DEI and the First Amendment

Since the Supreme Court's 2023 opinion against affirmative action, legislators and litigators have unleashed a torrent of laws and lawsuits targeting diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The Trump administration threatens to further mobilize the federal government against diversity programming through executive orders and "reverse discrimination" lawsuits.

In this event, leading advocates and scholars explore the potential of strategies rooted in the First Amendment to defend and advance inclusion in the face of state DEI bans, private lawsuits, and a potentially hostile federal government.

Featuring:

Shalini Goel Agarwal, Special Counsel, Protect Democracy

Tona Boyd, Civil Rights Expert, Former Associate Director Counsel, NAACP LDF

Taonga Leslie, Director of Policy and Program for Racial Justice, American Constitution Society

Chris Geidner, Columnist and Author, Law Dork & MSNBC

William M. Carter Jr., Professor, University of Pittsburgh School of Law