BBI Chairman Peter Blanck to Address Reed Smith’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit
Dr. Peter Blanck, chairman of the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University, will present at Reed Smith’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit his recent ground-breaking research regarding the lack of disability diversity in the legal profession. In a recent study commissioned by the ABA to focus on non-visible identities in law, he and his co-authors found that while a quarter of respondents said they had a health condition, impairment, or disability, only a third of those respondents identified as disabled.
Dr. Blanck’s address will honor October’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) and the 30th Anniversary of the ADA. He will discuss BBI’s newly funded national Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Disability Inclusive Employment Policy (DIEP), and leading efforts at the Southeast ADA Center.
Reed Smith will kick off its Global Diversity Awareness month in October with its annual Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit. This year’s virtual event will focus on racial justice and intersectionality.
Date/Time: October 1, 2020, 11:00 AM – 3:30 PM EDT
Registration Link: 2020 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit
Featuring Feminista Jones, Intersectionality Expert, Author & Award-Winning Blogger, as our keynote presenter.
Speakers: John Iino, Alexander Y. Thomas, M. Tamara Box ,Peter M. Ellis
The opening panel, “How Major Organizations are Leading Change in Racial Equity,“ features special guest speakers:
Sophie Chandauka, Global COO Shared Services and Banking Operations at Morgan Stanley
Kamau Coar, General Counsel at Heidrick & Struggles
Peter Ellis, Reed Smith Senior Management Team – Chair of Litigation
Lauren Leahy, Chief Legal Officer at Pizza Hut
Cathy Tang, Chief Legal Officer at Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation
Difficult topics faced by individuals and businesses alike will be discussed in breakout sessions, covering issues such as:
Disrupting racism: From performative allyship to anti-racism
Creating a culture inclusive of mixed-visible and non-visible diversity
Leveraging employee resource groups to build power through collaboration
Strategies for overcoming impostor syndrome
Lasting impacts of the pandemic on persons with disabilities
Understanding the intersection of race and class