RWU's Institute for Race and the Law

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RWU’S INSTITUTE FOR RACE AND THE LAW

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TOGETHER, WE CAN make change.

Roger Williams University School of Law held its first classes three decades ago. Since then, we have earned a well-deserved reputation as champions for justice.

In 2023-24, we are commemorating our 30th anniversary. To celebrate and reaffirm our values, we are establishing a new Institute for Race and the Law. This innovative Institute will further deepen our social justice mission and our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

Roger Williams University is launching the Institute for Race and the Law to transform the landscape of legal education, drive justice reform through legal scholarship, and address root causes of systemic inequality.

We are national leaders in teaching and scholarship around issues of race and the law including issues of doctrine and diversity. Because of this work, Bloomberg Law ranked RWU Law as a top law school for programs regarding Innovation and Justice.

RACIAL JUSTICE LEADER TO HELM RWU’S CENTER A university is not worth its salt if it doesn't bring change to society.

Our Institute for Race and the Law will rise to this challenge and be a catalyst for real change. We will use the Institute to broaden our horizons, expand academic research on racial justice, and promote practical work on the ground that will make a real difference to the community."

—Bernard Freamon, Professor of Law

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INSPIRED TO FORGE greater justice In 2020, Roger Williams University law students inspired a movement at our law school. With their collaboration, we developed and launched a new required course called Race and the Foundations of American Law. In tandem, two of our faculty members created the country’s leading book on teaching about race in the classroom— Integrating Doctrine and Diversity: Inclusion and Equity in the Law School Classroom—and more publications are on the way. Each year, we train law professors nationwide on this important topic. We are leading the way.

At Roger Williams University School of Law, a movement for race and social justice is underway—a movement we invite you to join.

The creation of this Institute on Race & the Law will improve the RWU experience for all students.

More open discussion about the role that race played, and continues to play, in the creation of our systems, is necessary to foster an even richer curriculum while providing us with even more hands-on opportunities to make change on the ground while we are still students."

—Jonte' McKenzie 4

BY 2027, WE ASPIRE TO: •

Train 500 lawyers and legal educators about systemic oppression in the law and contemporary manifestations of white supremacy in legal spaces.

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Advise 50 U.S. law schools seeking to incorporate issues of race into their curriculum.

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Engage 500 non-legal professionals in training, discussions, and partnership to address systemic racism and American law.

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Lead justice reform in the Northeast through actionable research, advocacy, and policy.

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Establish a fellowship program that will encourage aspiring law professors to make anti-racist principles part of their teaching and scholarship.

MISSION

The Roger Williams University School of Law's exceptional strength lies in its capacity to craft unique opportunities for its students to learn while addressing social injustices and inequities. These transformative learning experiences are achieved through active engagement with diverse communities and a rigorous analysis of historical events. The establishment of the Institute underscores RWU Law's unwavering commitment to social justice and meaningful community engagement."

—Dr. Safie Sagna, Director, Diversity and Outreach

Roger Williams University School of Law is leading a movement to reform legal education and justice systems.

OBJECTIVE

The Institute for Race and the Law will modernize legal education and the legal system to ensure justice for all. RWU will achieve this through teaching and research, scholarships, and programming around our priorities.

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THE INSTITUTE FOR RACE AND THE LAW PRIORITIES Pillar 1 LEGAL EDUCATION

Pillar 2 JUSTICE REFORM

Pillar 3 LEGAL SERVICES

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Providing law students, law schools, and practicing lawyers with critically needed legal curriculum on race.

Legal research and policy work to address racial inequity in legislation and the administration of justice.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE:

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE:

Providing counsel and representation in the areas of law most significant to Rhode Island’s racial inequality such as housing discrimination, economic opportunity and access, and prisoners’ rights.

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Named Director of the Institute

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Public programming for student, professional and public audiences

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Named classrooms

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Annual conference sponsorship

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Scholarships

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Law Review on Race and the Law

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Research fellow in justice reform, public policy or anti-racist interventions

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Development and launch of Continuing Legal Education curricula online

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Small Business Start Up Clinic funding for minority-owned business and entrepreneurs

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Training and technical assistance for law enforcement

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Representation for housing discrimination cases

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Prisoner’s rights clinic

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE:

BECOME A RACE AND THE LAW CHAMPION: We are seeking 30 premier partners to

support the Institute for Race and the Law with a three-year, $100,000 commitment.

Benefits include founding partner recognition and signage in the School of Law.

The Institute for Race and the Law will only deepen our commitment to social justice and to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. It will embody the social justice work that our law school has become nationally recognized for. Establishing this new Institute—and raising the funding needed to support it—helps us broaden and deepen our law school’s service and impact.

With your support, this new Institute for Race and the Law will make the law school’s next 30 years even more impactful than its first three decades."

—Gregory Bowman, Dean School of Law

OUR GOAL We are looking to raise $5,000,000 in the next three years. We are well on our way with $600,000 in grants for the Small Business Start Up Clinic from Commerce RI’s Minority Business Accelerator, a $250,000 major gift from Mark S. Mandell and family for the Mandell-Boisclair Justice Scholarship, along with a $250,000 pledge to match future donations to the Mandell-Boisclair Justice Scholarship.

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JOIN OUR RACIAL JUSTICE WORK. THERE ARE MANY WAYS YOU CAN GET INVOLVED IN OUR NEW INITIATIVE. •

Make a monetary contribution to the Institute for Race and the Law.

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Serve on our new advisory board guiding the work of the Institute for Race and the Law.

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Become a community partner – legal firms, nonprofit organizations, advocacy and research institutions – and help contribute to the work of the Institute.

TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE INSTITUTE CONTACT RWU'S OFFICE OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT: ADVANCEMENT@RWU.EDU 401.254.3005

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSTITUTE CONTACT THE DEAN'S OFFICE AT ROGER WILLIAMS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW: TSARTRYS@RWU.EDU 401.254.4502