Washington Courts: Press Release Detail

Registration open for National Consortium on Racial and Ethnic Fairness in Courts and Supreme Court Symposium this May in Seattle

The 35th annual National Consortium on Racial and Ethnic Fairness in the Courts (NCREFC) is being held at the Hilton Motif Hotel in Seattle May 21-24, with registration open for the conference being hosted by the Washington Supreme Court’s Minority & Justice Commission.

Kicking off the morning of Sunday, May 21, judges, attorneys, legal professionals, and advocates from across the country will gather in Washington state to explore the root causes of racial and ethnic bias and disparities in state judicial systems and highlights solutions; while promoting the conference’s guiding principle of actively eliminating racism at all levels.

The theme of this year’s NCREFC conference is “Justice: Promises to Keep” Where the topics of discussion will be ongoing initiatives, activities and reforms taking place across the country that address cultural competence, equity, and other related topics.

“This theme lends itself well to the idea that our courts and systems of justice have some work to do in fulfilling the promise of justice for all; we can do better and I know so many who want to do better,” Justice Mary Yu said, Co-chair of the Minority & Justice Commission and member of Washington’s Supreme Court.

“Our Court has been a recognized leader in supporting initiatives to eradicate racism, so I’m happy to welcome the Consortium to our beautiful state.”

The conference will also feature Washington’s Annual Supreme Court Symposium on May 22, an event free and open to the public hosted by the Minority & Justice Commission, to educate justices on issues affecting people of color and make recommendations for judicial improvements.

Starting at 9 a.m. the morning of May 22nd, this year’s Symposium will focus on educating the judiciary about how their decisions play a large role in population health and health equity.

The symposium requires registration, with an option to stream the event on TVW. The symposium will be one of many informative events and panels at the NCREFC, you can find the preliminary agenda for all three days here.

The National conference was founded in 1989 by Washington State’s Minority and Justice Commission, in tandem with similar commissions from New Jersey, New York and Michigan, and has since grown to 37-member states. It was last hosted in Washington in 2008.

“I am proud to work in a state that seeks to hold itself accountable, acknowledges the complicity of the courts in sustaining inequities, and leads on so many fronts in making meaningful changes to how we practice our principles,” Judge Veronica Alicea-Galván said, co-chair of the Minority & Justice Commission and King County Superior Court Judge.

“This conference is an opportunity to learn from others, and share with them our own experiences, as we continue to ensure that we live up to the promise of justice for all.”

The Washington State Minority and Justice Commission of the Supreme Court was established in 1990 by the Court to identify problems and make recommendations to ensure fair and equal treatment in the state courts for all parties, attorneys and court employees.

CONTACT:  Carolyn Cole, carolyn.cole@courts.wa.gov