22 | RACIAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY RACIAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY | 23 COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS AND INVESTMENT The Weil Legal Innovators Program (WLI) is the Firm’s flagship philanthropic initiative that places rising law school students in fully-funded, one-year fellowships at nonprofit organizations across the U.S. For the 2022-2023 WLI program, Weil held steadfast to its commitment to collaborate with nonprofit partners at the forefront of racial justice and whose missions focus on improving the lives of the Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) community. Empowering communities of color through economic or educational tools: Posse Foundation, RAICES, and Tahirih Justice Center. Improving the livelihood of diverse communities through research or policy advocacy: Earthwatch and ACLU of Texas. Responding to the increasing hate crimes against the Asian community: Asian Americans Advancing Justice. Charitable Contributions In 2020, Weil increased its commitment to organizations dedicated to racial justice and equity. The Firm has since donated over $2.3 million to: Pro Bono Legal Services Weil’s pro bono legal work addresses access to adequate legal representation in a broad range of critical issues, ranging from housing to refugee and asylum matters. Recent examples of Weil’s pro bono work to address racial justice and with a particular impact on communities of color include: Make Us Visible, an organization that activates and empowers local communities to build curriculum and advocate for the integration of Asian American contributions, experiences and histories in K-12 classrooms. Weil assisted in exploring, assessing and entering into a fiscal sponsorship arrangement. Building on six months of pioneering research on police reform – and in the wake of the tragic, unjustified killing of Tyre Nichols by the members of a specialized enforcement unit of the Memphis, Tennessee Police Department – the Institute for American Policing Reform (IAPR), a pro bono client of the Firm, published Weil’s Racial Justice Fellow and associate Rasheed Stewart’s comprehensive white paper, which set out a principle-based approach to reforming state policing laws and police department policies regarding the use of force. Weil continues to assist JustLeadershipUSA, a nonprofit led by directly impacted people that is dedicated to decarcerating the United States by educating, elevating and empowering communities most impacted by systemic racism to drive meaningful and lasting policy reform. Weil’s expertise in voting rights litigation is engaged in two major matters in Texas and New York, where low-income communities of color have been stripped of their right to vote. Volunteerism with PENCIL and Read Alliance In July 2022, Weil’s Social Responsibility team joined with the Firm’s Legal Recruiting team to host PENCIL and Read Alliance students to assist them in preparation for their summer internships. These nonprofit organizations aim to provide impactful career readiness and professional development workshops, helping bridge the access and success gap that disproportionately affects low-income students of color. Serving 100 local public school students, Weil’s 2022 summer associates conducted mock interviews and resume reviews for the high school students.
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