OHIO community welcomed to take part in No/Know Equal Justice talk

The Ohio University community is invited to attend “No/Know Equal Justice,” a conversation with civil rights leader, attorney, author and media influencer Benjamin Crump on Monday, Nov. 2, at noon. 

The virtual event will take place live via Zoom and is sponsored by OHIO’s Division of Diversity and Inclusion, Black Student Cultural Programming Board (BSCPB) and Center for Law, Justice & Culture in the College of Arts and Sciences. 

A renowned civil rights attorney, Crump has established himself as one of the nation’s foremost lawyers and advocates for social justice, nicknamed “Black America’s Attorney General.” He has represented families in several high-profile civil rights cases, including the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Nakia Jones, Danny Ray Thomas and Stephon Clark, as well as the residents of Flint, Michigan. 

“Benjamin Crump has done tremendous work in the field of social justice and we are thrilled to be able to hold this conversation with him and the Ohio University community,” Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion Gigi Secuban said. “In this era of growing awareness of issues facing diverse populations, I believe this conversation will be a wonderful addition to OHIO’s ongoing discourse about race, justice and civil rights.”

Crump currently serves as the president of the National Civil Rights Trial Lawyers Association and previously served as the president of the National Bar Association. He has also been recognized as the 2014 NNPA Newsmaker of the Year, The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Lawyers, Ebony Magazine Power 100 Most Influential African Americans, along with several other awards and accolades.

The conversation will be moderated by OHIO alumna Shaylyn Cochran, a partner at Cohen Milstein and a member of the law firm’s Civil Rights and Employment practice group. Prior to joining the firm, Cochran, a Harvard law graduate, was a Relman Civil Rights Fellow, litigating federal fair housing and employment discrimination matters. Cochran focuses on employment and civil right class actions involving discrimination claims, including age, gender, race, and/or disability discrimination. She has been recognized as a "Rising Star" by Legal 500 (2019-2020), Super Lawyers (2017-2020) and Law360 (2020).

This event is part of the Division of Diversity and Inclusion’s Monthly Speaker Series that elevates diverse voices and discusses current and historical issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. As part of this series, this summer the division welcomed to campus Sharon Cooper, who is the sister of the late Sandra Bland and who shared with us her enduring vision of racial justice.  

To attend this event, please register by Sunday, Nov. 1 at: https://bit.ly/2FvFdTJ.