Black Public Defender Association

Black Public Defender Association A national network of Black public defenders building power, advancing justice, and fighting for the communities we serve.
(1)

📋 The 2026 BPDA Summer Conference kicks off tomorrow, and we want you ready!From what to wear to what's on the menu, her...
06/15/2026

📋 The 2026 BPDA Summer Conference kicks off tomorrow, and we want you ready!

From what to wear to what's on the menu, here's everything you need to know before you walk through the doors. We'll see you in Brooklyn!🖤

The 2026 BPDA Summer Conference kicks off TOMORROW — and we still have sessions to highlight before we're in the room to...
06/15/2026

The 2026 BPDA Summer Conference kicks off TOMORROW — and we still have sessions to highlight before we're in the room together. 🖤

🎙️ Defending Youth Where They Are
🗣️ Guy Lang, Director of Youth Partnerships & Community Outreach, Defender Association of Philadelphia
🗣️ Christina Tavares, DEI Program Coordinator, Defender Association of Philadelphia
🗣️ Brittany Mobley, Juvenile Services Program Deputy Chief, The Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia

🎙️ Immigration Enforcement and the Erosion of Legal Rights for All
🗣️ Marie Ndiaye, Policy and Research Manager for Criminal Justice, FWD.us

🎙️ Trusted Messengers: Black Public Defenders, Public Voice, and Misinformation
🗣️ Rabiah Burks, Vice President of Communications, National Legal Aid & Defender Association

We're SOLD OUT and we cannot wait to see you tomorrow in Brooklyn! 🎉

🎉 We're SOLD OUT for the 2026 BPDA Summer Conference!The room is about to be full, and what a room it's going to be. Tha...
06/13/2026

🎉 We're SOLD OUT for the 2026 BPDA Summer Conference!

The room is about to be full, and what a room it's going to be. Thank you to everyone who secured their spot and helped make this our most anticipated conference yet!

We cannot wait to see you in Brooklyn on June 16th. Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to the big day!

⬇️ 2026 BPDA Summer Conference Session Announcement ⬇️Client Advocacy and Art: Community Defense Centers at the Forefron...
06/10/2026

⬇️ 2026 BPDA Summer Conference Session Announcement ⬇️
Client Advocacy and Art: Community Defense Centers at the Forefront of Community Impact and Empowerment

What does community defense actually look like beyond the courtroom? This session explores exactly that — sharing how advocacy and art create real impact in the communities we serve.

Meet the Speaker:
🗣️ Angela Kilpatrick, Deputy Public Defender, Cook County Public Defender's Office

⚠️ Late registration for the 2026 Summer Conference closes today, and we only have a few tickets left! Don't miss your last chance to be in the room: https://blackdefender.org/summer-conference/

We're kicking off the 2026 BPDA Summer Conference in Brooklyn with an opening plenary that sets the stage for everything...
06/08/2026

We're kicking off the 2026 BPDA Summer Conference in Brooklyn with an opening plenary that sets the stage for everything ahead.

🎙️ Alaina Bloodworth (Executive Director of Black Public Defender Association) will open the conference by welcoming attendees to the BPDA family, and later take the stage to deliver her address, "Community Is Power."
🎙️ Stan Hickman (Supervising Attorney, Trial Division at New York County Defender Services) will welcome BPDA to New York City with a special address to open the conference and welcome attendees to Brooklyn.
🎙️ Alexis Hoag-Fordjour (David Dinkins '56 Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Center for Criminal Justice at Brooklyn Law School) will deliver the opening plenary — right in her own house.

June 16 | 1:00 PM | Brooklyn Law School

⚠️ Late registration for the 2026 Summer Conference closes this Wednesday, June 10, and we only have a few tickets left! Don't miss your last chance to be in the room.

Register now: https://blackdefender.org/summer-conference/

⬇️ 2026 BPDA Summer Conference Session Announcement ⬇️Meet Eric Burse, Trial Attorney at the New York County Public Defe...
06/05/2026

⬇️ 2026 BPDA Summer Conference Session Announcement ⬇️

Meet Eric Burse, Trial Attorney at the New York County Public Defender Services, who is bringing two sessions to the 2026 BPDA Summer Conference, and both are ones you don't want to sleep on.

🗣️ The Only One in the Room: Jurors of Color Reflect on Deliberation and Difference
🗣️ What Others Miss: A Former Journalist’s Approach to Investigation for Public Defenders

Two sessions. One presenter. Zero reasons to miss either.

Ready to be in the room? Less than 25 tickets left, register before June 10: https://blackdefender.org/summer-conference/

Our Executive Director, Alaina Bloodworth, was recently featured on WRKF-FM 89.3, where she spoke to the systemic underf...
06/04/2026

Our Executive Director, Alaina Bloodworth, was recently featured on WRKF-FM 89.3, where she spoke to the systemic underfunding of public defenders and what it really costs the people they serve.

Alaina shed light on how public defenders in Louisiana largely go it alone, without the teams and support staff that offices in other states rely on. Sustainable, consistent funding isn’t just a budget issue — it’s a justice issue.

📖 Read the full article: https://www.wrkf.org/wrkf-news/2026-03-24/east-baton-rouge-public-defender-still-underfunded-despite-new-money-from-parish

⬇️ 2026 BPDA Summer Conference Session Announcement ⬇️Muddy Waters: Attorneys, Social Workers, and Race in Holistic Defe...
06/02/2026

⬇️ 2026 BPDA Summer Conference Session Announcement ⬇️
Muddy Waters: Attorneys, Social Workers, and Race in Holistic Defense

Holistic defense works best when attorneys and social workers work together — but that collaboration isn't always seamless. This session gets honest about the challenges that can arise within holistic defense teams, and the role race plays in those dynamics.

Meet the Speakers:
🗣️ Brandon Banks, Chief Assistant Public Defender, Contra Costa Public Defender
🗣️ Angelene Musawwir, Forensic Social Work Supervisor, Contra Costa Public Defender

If you're committed to building stronger, more intentional defense teams — this one is for you.

Ready to be in the room? Register now: https://blackdefender.org/summer-conference/

Graduation season has us feeling all the way up. 🎓🖤We're celebrating some of our very own BPDA Fellows who have official...
06/01/2026

Graduation season has us feeling all the way up. 🎓🖤

We're celebrating some of our very own BPDA Fellows who have officially crossed the college stage.

➡️ Swipe to celebrate — we're so incredibly proud of each of you!

🎓 Lakiowa S. Milan
🎓 LaRae Morning
🎓 Lianna Shakoor
🎓 Sylvia Nganga

You showed up for your communities as BPDA Fellows, and now you're heading into the next chapter as graduates. The work you'll do from here matters, and BPDA will always be in your corner. Congratulations! ✊🏾

⏰ Only 25 tickets left for the 2026 BPDA Summer Conference, and regular registration closes in 2 days!Starting June 1, l...
05/29/2026

⏰ Only 25 tickets left for the 2026 BPDA Summer Conference, and regular registration closes in 2 days!

Starting June 1, late registration opens at an increased price of +$100. If you've been on the fence, now is the time. Don't let the price go up AND the tickets run out.

Don't wait — secure your ticket before they're gone: https://blackdefender.org/summer-conference/

Address

1901 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 500
Washington D.C., DC
20006

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Black Public Defender Association posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Black Public Defender Association:

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category