WASHINGTON (April 3, 2019) – The 2018-2019 Gwendolyn S. and Colbert I. King Endowed Chair in Public Policy Lecture Series, chaired by political strategist and author Donna Brazile, continues this week with “The Fierce Urgency of Now,” on Thursday, April 4, at the Founders Library Browsing Room, beginning at 5 p.m. Letitia “Tish” James, attorney general for the state of New York and alumna of the Howard University School of Law, will join Brazile for a conversation on today’s political climate and her goals for New York. James serves at New York’s 67^th attorney general, with decades of experience as an attorney and public servant. She is the first woman of color to hold statewide office in New York and the first woman to be elected attorney general.

In 2013, James was elected public advocate for New York and became the first woman of color to hold citywide office. As public advocate, she served as a watchdog over New York City government agencies and as an advocate for the City’s most vulnerable communities. She transformed the office to be a formidable engine for change. Her office handled over 32,000 constituent complaints and passed more legislation than all previous public advocates combined, including a groundbreaking law that banned questions about salary history from the employment process to address the pervasive gender wage gap. James successfully took on the gun industry by pushing New York City’s largest pension fund to divest from gun and ammunition retailers. She fought in court on behalf of children and families on issues including children in foster care, children with disabilities, and tenant protection. New Yorkers overwhelmingly elected James to a second term in November 2017.

Prior to serving as public advocate, Tish James represented the 35th Council District in Brooklyn in the New York City Council for 10 years. As a Council Member, she passed the Safe Housing Act, legislation that forced landlords to improve living conditions for tenants in New York City’s worst buildings. She helped uncover the corruption behind the Office of Payroll Administration’s CityTime contract, a scheme that cost New York City over $600 million. She also pushed through a revolutionary recycling package that included expanding plastic recycling, a new clothing and textile recycling program, and increased access to recycling in public spaces.

Before her election to the City Council, James served as head of the Brooklyn Regional Office of the New York State Attorney General’s Office. She resolved hundreds of consumer complaints and investigated predatory lenders who preyed on first-time homebuyers. She assisted the Civil Rights Bureau in its investigation of the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk policy and cracked down on firms engaged in deceptive business practices including violations of human rights, environmental laws, and scams targeting immigrants.

James began her career as a public defender at the Legal Aid Society. A proud “Brooklynite,” she is a graduate of Lehman College and Howard University School of Law.

“The Fierce Urgency of Now” is the latest installation of the 2018-2019 Gwendolyn S. and Colbert I. King Endowed Chair in Public Policy Lecture Series, which provides students access to experienced, senior public service executives who have developed and advanced public policy initiatives. Since 2008, six prominent public leaders have engaged students on issues related to the public interest.

This event is free and open to the Howard community via RSVP to KingLectureSeries@Howard.edu. Due to limited seating, guests are asked to arrive early. 

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About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced four Rhodes Scholars, 11 Truman Scholars, two Marshall Scholars, one Schwarzman Scholar, over 70 Fulbright Scholars and 22 Pickering Fellows. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visit www.howard.edu.

Media contact: Ramzey Smith, Office of University Communications, ramzey.smith@howard.edu