Damon Hewitt Joins Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law as New Executive Vice President

WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Damon Hewitt Joins Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law as New Executive Vice President

Today the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law named Damon Hewitt, a long-time civil rights lawyer, social justice strategist, philanthropist, manager and coalition-builder, as the organization's new Executive Vice President.

Throughout his career he has developed expertise on a broad range of civil rights issues, ranging from K-12 education and affirmative action to fair housing and criminal justice policy.

Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said: "Damon is one of our nation's finest civil rights lawyers, advocates and philanthropic strategists. I am thrilled that he is joining our leadership team as we continue to grow and break new ground to fight relentless attacks on civil rights. Damon brings a demonstrated commitment to racial justice, deep relationships in the civil rights community, and an understanding of how to guide teams to promote transformational change and reform. I am confident that his managerial, leadership, and coalition-building experience will drive our organization forward."

In this newly created leadership role, Hewitt will serve as the top deputy to the president and executive director, helping to drive and lead organizational strategy and people development, guiding development and communications strategy, and handling other core subject matter portfolios.

Prior to joining the Lawyers' Committee, Hewitt served as inaugural executive director of the Executives' Alliance for Boys and Men of Color—a network of over three dozen foundation presidents committed to changing policies, systems, and false narratives that undermine opportunity for our nation's sons, brothers and fathers of color. Through Hewitt's leadership, the Alliance launched groundbreaking collaborative investments in advocacy, capacity, and infrastructure. He previously served as Senior Advisor at the Open Society Foundations where he coordinated funding efforts responding to the uprising in Ferguson, Missouri. Before entering philanthropy, Hewitt worked for over a decade as an attorney at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund where he was lead counsel on litigation and policy matters and supervised teams of lawyers and non-lawyers. He led pioneering efforts addressing the School to Prison Pipeline and coordinated litigation and advocacy efforts following Hurricane Katrina. Hewitt also served as Executive Director of the New York State Task Force on Police-on-Police Shootings, an entity analyzing police practices following the deaths of off-duty African American and Latino police officers who were shot by fellow officers after being mistaken for "criminal" suspects.

"I am excited and honored to join the Lawyers' Committee at this critical moment for the nation's civil rights and racial justice agenda," said Hewitt. "The Lawyers' Committee has a unique role in the advocacy landscape, blending its deep expertise in litigation, policy, and community engagement while leveraging long-standing partnerships with the private bar. Beyond the courtrooms and boardrooms, this work has serious stakes for the lives of African Americans and all people of color. I look forward to working with the organization's incredible staff, board, and partners to advance its mission of ensuring that the promise of equal justice rings true for them and for everyone."

Hewitt is co‐author of a book, The School‐to‐Prison Pipeline: Structuring Legal Reform, and has published numerous articles on racial justice, school discipline policy and progressive education reform. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Louisiana State University and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.

SOURCE Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law