Today, in a bipartisan 53-40 vote, the United States Senate confirmed Candace Jackson-Akiwumi to serve on the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Lisa Cylar Barrett, Director of Policy at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF), issued the following statement regarding the confirmation:
“We congratulate Candace Jackson-Akiwumi on her well-deserved confirmation to the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Her substantial public service record, accomplished litigation in civil and criminal cases, and her abiding competence, leadership, and integrity epitomize why she is so well-suited to join the federal appellate bench.
“Ms. Jackson-Akiwumi brings urgently-needed diversity to the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. She is the first-ever public defender to serve on this Court — and is deeply committed to preserving civil rights for all, especially the most vulnerable members of our society. The federal judiciary needs more judges who, like Ms. Jackson-Akiwumi, have experience as public defenders, have represented the most vulnerable members of our society, and have demonstrated a deep commitment to the preservation of civil rights for all. Her impeccable reputation and professionalism as a public defender have undoubtedly prepared her to make important contributions to the federal judiciary’s work and diversify its professional viewpoints.
“Ms. Jackson-Akiwumi also makes history as only the second Black woman to ever serve on the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and the only person of color on that Court today. Her groundbreaking confirmation will help ensure that this court system is more representative of this country’s diversity, increasing its legitimacy and integrity in the public eye.”
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Founded in 1940, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization. LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP Legal Defense Fund or LDF. Follow LDF on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
