CBA Record March-April 2023

media-influenced hype, AAA-ICDR puts millions of dollars where its mouth is through the work of its Foundation. That kind of sophisticated strategic philan thropy results in highly effective work to resolve social problems. It contrasts mark edly with attempts by others in the legal community that engage in the misdirec tion of using ‘smoke and mirrors’ like the Mansfield Rule to make people think they are trying to offer long term solutions to resolve the impact of institutional dis crimination in uncertain times.” Each 2022 grant recipient organiza tion was introduced by Karen Layng, AAA-ICDR Foundation and AAA-ICDR Board Member and arbitrator. Represen tatives from each organization detailed how their programs were motivated by local community needs and transformed residents’ lives. For example, in one com pelling instance, Raven Cruz Loaiza, Mediation Response Coordinator from the Dayton Mediation Center, recounted a neighborhood issue of someone who appeared to be loitering on a park bench was actually an individual who was trying to escape being trafficked. Another common thread among the grant recipient organizations was the depth of training provided for par ticipants, allowing them to go into the community and help people transform circumstances that had existed in many cases for years. The results were achieved by hard work and the range of profes sional backgrounds of the organizations’ volunteers and staff. Indeed, the diverse roster of interveners reflected not only law enforcement, but backgrounds steeped in psychology, sociology, mediation, mental health, and education. AAA-ICDR Foundation-funded pro grams offer support to alleviate the waning resources of municipal governments, police departments, ecclesiastical groups, and other community activists. The Foun dation derives its funds from arbitrators and revenue from the administrative ser vices it offers throughout the United States and abroad. AAA-ICDR grant recipients reported that the funding their organiza tions received allowed them to intervene Continued on page 41 CBA RECORD 39

HISTORY WILL JUDGE

BY NINA FAIN

The Future of Social Justice S ocial justice is the focus of this bar year’s DICE (Diversity, Inclusion, Culture, Equity, and Engagement)

community police training in Chicago’s most challenged neighborhoods, and the creation of a Mediation Response Unit that trains civilians to respond to low level 911 calls. These nationally recog nized programs are among the many local and regional social justice initiatives that receive significant funding from the AAA ICDR Foundation. CBA Treasurer Nina Fain, who co chairs the CBA DICE Committee with Illinois Appellate Justice Michael B. Hyman, said, “This program represents our collaboration with the AAA-ICDR Foundation and showcases how the CBA harmonizes its members’ educa tional goals and recognizes CBA mem bers’ work.” The panel featured CBA member Svetlana Gitman, Vice President of the AAA’s Commercial Division, who explained how a dispute resolution pro vider can give back to the community in an unexpected way. Accolades are to be given to AAA ICDR because its commitment far out paces those who merely “talk the talk” inauthentically about the plight of minor ity communities, including the decreased presence of minority and LBGTQ+ groups in law schools and firms. AAA ICDR understands how to apply its privi lege to help its grantees mitigate the social issues that cause these problems. Fain noted, “In contrast to social

Committee. A presentation of a reenact ment of U.S. v. Korematsu led the way. It was co-sponsored by the Japanese Bar Association, the Salvi Law Firm, and our Young Lawyers Section. DICE then kicked off Black History Month with a program done in conjunction with the American Arbitration Association – Inter national Centre for Dispute Resolution (AAA-ICDR). The program featured the winners of AAA-ICDR's non-profit organizations grantees that have received funds through the AAA Foundation. The primary goal of these grants is to help recipient organizations combat social challenges and promote the peace in their communities by using alternative dispute resolution. The program, titled “Advancing Social Justice Through Alternative Dispute Resolution,” featured three grantees of the AAA-ICDR Foundation’s 2022 grant cycle. The organizations included: Cure Violence Global, Metropolitan Family Services – Metropolitan Peace Initiative, and Dayton Mediation Center. Partici pants from each organization discussed their critical work in social justice services, which they provide to Chicago and the Midwest region. Services focus on violence prevention programs, implementation of

Nina Fain, CBA Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee, is counsel to the JS Schirn Family Trust, Co-Chair of the CBA DICE Committee, CBA Record Editorial Board member, and Co-chair of the new CBA Cannabis Committee.