Racism, sexual identity and their connection to the legal field are the focus of today’s Critical Race Studies symposium at the UCLA School of Law.
The symposium, which is in its second year, is expected to bring in over 300 people from interdisciplinary fields ranging from legal organizations to ethnic studies departments.
The Critical Race Studies program, which studies the role of the law in racial and sexual-identity issues, is putting on the symposium.
Saul Sarabia, the director of the Critical Race Studies program, said the symposium consists of three different parts.
He said students are presenting in the morning, faculty and visitors are leading discussions in the afternoon, and the evening will feature alumni speakers.
The speakers have come to discuss their experiences navigating race and sexuality in law school and other legal environments, Sarabia added.
Russell Robinson, a professor at the law school, said the symposium is useful because it brings people together from many of the university’s different departments.
"The conversations bring together the issues of race and sexual orientation, which are not commonly discussed in the same setting,” Robinson said.
One of the key aspects of the symposium is a discussion on Abercrombie & Fitch’s hiring practices.
Plaintiffs of color sued the clothing retailer because they were allegedly only hired in positions where customers could not see them, as opposed to white workers who were more visible in the store.
Many of the plaintiffs were college students who noticed that they were being treated unfairly and came to civil rights organizations for help, Sarabia said.
“We’re looking at how companies define masculinity and beauty and how that affects the legal rights of workers,” he added.
John Trang, a first-year law student, said he is attending the symposium because the Critical Race Studies program has helped him prepare to be an “effective, progressive lawyer.”
“(The program) understands that law does not function in a bubble, and obstacles such as sexism, elitism, racism and homophobia are still realities,” Trang said.
Another benefit of the symposium is the presence of a forum for candid discussion on race and the law, he said.
“The symposium is a great way for legal minds, and those interested in understanding how the law can hurt and help the progressive movement, to learn and discuss ways of leveraging the law in the issues of race, sexuality and the media.”
Hentyle Yapp, one of the student organizers of the symposium, said all students and faculty on campus are encouraged to attend.
“The approach of the symposium is interdisciplinary and allows students and faculty to connect from a variety of academic backgrounds and fields,” Yapp said.
Yapp added that he hopes attendees will network and create connections that work toward racial justice.
“I hope attendees find sources of inspiration in the work that they do that address inequity and power … and make connections that could lead to future political, personal, intellectual and artistic projects,” he said.