Earlier this month, Judge Kenneth Hoyt took senior status from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, leaving only two active African American judges on Texas federal courts. Texas is a diverse state: 12 percent of the population is African American and 38 percent is Hispanic. Of the 46 active federal district court judges in Texas, only two are African American, 14 are Hispanic and 14 are female.

Join us for a conversation next week, March 21st on this issue, how it affects us all, and what we can do fix this problem.

A diverse federal bench improves the quality of justice and instills confidence that judges understand the real-world implications of their decisions. Hoyt taking senior status means there are six district court vacancies in Texas that need to be filled. We must take this opportunity to fill these vacancies with diverse candidates.

Please join the National Bar Association, Texas League of Young Voters Education Fund, Progress Texas, Texans for a Fair Judiciary and Legal Progress at the Center for American Progress for a discussion on this critical issue.

Diversity and the Federal Bench: A Crisis in Texas

Thursday, March 21st
12 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Thurgood Marshall School of Law Room 105
3100 Cleburne Street Houston, TX 77004

Click here to RSVP

Panelist Include:

Dannye Holley, Dean and Professor of Law Thurgood Marshall School of Law
Heather Busby, Executive Director NARAL Texas
Carmen Watkins, Regional Director NAACP
Rogene Gee Calvert, Director Outreach Strategists
Justine K. Fanarof, Counsel Anti-Defamation League Southwest Region
Moderator Matt Glazer, Executive Director Progress Texas

We hope to see you next Thursday!