Black Public Defender Association

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Black Public Defender Association

A national network of Black public defenders building power, advancing justice, and fighting for the communities we serve.
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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/

05/28/2026

This is what the BPDA Summer Conference feels like. 🫂

Every year, defenders from across the country come together to learn, reconnect, recharge, and remind each other why this work matters. And we want YOU in the room this summer.

We only have 25 tickets left, and regular registration closes May 31. After that, the rate goes up by $100. Secure your spot now, and we’ll see you in Brooklyn. ✊🏾

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

05/27/2026

Last month, we had the privilege of gathering with some of the most dedicated people in public defense for our Train the Trainer program, part of our Antiracism Training (ART) Institute, and it was truly something special. 🖤

Over two days, the conversations were honest, deep, and necessary. Watching attorneys, investigators, social workers, client advocates, and policy advocates come together (all committed to this work) reminded us exactly why we do this.

To everyone who joined us, thank you. Your presence, openness, and investment in building stronger, more equitable advocacy made this space what it was.

This is only the beginning. 👀

Learn more about the ART Institute: https://blackdefender.org/antiracism-training-institute/

05/25/2026

⬇️ 2026 BPDA Summer Conference Session Announcement ⬇️
Mitigating the Risk of Family Separation: Practicing at the Intersection of Family, Criminal, and Civil Law

When our clients come into contact with the criminal legal system, the ripple effects don't stop with them — they reach their children, their housing, their benefits, and their family unit as a whole. Defenders know this. But knowing isn't enough. This session gives advocates the technical tools to identify and address the overlapping consequences of the criminal, family regulation, immigration, and housing systems on Black families — before separation happens.

Attendees will explore the historical context of these intersecting systems, develop issue-spotting skills, and walk away with practical strategies to keep families together and mitigate harm from the family regulation system.

Meet the Speaker:
🗣️ Sidni P. Rouse, Co-Training Director of the Family Defense Practice and Supervising Attorney, The Bronx Defenders

If you're ready to defend not just your client — but everything they stand to lose — this one is for you.

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

05/22/2026

‼️ Heads up: The Tillary Hotel room block closes on Monday, May 25!

If you're planning to stay with us for the 2026 BPDA Summer Conference, don't wait. We've partnered with The Tillary Hotel for discounted accommodations, but the deadline to book your room at our group rate is FAST approaching.

After May 25, rooms at our group rate are gone, and so is the convenience of staying steps away from the conference.

Book your room now: https://blackdefender.org/summer-conference/

05/21/2026

⬇️ 2026 BPDA Summer Conference Session Announcement ⬇️
Race Is Already in the Room: Youth Defense in a Racialized System

Race shapes every stage of youth system involvement. And even when unspoken, it's already influencing how our young clients are perceived and treated. But communities hold real power in this system, and this session shows defenders how to use it.

This interdisciplinary training brings together a public defender and a social worker to examine how race operates in juvenile court, and how community power can be strategically mobilized in youth defense. Attendees will leave with practical tools to identify and challenge racialized narratives while building stronger, community-centered advocacy.

Meet the Speakers:
🗣️ Alena Aguilar, Senior Social Worker, The Center for Family Representation
🗣️ Yasmin Davis, Staff Attorney, The Legal Aid Society Decarceration Project

If you're ready to name what's already in the room — and fight back — this one is for you.

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

05/20/2026

Spots are filling up. ⏰

Only 14 spots are remaining for public defender offices to join BPDA’s Collective Access Program (CAP) — and we don’t want you to miss out.

CAP was built to connect public defender offices with the resources, community, and support they need to do this work well. If your office has been waiting for the right moment to join, this is it.

Apply now before spots are gone: https://blackdefender.org/collective-access-program/

05/18/2026

⬇️ 2026 BPDA Summer Conference Session Announcement ⬇️
Beyond the Clinical File: Conducting a "Cultural Autopsy" to Unpack Race-Based Trauma in Legal Defense

Public defenders are the first line of defense against the trauma of the carceral system. This workshop introduces the "Cultural Autopsy" — a forensic assessment framework that goes beyond standard diagnostic labels to deconstruct the impact of chronic, intersectional trauma on a client's psychological functioning. Racial, generational, community, and carceral factors all play a role in shaping who our clients are and how they navigate the world. This session gives defenders the tools to make that case.

Meet the Speakers:
🗣️ Keisha Ross, Clinical Psychologist | Forensic Consultant | Educator | Speaker | Owner, New Horizon Psychological Services
🗣️ Jameca Woody Cooper, Psychologist | Fulbright scholar | Consultant | TEDx speaker

If you're ready to bring a deeper, more complete picture of your clients into the courtroom — this one is for you.

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

05/16/2026

⬇️ 2026 BPDA Summer Conference Session Announcement ⬇️
Defending Criminalized Survivors: An Interdisciplinary Approach

What does it look like when a public defender, mitigation specialist, community advocate, and client work together to defend a domestic violence survivor charged with first-degree murder while eight months pregnant? This panel utilizes a real case to explore interdisciplinary collaboration, bond strategies, and the power of media and grassroots organizing in shaping outcomes both inside and outside the courtroom.

Meet the Speakers:
🗣️ Sierra Bartlett, Mitigation Specialist, The Cook County Public Defender's Office
🗣️ Holly Krig, Director of Organizing, Moms United Against Violence and Incarceration
🗣️ Keshia Golden, Domestic Violence Survivor, Mother & Advocate
🗣️ Kyan Keenan, Assistant Public Defender, The Cook County Public Defender's Office

This is what coordinated legal and community advocacy looks like in action.

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

05/15/2026

A few years ago, we published a policy paper called Reimagining Public Safety, rooted in a simple but powerful question: what does safety mean to you?

That work, which was built on listening to over 100 Chicagoans most impacted by the system, is what first drew our Executive Director, Alaina Bloodworth, to this work.

What's even more powerful is what came next. The Cook County Public Defender's Office took those insights and turned them into action, creating two community defense centers focused on addressing root causes and truly serving their communities.

A few weeks ago, Alaina had the opportunity to join the National Legal Aid & Defender Association's American Council of Chief Defenders for their "Defense Reimagined" summit, visiting those centers alongside chiefs from across the country. Seeing that vision come to life — and knowing BPDA played even a small role — was incredibly meaningful. It was also an honor to be welcomed by Mayor Brandon Johnson, whose leadership is producing real results:

• Homicides down → 33%
• Shootings down → 38%
• Violent crime down → 22%

This is what happens when we invest in solutions that actually work. Grateful to be part of this work. 🖤

05/13/2026

Community is Power, and now you can wear it. 🖤✊🏾

Our official 2026 BPDA Summer Conference merch is here! Rep the movement and show up to Day 2 of the conference in style alongside your fellow defenders.

Order yours by Monday, May 18, to guarantee it arrives in time for the conference.

Shop now: https://www.bonfire.com/2026-bpda-black-defenders-matter-t-shirt/

Address

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

Website

http://blackdefender.org/

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