WASHINGTON (April 5, 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, continued this week with “The Fierce Urgency of Now,” featuring Letitia “Tish” James, Attorney General for the State of New York and alumna of the Howard University School of Law. James joined Brazile for a conversation on a range of topics from voter suppression to women’s reproductive rights. Howard University President, Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick,opened the event by referencing Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech, during the March on Washington in 1963, where Dr. King spoke on the “fierce urgency of now.”
“This topic is timely and necessary because the future of this nation and this world is in the hands of the individuals who walk this campus, every day,” said Dr. Frederick. “And their time is now.”
Dr. Frederick welcomed James to the lecture as a “true daughter of Howard” before explaining her extensive background as a public servant. James joins the King Lecture Series as New York’s 67thattorney 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. King Lecture Series Chair Donna Brazile describes her as a trailblazer, and a woman who has dared to make a difference, citing James’ track record of challenging the status quo.
“Today, 51 years after the assassination of a drum major for justice, Dr. Martin Luther King, I thought it was appropriate to bring a woman who’s fighting to open doors, fighting for criminal justice reform, who is fighting for immigrants and fighting to make sure we maintain and keep our healthcare,” Brazile said during a spirited introduction. “It is my honor to bring Attorney General of New York Letitia James to the King Lecture Series.”
Brazile’s first question for James centered around why she chose to attend Howard for Law School, after attending Lehman College for her undergraduate studies. She immediately responded, saying, in the 1980s, Howard was a laboratory for the civil rights movement, noting her desire to be a part of history.
“Howard University taught me to speak truth to power and to dismantle barriers – this is critically important,” James explained to the audience of Howard students. “It is Howard which provided me with my voice and confidence. Howard University is the reason I’m the attorney general for the state of New York.”
After graduating from Howard University School of Law, James started her career as a public defender at the Legal Aid Society. From there, she made huge impacts in roles with the Brooklyn Regional Office of the New York State Attorney General’s Office, the 35th Council District in Brooklyn in the New York City Council and the City of New York, where in 2013, she became the first woman of color to hold citywide office. But she insists, being first means nothing if a person’s measurable progression is nonexistent.
“The question is – what do you do with the title that was given to you?”
A title historically given to students of Howard University is that of activism and organizing. James stressed the importance of being an “agent of change,” a message she says she was given on her first day of law school at Howard. And change is why she decided to purse public office, noting the lack of diversity among public officials during that time.
“As a result of that, it was really critically important that I be at the table to stand up for those who are vulnerable and marginal and to talk about the issues people in my neighborhood were talking about – homelessness, home affordability, childcare, the opportunity gap – those issues and more. When young girls and boys see my face, it lets them know that they, too, can reach the highest of heights.”
The young people she spoke of were seated directly across from her, as engaged students and concerned citizens who are eager to follow James’ motto of being an element of change. The genuine interest was clear during a question and answer period, where students were able to ask James a question of their choice. From the controversies surrounding gentrification, to combating violence against transgender women of color, the students poised a list of timely questions that were essential to the conversation.
The final installation of the 2018-2019 Gwendolyn S. and Colbert I. King Endowed Chair in Public Policy Lecture Series, featuring U.S. Representative Elijah Eugene Cummings of Maryland’s 7thcongressional district, will take place Thursday, April 18. All Howard University students are encouraged to attend. For more information on the King Lecture Series, contact KingLectureSeries@Howard.edu.
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Photograph 1: (L-R) Letitia James, Attorney General for State of New York and Donna Brazile, 2018-2019 King Lecture Series Chair
Photograph 2: (L-R) Donna Brazile, Danielle Holley-Walker, J.D., dean of the Howard Univeristy School of Law, Letitia James and Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick, Howard University President
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.
