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Dirty laundry thread: NLG-LA
NLG LA’s Executive Board is a disaster. Some of the biggest names in LA’s “progressive”lawyering cannot see past their egos to understand that even the Guild—& it’s members—are not immune from perpetuating systems of oppression.
Things I’ve heard from NLG-LA Board members:
• “I am an immigrant. I am not racist.”
• “Black men are the most oppressed people in the world. I cannot be racist & I resent that accusation.”
• “I represent asylum-seekers! [so therefore I can’t be accused of racism].”
• “I am an immigrant. I am not racist.”
• “Black men are the most oppressed people in the world. I cannot be racist & I resent that accusation.”
• “I represent asylum-seekers! [so therefore I can’t be accused of racism].”
The NLG-LA Executive Board hired two Black women—Guild members themselves—to investigate a tremendous failure of the Guild during the George Floyd protests. The Report acknowledged that NLG-LA operates with “vestiges of colonial oppression.”
This is a wholly unsurprising and rather benign conclusion to anyone who can see with clear eyes & has lived in a US society.
But to the old heads of NLG-LA, the entire Report is a personal affront.
But to the old heads of NLG-LA, the entire Report is a personal affront.
I’m talking about people who are mentioned in books about “progressive” lawyers in the US. People who are quoted in the news & whose names are on the captions of big lawsuits & whose reputations are revered in the civil rights lawyering community.
These people have done great work. They still do great work. But right now they impede progress. They are digging in their heels & plugging their ears because for the first time, they are being called out for their complicity in white supremacy.
NLG-LA’s Board had an “old & white” problem—again, we live in a society. The solution for a more “diverse” Board was to leave the old & white people & ADD a bunch of younger people & some POC.
Obviously, this is a not a solution.
Obviously, this is a not a solution.
Instead, the old & white people continue to run the Board & the Guild as they always have: rewarding the loyal through social capital & network connections. Who disproportionately gets inducted into this network? White people. Obviously.
This is not ground-breaking news.
This is not ground-breaking news.
There is a group—NLG Must Change—that has been working since July to get the NLG-LA Board members to recognize the harm it has done; identify the ways it continues to uphold systems of oppression; & be accountable for it.
Those in power Will. Not. Do. It.
Those in power Will. Not. Do. It.
They have undercut NLG Must Change at Every step. Rules are suddenly enforced, like vetting who is a dues-paying member on calls. Board meetings that are typically open are suddenly closed. Agendas are created & sent out right before the groups are to meet about the agenda.
People who are not part of the Board or the NLG Must Change group are included in correspondence, but not the actual group members. Special meetings are scheduled without consulting the group. The Report (which they paid for) is suddenly unreliable.
Most recently, an NLG-LA Co-Chair completely reneged on consensus agreements made at a meeting 4 days ago about a meeting in 3 days. The interim Executive Director—for the fourth time—sent out an agenda that was not agreed upon by the group.
These are not people acting in good faith. These are not people who want to change, or even learn about change. These are people who represent BIPOC in their day jobs (saviorism) & then fuck them over at night while they cry victim (gaslighting) for being accused of racism.
No one ever accused the members of the NLG-LA Board of being racist. But that’s what they’ve made the issue about now because these people—prominent, well-respected civil rights lawyers—cannot put their egos aside & admit they may be wrong.
The problems are so pervasive—& so OBVIOUS—that BIPOC members of the Board have called out their white counterparts for talking over them & ignoring their ideas! It is a KNOWN fact that members won’t attend meetings bc they are afraid of the powerful if they disagree with them.
What the FUCK kind of Executive Board is that for the NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD OF LOS ANGELES—let alone ANY organization?!
The NLG-LA Board runs on social capital, undue influence, & bullying.
NLG-LA will continue to be a social network-based landing pad for white lawyers who can afford to perform free labor, to the exclusion of ALL others, unless this Executive Board gets its act together.
If you are a dues-paying member of NLG-LA, I invite you to join the special Board meeting on Tuesday, December 15 at 6 pm Pacific. At best, you’ll see a coalition of people working together to make the Guild better & more accountable. At worst, you’ll see everything here & more.
If you know someone on the Board & support them participating in anti-oppression introspection, please text/call/email/DM them & ask them to attend the meeting & vote for NLG Must Change’s Resolution.
The Resolution simply asks the Board to commit to change. It doesn’t proscribe how. We simply want the Executive Board of NLG-LA to acknowledge that members have valid concerns & to pass the Resolution to affirm their commitment to building a better Guild for everyone.
