TODAY — Pride Is Protest: Celebrating a Legacy of Black Queer & Trans Resistance, Resilience, and Rebellion 

Join us today 12-12:45pm EST for part two of our Instagram Live series (@ccrjustice). Last week, in part one, we joined with our allies in Uganda; today we’ll be in conversation with our comrades and co-conspirators in Nigeria, discussing efforts to protect and promote the rights of LGBTQIA+ people, the export of homophobic and transphobic laws and policies, and steps we can all take to help dismantle the colonial legacy of gender oppression.

We’re speaking with Matthew Blaise (they/them), a Nigerian queer rights activist, and Advocacy Associate maya finoh (they/them). Matthew was on the frontlines of last year's #EndSARS protests against police brutality in Nigeria and was instrumental in the call to center queer Nigerian lives. They are currently working on a documentary that ties the conditions for African queer people in the present to the destablization of African regions by European colonialism in the past.

Our client Ashley Diamond’s story was spotlighted last week 

Last week, our client Ashley Diamond’s story was featured in a video by CNN titled “She's incarcerated in a men's prison facility. Why she's suing Georgia corrections.” Together with the Southern Poverty Law Center, we continue to litigate Ashley’s lawsuit against the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC), demanding that it immediately transfer her from a men’s facility, where she remains a target of violence, as well as provide her access to vital healthcare. The lawsuit also argues that the minimum standards of adequate care for gender dysphoria go beyond hormone therapy and must include additional treatments that allow individuals to affirm their gender.

CNN interviews Ashley’s sister Diana Diamond, who recounts Ashley’s prior incarceration, her landmark 2016 victory in her first lawsuit against GDC, and her situation now. "To this day, I am still her protector," Diana shared. Through Diana's powerful interview, we see so clearly the impact that the carceral system has on families and communities on the outside, too. Watch the segment on CNN’s website and share it!

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On the Horizon: Decision time in Al Shimari 

One week after issuing its decision in Nestlé v Doe, the Supreme Court is considering the next step for our long-running case on behalf of Abu Ghraib torture survivors, Al Shimari v. CACI. Last Thursday, the justices conferenced to decide whether to grant private contractor CACI’s petition to be heard by the Court. We expect a decision this week— and hope that the case is sent back to the district court so that our clients can finally have their day in court.

We’re building on our historical roots in the South — and hiring a lead attorney! 

As we acknowledge the profound challenges posed by COVID-19 and the conflicts we are confronting across the country, dedicated staff members from across our organization have been hard at work to lay the groundwork for our newest initiative: the Center for Constitutional Rights Southern Regional Office. The office and its staff will operate from Jackson, Mississippi, providing support and partnership across the entirety of the South. While we continue to monitor the impact of COVID-19 on workplace safety, it is our plan to open this regional office in 2021. 

We have officially launched our search for the first staff position in our Southern Regional Office: Senior Managing Attorney. This person will act as the lead attorney to anchor the expansion of the regional office, play a pivotal role in shaping and leading our social justice litigation and advocacy presence in the South, and help build the power of Southern regional movements to fight white supremacy and other forms of oppressive power. Once fully staffed, the office in Jackson will be home to lawyers and advocates who will offer our model of movement lawyering and advocacy to the most pressing challenges we face in the South. We are so honored and elated to be making this announcement, which has been in the making for quite some time now.

Please share this exciting opportunity with your networks, and head to our website to apply!

We’re hiring a temporary Human Resources Associate  

We have a part-time, temporary position available for a Human Resources (HR) Associate to cover a staff member going on leave from August to October 2021. The HR Associate will be responsible for the day-to-day administrative oversight of human resources, including administration of employee benefits, recruitment, and orientation. We are looking for someone with general knowledge of human resources issues and functions; training on our systems will be provided. 

For more information and instructions on how to apply, check out our website. The deadline to submit your application is July 8!