Constance L. "Connie" Rice (born April 5, 1956) is an American civil rightsactivist and lawyer. She is also the co-founder and co-director of the Advancement Project in Los Angeles. She has received more than 50 major awards for her work in expanding opportunity and advancing multi-racial democracy. She is a second cousin of former US Secretary of StateCondoleezza Rice.[2]
In her non-litigation work in the 1990s, Rice served as counsel to the Watts gang truce and spearheaded a statewide campaign to save equal opportunity programs. Mayors Tom Bradley and Richard Riordan appointed Rice to the governing board of Los Angeles’ Department of Water and Power where she served as president and enacted contracting reforms and environmental advances. In 1998, Rice helped lead a successful campaign to place aggressive public school reformers on the governing board for Los Angeles’ public schools.[5]
As a litigator, Rice has filed class action civil rights cases redressing police misconduct, race and sex discrimination and unfair public policy in transportation, probation and public housing. She filed a landmark case on behalf of the Bus Riders Union that resulted in a mandate that more than $2 billion be spent to improve the Los Angeles bus system. In 1999, Rice launched a coalition lawsuit that won $750 million for new school construction in Los Angeles - money previously slated for less crowded, more affluent suburban school districts. In these and other cases, Rice has led multi-racial coalitions of lawyers and clients to win more than $4 billion of injunctive relief and damages.[4]
In 2013, Rice participated in an internal review of the Los Angeles Police Department terminating the employment of Christopher Dorner. After a lengthy review of the LAPD's process, Rice concluded that Dorner's allegations of racism and bias were unfounded and that the firing was justified.[6]
In 1998, the Los Angeles Times designated her one of twenty-four leaders considered the "most experienced, civic-minded and thoughtful people on the subject of Los Angeles." And in October 2000, California Lawbusiness named her, along with California GovernorGray Davis and Warren Christopher, as one of California’s top 10 most influential lawyers.[7] In May 2003, Rice received an honorary doctor of laws degree from Occidental College.[4] In May 2014, she also received an honorary doctor of laws degree from Pepperdine University.
References
^"Lessons of Might and Right". The Washington Post. September 9, 2001. Connie Rice is neither Republican nor Democratic.
constance, rice, constance, connie, rice, born, april, 1956, american, civil, rights, activist, lawyer, also, founder, director, advancement, project, angeles, received, more, than, major, awards, work, expanding, opportunity, advancing, multi, racial, democra. Constance L Connie Rice born April 5 1956 is an American civil rights activist and lawyer She is also the co founder and co director of the Advancement Project in Los Angeles She has received more than 50 major awards for her work in expanding opportunity and advancing multi racial democracy She is a second cousin of former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice 2 Constance L RiceRice in 2007Born 1956 04 05 April 5 1956 age 66 Washington D C U S Alma materHarvard UniversityNew York UniversityOccupationCivil rights attorneyPolitical partyIndependent 1 Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Early years 1 2 Career 2 Honors 3 References 4 External linksBiography EditEarly years Edit Rice was born in Washington D C She earned her undergraduate degree at Harvard College in 1978 She won the Root Tilden Public Interest Scholarship to New York University School of Law 3 where she earned her Juris Doctor in 1984 After law school Rice served as law clerk to the Honorable Damon J Keith judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and worked at Morrison amp Foerster as a litigation associate In 1991 she joined the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and became co director of LDF s Los Angeles Office in 1996 4 Career Edit In her non litigation work in the 1990s Rice served as counsel to the Watts gang truce and spearheaded a statewide campaign to save equal opportunity programs Mayors Tom Bradley and Richard Riordan appointed Rice to the governing board of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power where she served as president and enacted contracting reforms and environmental advances In 1998 Rice helped lead a successful campaign to place aggressive public school reformers on the governing board for Los Angeles public schools 5 As a litigator Rice has filed class action civil rights cases redressing police misconduct race and sex discrimination and unfair public policy in transportation probation and public housing She filed a landmark case on behalf of the Bus Riders Union that resulted in a mandate that more than 2 billion be spent to improve the Los Angeles bus system In 1999 Rice launched a coalition lawsuit that won 750 million for new school construction in Los Angeles money previously slated for less crowded more affluent suburban school districts In these and other cases Rice has led multi racial coalitions of lawyers and clients to win more than 4 billion of injunctive relief and damages 4 In 2013 Rice participated in an internal review of the Los Angeles Police Department terminating the employment of Christopher Dorner After a lengthy review of the LAPD s process Rice concluded that Dorner s allegations of racism and bias were unfounded and that the firing was justified 6 She has also provided commentaries for NPR 4 Honors EditIn 1998 the Los Angeles Times designated her one of twenty four leaders considered the most experienced civic minded and thoughtful people on the subject of Los Angeles And in October 2000 California Lawbusiness named her along with California Governor Gray Davis and Warren Christopher as one of California s top 10 most influential lawyers 7 In May 2003 Rice received an honorary doctor of laws degree from Occidental College 4 In May 2014 she also received an honorary doctor of laws degree from Pepperdine University References Edit Lessons of Might and Right The Washington Post September 9 2001 Connie Rice is neither Republican nor Democratic CNN Programs People in the News Constance LaMay Rice California State Bar Retrieved July 23 2017 a b c d NOW Politics amp Economy Income and Ineqality Constance Rice Biography PBS Los Angeles Staff Advancement Project Los Angeles Archived April 12 2008 at the Wayback Machine Review Firing of ex LAPD officer Dorner justified USA Today June 4 2013 Retrieved June 4 2013 Connie Rice Profile Archived from the original on October 28 2007 Retrieved November 4 2007 External links EditAdvancement Project PBS profile NPR commentaries Power Concedes Nothing a conversation with Connie Rice at The Crawford Family Forum LA Times Book Review Power Concedes Nothing http www powerconcedesnothing com official Appearances on C SPAN Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Constance L Rice amp oldid 1129824142, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
