Racial and Social Justice Committee

Our Mission:

The Racial and Social Justice Committee (formerly the President's Task Force on Racial and Social Justice) is charged with promoting racial equity and social justice. Leveraging the legal community's sense of justice, passion and resources, the task force seeks to explore relevant racial and social justice issues through conversations and programs in order to identify solutions.

Click here for Recent News Regarding
Hate Incidents Against Asian Americans

LASC's Statement Denouncing Race-Based Violence

OUR PAST EVENTS:

LACBA PRESIDENT’S RACIAL & SOCIAL JUSTICE TASK FORCE

Surge of Assaults and Hate Crimes Against Asian Americans

LACBA STATEMENT

Los Angeles, California – March 10, 2021 – The Los Angeles County Bar Association (“LACBA”) unequivocally condemns the recent unprovoked attacks on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (“AAPI”) across the nation and calls for all members of the Los Angeles legal community to stand up against anti-Asian hate and racism in all forms.

According to a recent study by the Asian American Bar Association of New York, there were more than 2,500 reports of anti-Asian hate incidents related to COVID-19 between March and September 2020 in the United States. According to a report presented to the Los Angeles Police Commission, 2020 saw a 114% increase in hate crimes targeting Asian Americans. These statistics grossly understate the actual number of anti-Asian hate incidents because of under-reporting by victims and under-counting by law enforcement.

The rash of incidents in California, including the Los Angeles metropolitan area, has included attacks on frail senior citizens walking alone in their neighborhoods, resulting in death and serious injury. Civic leaders, including local prosecutors, have condemned such vicious anti-Asian hate.

Local bar associations, including the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County (APABA) and LACBA’s affiliate, the Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association, have called for the public and legal community to act against hate incidents targeted at members of the AAPI community. APABA stated that it “strongly condemns the appalling rise in violence and hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in California and across the nation.” As LACBA President Tamie Jensen noted, “we at LACBA condemn these cowardly acts and stand in solidarity with the AAPI community. Every person is entitled to personal security and the protection of the law.”

LACBA was founded in 1878 and is one of the largest voluntary metropolitan bar associations in the country. LACBA is committed to working with Southern California’s affinity bar associations to ensure equality under the law for all people.

DEFINITIONS AND REPORTING HATE CRIMES

Federal Definition: A hate crime includes crimes committed based on the victim’s perceived or actual race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability.

Reporting: Any individual who has been a victim of a suspected hate crime or has witnessed a hate crime should report these incidents to their local police department first. In addition to local police, incidents should be reported to the local FBI field office and state attorney general's office.

NATIONWIDE AND LOCAL STATEMENTS & CALLS TO ACTION

U.S. DOJ: