Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti Names Capri Maddox (JD '01) Executive Director of the Los Angeles Department Of Civil And Human Rights

As dialogue surrounding social justice continues to build nationwide, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has begun to publicly disclose citywide reforms. In a press conference on Friday, Mayor Garcetti introduced Capri Maddox (JD '01) as the Executive Director of the city's newly created Department of Civil and Human Rights.

"We cannot stand by and allow hate and discrimination to literally or figuratively kill our communities," Maddox said. "This is trauma that we need to get beyond as Americans, especially as Angelenos."

The department will partner with community organizations and civic leaders to root out problems of discrimination and address these issues of social and racial injustice in order to "level the playing field." Thus far, Maddox has developed partnerships with the Black Worker Center, Community Coalition, UCLA Labor Center, and individual employers, landlords, and creditors in order to empower and mentor underserved populations.

On Friday the Mayor tweeted, "While our work for racial justice begins in L.A., it must echo throughout our state and across our nation. I will keep working with leaders in Sacramento and D.C. to advance legislation that protects Black lives and communities of color long denied equity in our laws."

The new department is scheduled to begin its work on July 1.

Here is a link to the June 5 press conference with Garcetti and Maddox.