Vermont Law School students and faculty will join advocates and lawyers to examine the impact of violence, services available to survivors of violence, and access to sexual and reproductive health care for women during a conference from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, April 15, in Chase Community Center at VLS. Titled "Sex, Race, and Empowerment in the 21st Century," the conference is free and open to the public and press.
"This is an opportunity for students to further develop the legal advocacy skills necessary to create systemic change in focus areas such as access to safe and affordable sexual health care and domestic and sexual violence prevention," said Ana Cimino '17, conference organizer and co-chair of the Women's Law Group at VLS. "Our panelists include VLS professors and students as well as advocates and lawyers from around the state. The conference is an opportunity for students and others to engage in thoughtful dialogue around making positive social change in these areas through the law or public policy."
In addition to VLS students and faculty, conference presenters will include representatives from the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, Pride Center of Vermont, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, and Vermont Commission on Women. Nationally recognized reproductive justice advocate Loretta Ross will deliver a keynote address.
"Sexual health, safety, and wellbeing are issues integral to every individual, and affect people of all genders, races, socioeconomic backgrounds, sexual orientations, and religions," said Kelsey Bain '17, conference organizer and co-chair of Law Students for Reproductive Justice at VLS. "Despite this, these issues are often shelved and not talked about, leading to complacency. There is no room for complacency when access to reproductive health is continually attacked from the street corner to the race for POTUS."
"As future attorneys, we must stay involved and informed to be better advocates for our communities," Bain said. "It's easy to ignore an issue when you feel like it is not directly impeding on your freedoms—but anyone can be a victim of sexual or domestic violence, and everyone deserves the right to reproductive health care. When we advocate for those who cannot afford our advocacy, we advocate for all. Such advocacy is the cornerstone of our careers."
"Sex, Race, and Empowerment in the 21st Century" is sponsored by the Women's Law Group, Law Students for Reproductive Justice, and the Vermont Commission on Women. For more information about the conference, including registration and a full schedule, visit eventbrite.com, or email AnaMCimino@vermontlaw.edu or KelseyBain@vermontlaw.edu.
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Vermont Law School, a private, independent institution, is home to the nation's premier environmental law program. VLS offers a Juris Doctor curriculum that emphasizes public service; three Master's Degrees—Master of Environmental Law and Policy, Master of Energy Regulation and Law, and Master of Food and Agriculture Law and Policy; and four post-JD degrees —LLM in American Legal Studies (for foreign-trained lawyers), LLM in Energy Law, LLM in Environmental Law, and LLM in Food and Agriculture Law. The school features innovative experiential programs and is home to the Environmental Law Center, South Royalton Legal Clinic, Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic, Energy Clinic, Food and Agriculture Clinic, and Center for Applied Human Rights. For more information, visit vermontlaw.edu, find us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.