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Friday April 9, 2021 vol. CXLV no. 33
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Jackson-Akiwumi ’00 to be nominated to 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals By Ngan Chiem staff writer
“DIRKSEN UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE, CHICAGO LOOP, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS” BY KEN LUND / CC SA 2.0
Everett McKinley Dirksen Courthouse, home of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.
President Joe Biden recently announced his intent to nominate Candace Jackson-Akiwumi ’00 to the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago. If confirmed, she will be the second Black woman to serve in the position. According to the statement from the White House, JacksonAkiwumi’s nomination, along with the nominations of 10 other candidates, will highlight the President’s promotion of a more diverse federal judiciary, “both in background and in professional experience.” Jackson-Akiwumi will also be the first former federal defender on the court after serving 10 years as a staff attorney for the Federal Defender Program in Chicago from 2010 to
2020. There, she “represented more than 400 indigent clients accused of federal crimes at every stage of the process,” according to the statement from the White House. Her colleagues at the program celebrated her rigorous work ethic and incomparable pursuit of justice. “There are a lot of smart lawyers. I don’t think there are a lot of smart lawyers who work as hard as she does,” said longtime friend and colleague MiAngel Cody in The Chicago Tribune. The executive director of the Federal Defender Program, John Murphy, also praised her for being among the first local attorneys to challenge the racially discriminatory and now-rejected practice of “stash house” sting operations, which targeted Black men and saddled
them with heavier mandatory sentences. During her time at Yale Law School, Jackson-Akiwumi was part of a legal team that successfully challenged a death row inmate’s sentence at the Supreme Court on the grounds of poor assistance of counsel. Jackson-Akiwumi received an A.B. with Honors from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, along with certificates in African American Studies and Women’s Studies, and she continues to contribute to the Princeton community. In an email to The Daily Princetonian, Director of Alumni Council Operations Livia Wong McCarthy highlighted Jackson-Akiwumi’s volunteer role as a member of the Alumni Council’s Committee See NEWS for more
CROSSWORD
In Opinion
Through a personal essay, Contributing Columnist Mark Lee illustrates a comparison between the significant increase in violence against Asians and Asian Americans and the constant ostracization of his identity growing up and even as he entered the workforce.
In Prospect Staff writer Amy Ciceu reflects on the timeliness of “Kajillionaire,” directed by Miranda July, in the present day, examining elements including cinematography, directing, and characterization.
In Multimedia
Welcome to the Great Class of 2025! Check out Drake, Bekele, and Keker’s video touring campus to show you some of the best spots and all of the other places that you will be able to make your home at Princeton.