ALABAMA MANIFESTO

ALABAMA MANIFESTO

The United People of Color Caucus (TUPOCC) of the National Lawyer's Guild (NLG) is an alliance of law

students, legal workers, attorneys and other people of color within the NLG community. The necessity of

such an organization is borne from the historical context of the capitalist United States where economic

prowess is dependent on the furthered and continued subjugation of people of color, women, the poor,

queers and other oppressed people. We are dedicated to fostering and supporting the growth and

empowerment of all people of color, particularly within the organization of the NLG. We believe that

meaningful social change and actual justice can only be attained when people of color and all other

beleaguered communities are more than mere afterthoughts. Equality must be woven throughout the fabric

of the organization. We seek to further educate ourselves and inform the larger NLG community about the

issues that affect us and investigate the relationship of these issues to social justice. We strongly believe

that this work cannot be done unaided, and we encourage support from our allies throughout the NLG in

furtherance of our goals. We wish to provide all people of color opportunities in support of these goals, and

when such opportunities are not available, to work with our associates and allies to create them. We seek to

unite ourselves, represent our communities, achieve our potential, and function as a powerful force within

the NLG, our chapters, schools, communities, the United States of America and the global population.

The United People of Color Caucus (TUPOCC) of the NLG has a multi-point strategy that we shall use to

advance our mission:

1. Elect students of color and people of color into leadership positions within the NLG

2. Demand that white and privileged Guild members take accountability for their racism and other

oppressive behaviors by joining us in examining and effectively changing the culture of the NLG.

Together we believe that we can accomplish this goal by:

a. Meeting as people of color regularly to deal with oppression and other issues we uniquely

experience as people of color

b. Encouraging all members who are not of this caucus to regularly attend meetings of the Anti-

Racism Committee, or preferably, to join such committees.

c. Institutionalize an anti-racist agenda by creating policies in favor of and beneficial to

eliminating racism and other oppressions. (e.g. making anti-racism an active and prioritized

component of the National Convention)

3. Alter the focus of the NLG by learning how to be accountable to the communities that it seeks to support

and protect.

Membership

Membership is open to all members of the NLG community who self-identify as people of color. There will

be no arbitrary exclusion from membership on the basis of sexuality, religion, gender, gender presentation or

identity, sexual orientation, disability or age. All other members of the NLG are invited to work with and

support TUPOCC as allies in the pursuit of true justice.