The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

Letter from President and CEO Karen Lawson

Our work to build public will for effective federal civil rights and social justice policies that promote equal opportunity for all Americans remains as challenging and rewarding as ever. However, the ground has never been more fertile for advancing the cause of civil and human rights in the United States. The election of the nation’s first African-American president has truly inspired a new generation of Americans to believe that progressive change and social justice can occur.

We at The Leadership Conference Education Fund are rising to the challenge and opportunity that this new climate brings to our work. We have been engaged for a number of years in a strategic planning process to examine the health of our current brand, the operational structure of the organization, and the goals and strategies that will help us to be as successful in the 21st century as we were in the 20th.

This process has been a fruitful one. It has led us to a slight name change and a new logo that we believe captures the essence of who we are as an organization, and a reinvigorated sense that our mission to inform and educate Americans about the importance of strong civil rights policies is as critical as ever.

This issue of the Civil Rights Monitor is a reflection of that process. Though it is always a challenge to capture the dynamic work of the coalition, we hope this year’s issue provides a clearer understanding of the work of The Education Fund and our sister organization, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

In this issue, you will have an opportunity to:

• read about the latest legislative developments;
• learn about the impact that recent Supreme Court cases on the Voting Rights Act and anti-discrimination laws will have on your civil and human rights; and
• get an overview of the public education projects we undertake and the research reports that we produce.

In addition, you will also have an opportunity to view, in a special feature on our digital television transition project, The Education Fund’s work to empower and mobilize local advocates around the country for progressive change. The increasing work outside the beltway is a reflection of our commitment to meeting Americans where they are and making the connection between federal policy and the concern they have for their communities.

Since our founding in 1969, The Education Fund has always believed that an educated and informed public is more likely to support effective federal civil rights and social justice policies. And now, 40 years later, we are adapting to new challenges, refining our messages and approaches, and seizing new opportunities in our work to build the public will for national policies that will create a more open and just society.

Undoubtedly, you have noticed I have a new title. As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of The Leadership Conference and institute other changes, we thought it time to return the leadership structure of The Leadership Conference and The Education Fund to that of a single president and CEO. I believe that this structure conforms to the reality of how both organizations currently operate and puts the organizations in the best position to succeed in the future. With your support we will continue to move the country forward.

Thank you,

Karen McGill Lawson
Executive Vice President and COO