Posted September 27, 20246:00 am
Ruby Bridges – civil rights icon, activist, author – is the featured keynote speaker at The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland’s 119th Annual Meeting. The Monday, November 25, 2024 event features an afternoon program and reception at the Hilton Cleveland Downtown. Prior to the Legal Aid program, Ms. Bridges will meet with local school children through a program with the Cleveland Public Library.
The November 25 Legal Aid event will begin promptly at 2:00 p.m. (doors open at 1:30 p.m.). The one-hour program (CLE credit pending for attorneys) will be followed by a social reception with food and drinks. Ms. Bridges will deliver her keynote remarks via conversation with Lori Stokes, an award-winning American broadcast journalist and Legal Aid supporter.
Ms. Bridges joins a list of distinguished past Legal Aid keynote speakers, including U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Senators Portman and Brown, Attorney General Merrick Garland, and Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., who each highlighted the importance of civil legal aid during previous gatherings.
In addition to the keynote remarks by Ms. Bridges, Legal Aid executive director Colleen M. Cotter and board president Quo Vadis Cobb will begin the program themed on the quote from the late Congressman John Lewis and keynote speaker from Legal Aid’s 2011 annual meeting:
“Freedom is not a state; it is an act.
Freedom is the continuous action we all must take…
to create an even more fair, more just society.”
This event is a chance for community members, philanthropists, nonprofit organizations, and business leaders to gather and reflect on Legal Aid’s accomplishments over the past year, as well as learn about new initiatives and plans for the year ahead. The program will underscore the importance of civil justice in our democracy and present a call-to-action for how we can work together to extend justice in our community.
Legal Aid’s dedicated staff, volunteers, and strong regional partnerships will be celebrated during the event. Awards will be presented to outstanding employees, volunteers and community organizations who demonstrate profound support for Legal Aid’s mission. Additionally, Ms. Bridges will be presented with Legal Aid's highest honor, the Louis Stokes Paragon Award.
A limited number of sponsorships for Legal Aid’s 119th Annual Meeting are still available (click here for info), and individual $200 tickets are on sale now. All proceeds from ticket sales support Legal Aid’s work to extend justice across Northeast Ohio. Learn more at lasclev.org/2024Event.
Founded in 1905, The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland is the fifth oldest legal aid organization in the United States. Serving residents of Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, and Lorain counties, Legal Aid staff and volunteers secure justice, equity, and access to opportunity for and with people who have low incomes through passionate legal representation and advocacy for systemic change. In 2023, The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland handled more than 9,000 cases, helping more than 24,000 people.