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ACS Chicago: 2019 Legal Legends Luncheon

Organizer:American Constitution Society

Join the ACS Chicago Lawyer Chapter for its 2019 Legal Legends Luncheon, honoring those in Chicago who pioneer a progressive vision of the U.S. Constitution and the legal profession.


Location: Union League Club, 65 Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60604

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Peter W. Stevenson /The Washington Post via Getty Images

How RFK Jr. could reverse our nation’s foolish approach to obesity

The river was swift and unrelenting, its currents carrying victim after victim downstream. Local villagers responded by stringing nets across the water to prevent further drownings. Yet, despite their efforts, the death toll continued to rise.

Eventually, a newcomer to the village asked a simple yet critical question: “Why are people falling into the river in the first place?” Following the water upstream, the villagers discovered the source of the problem: a crumbling bridge sending person after person into the rapids.

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People protesting with signs

Hundreds of supporters of trans rights rallied outside the Supreme Court on Dec. 4. The court will consider a case determining whether bans on gender-affirming care for children are unconstitutional.

Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Supreme Court ruling on trans care is literally life or death for teens

Last month, the Supreme Court heard arguments on whether banning essential health care for trans youth is constitutional. What the justices (and lawmakers in many states) probably don’t realize is that they’re putting teenage lives at risk when they increase anti-trans measures. A recent report linked anti-transgender laws to increased teen suicide attempts among trans and gender-expansive youth.

In some cases, attempted suicide rates increased by an astonishing 72 percent.

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Caucasian business people talking on bench outdoors

Civil discourse can be effective, but its effectiveness is limited.

Jetta Productions Inc./Getty Images

The 4 R’s reduce dialogue workshop effectiveness – but don’t despair

In some circles, reducing political divides and civil discourse are almost synonymous. I’ve had conversations where I mention that I work on reducing these divides, only to have the other person launch into some story or opinion about civil discourse.

By “civil discourse,” I mean an interpersonal focus on communication, which can include activities like dialogue or certain types of debates.

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A reckoning for the pro-democracy community

In the wake of former President Donald Trump’s re-election to the White House and the surprising margins of his victory, reckonings abound — not just for the Democratic Party, the future of identity politics, celebrity culture, and elites, but also for a newer faction: the pro-democracy community.

The pro-democracy community, nebulously defined as it is, has been growing, especially since Trump’s first victory in 2016. Its goals intend to be nonpartisan, and focus on strengthening civic participation, reforming democratic institutions, and improving civic culture. Examples of field members include organizations promoting civics education, those advocating for ranked-choice voting, and those attempting to address polarization through bridge-building initiatives — all vital cogs in an American democracy that needs repair.

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