Legal Defense Fund Broke Fundraising Record At Annual Dinner: See The Stars Supporting The Cause

By Rayna Reid Rayford · Updated May 8, 2023

With a theme of “The Future is Ours,” last Thursday celebrities, politicians, and athletes alike came together at the Glasshouse in New York City to celebrate the 35^th Annual National Equal Justice Awards Dinner (NEJAD), hosted by the Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF).

Bel-Air actress Cassandra Freeman, filmmaker Spike Lee, NBA’s Carmelo Anthony, journalist Roland Martin, Congresswoman Cori Bush, renowned civil rights attorney Ben Crump, Grammy nominated artist Ledisi, and Michael Jordan are just a few of the special guests who were in attendance.

This star-studded event is the primary fundraiser for the organization, and last Thursday’s event broke records, raising over $4.5 million dollars for LDF, our nation’s “premier legal organization fighting for racial justice.”

At the time LDF was founded in 1940, it was the first ever civil and human rights law organization in America, and today in our current political climate, the work of LDF is more important than ever, as we face mounting and unprecedented threats on our liberties, from the assault on civil and voting rights, to attacks on diversity equity and inclusion efforts in our schools.

Recently, LDF partnered with other Black-led civil rights organizations and endorsed the “Freedom to Learn” campaign, which is fighting against the steady onslaught of book bans and accompanying erasure of history, including critical race theory teachings. 

As Janai Nelson, President and Director-Counsel of LDF said, “Over the last eight decades, LDF has been on a mission to create historically inaccessible opportunities for the Black community and challenge systemic issues of civil and human rights.”

“There is still much work to be done, but it can fairly be said that the work of our honorees presents vistas of possibilities toward a more inclusive and progressive future. We’re proud to honor them at this year’s National Equity Justice Awards Dinner,” stated Nelson. 

The NEJAD aims to commend and uplift the work of individuals, brands, and corporate legal departments that are a champion for racial equality, diversity, and inclusion within their fields. 2023 honorees included Fred Gray, recipient of the Thurgood Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award, the Emerson Collective, the corporation which took home the National Equal Justice Award Program Honoree, Robert F. Smith, winner of the National Equal Justice Award, and Nike, Jordan Brand, and Converse who also walked away with a National Equal Justice Award.

Here are some of the esteemed civil rights champions who attended this year’s dinner.

01

01 Carmelo Anthony presented Nike, Jordan Brand, and Converse with the National Equal Justice Award

02

02 Spike Lee with Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, who is leading the prosecution of former president Donald Trump

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03 Host and journalist Sade Baderinwa (L) with Janai Nelson, LDF President and Director-Counsel

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04 National Equal Justice Award recipient, investor Robert Smith

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05 1619 Project creator and journalist, Nikole Hannah-Jones

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06 Journalist Roland Martin

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07 Designer Sergio Hudson (center)

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08 Tona Boyd, LDF Associate Director-Counsel, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Pauletta Jackson, Janai Nelson, and guests

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09 Prominent civil rights attorney Fred Gray, recipient of LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award