alliance for Justice is hosting a new virtual series: May I Approach? Courts and the Power of Inclusion. The first session will take place Wednesday at 5 p.m. CDT and will focus on the impact of black women appellate judges. According to organizers, the event will explore the current landscape of diversity among appellate judges, the opportunities and obstacles to increasing representation of Black women on appeals courts, and why diversity is important on the bench. Panelists will include U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit Judge Bernice B. Donald, the first Black woman elected judge in Tennessee.

YWCA organizations around the country are participating in a “21 Day Challenge” to discover how racial and social injustice impact our communities and to identify ways to dismantle discrimination. The YWCA of Nashville & Middle Tennessee and the YWCA of Knoxville & the Tennessee Valley have announced they are offering the program in their areas. The challenge is designed to create dedicated time and space to build more effective social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of race, power, privilege and leadership. Those who participate will be presented with daily “challenges” such as reading an article, listening to a podcast or reflecting on a personal experience. Register here for the Nashville program or the Knoxville program.

Atlanta-based public defender organization Gideon’s Promise will host a virtual event titled “Public Defenders on the Frontlines” on Thursday at 5 p.m. CDT  or 6 p.m. EDT. Four public defenders from Louisiana, Kentucky, Texas and New York will speak on organizing rallies, COVID-19-related challenges they face while being on the frontlines of the pandemic and bridging the gap between the criminal justice system and communities around the nation. Register online or email advancement@gideonspromise.org for more information.

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands will host three legal phone clinics this week for members of the public with questions about housing and renters’ rights, bankruptcy, medical bills, debt collection, domestic violence, applying for SNAP benefits and applying for unemployment benefits. Phone clinics will be held tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursday from 3 to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 to 11 a.m. CDT. Those needing assistance may call 800-238-1443. To volunteer for a clinic, contact Andrae Crismon or Kendra Cheek or call 615-780-7131. 

Metro Nashville Vice Mayor Jim Shulman and civil rights attorney Abby Rubenfeld will provide a community conversation regarding the recent Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia decision and other issues faced by Tennessee’s LGBT citizens. This free Zoom videoconference will take place on Saturday at 10 a.m. CDT. If you are interested in attending this event please register here. Email any questions to info@shulmanfornashville.com. The registration deadline is 7 a.m. CDT on the morning of the program.

The Arts and Business Council of Greater Nashville, which supports Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts, will host a panel discussion Tuesday on the real purpose and promise of “Blackout Tuesday” — a collective action originally organized within the music industry to protest racism and police brutality. The discussion will be presented in partnership with the National Museum of African American Music. The free event kicks off at 4:30 p.m. CDT. Register here.

An event tomorrow will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the murder of Elbert Williams. The program will be live streamed on the Tennesseans for Historical Justice’s Facebook page at 10 a.m. CDT. Williams was a civil rights activist and an NAACP president who was murdered in Brownsville in 1940. Lawyer Jim Emison, who previously practiced in Crockett and Haywood counties, has worked to honor Williams, including writing a book on his life titled “Elbert Williams: First To Die.” Learn more about the case.

The National Bar Association will hold a Juneteenth Town Hall on the topic of “Road to Reform, Equity, and Freedom.” The event will take place on Zoom Friday beginning at noon CDT or 1 p.m. EDT. The discussion will focus on police reform, criminal justice reform, reparations, removal of confederate statues, justice in policing act and anti-lynching legislation. Register here.

The Memphis Bar Association, the National Bar Association Ben F. Jones Chapter and the Association for Women Attorneys will host a Bar Unity March in Memphis on June 24. The march will begin at 8:46 a.m. CDT at the Walter L. Bailey Jr. Criminal Justice Center at 201 Poplar Avenue. Before the march begins, remarks will be made by attorney leaders regarding making specific commitments to combat systemic racism in the community and legal community. Those remarks will be followed by 8 minutes and 46 seconds where attendees can stand, take a knee, sit or lay down. A virtual march option is available by posting a graphic on social media for eight hours and 46 minutes.