Artist John Legend and Sens. Padilla, Warren Discuss Need for Professionally Diverse Judges in New Demand Justice Video

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 16, 2021

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WASHINGTON, DC— On Thursday, Demand Justice released two new video conversations in which artist and activist John Legend, Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Demand Justice Chief Counsel Christopher Kang discuss the importance of professionally diverse judges in the federal courts. 

In one of the videos, Legend says, “For too long, we’ve had a lack of professional diversity on the federal judiciary. We were often getting either prosecutors or corporate lawyers, people who were used to fighting for the status quo, people who were used to fighting for powerful interests, rather than people who advocated on behalf of ordinary people. ”

Senator Padilla, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, says, “This is an integral part of the overall justice reform conversation we have been having and we need to continue to have…Before we put a name forward, that group needs to be more diverse than it has been in the past as well. So looking at diversity and inclusion at all sections of the process, and to your point yes, it’s people of color. And yes, it’s gender. But it’s also just life experience and professional experience.” 

Senator Warren highlights the nomination of voting rights lawyer and federal judicial nominee Dale Ho as an example of professional diversity and says, “Dale has been at the forefront of protecting civil liberties. He’s gonna bring his understanding of the plight of everyday people to the bench. And this is the kind of experience and the kind of perspective that matters.”

The conversations between Legend, Kang and Sens. Warren and Padilla can be viewed here and here.

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