The Leadership Conference coalition was founded in 1950 as the federal lobbying arm of the civil rights movement. We continue that legacy today through our 11 task forces, which drive the coalition’s priorities and play a vital role in debates on Capitol Hill about actions affecting civil and human rights.
Our task forces are comprised of coalition members who have expertise in each issue area: the census, education, employment, fair courts, fair housing and lending, hate crimes, health care, immigration, justice reform, media and telecommunications, and voting rights. Task forces are co-chaired by coalition leaders who are charged with coordinating strategy and messaging to advance our highest ideals of justice and fairness.
Task forces are the heart of the coalition and the key mechanism by which we make the seemingly impossible yield to what is necessary.
At the start of every new Congress, the task forces identify and develop a comprehensive list of legislative and oversight priorities that represent a path forward for our country in advancing social and economic justice.
Census
The Census Task Force seeks to educate and influence Congress and the Executive Branch about the government investment and sound policy development needed to ensure a comprehensive American Community Survey and a fair and accurate census in every one of the nation’s communities.
Co-Chairs
Terry Ao Minnis
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC ›
Arturo Vargas
Education
The Education Task Force works to ensure children in grades K-12 and students in higher education experience positive school climates, are safe in their academic environment, and have equitable access to high-quality educational services. The Education Task Force also strives to protect and expand students’ civil rights, as well as remove barriers to education for historically marginalized students.
Co-Chairs
Nicole Dooley
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. ›
Adam Fernandez
Adaku Onyeka-Crawford
Employment
The Employment Task Force supports legislation and oversight that strengthens and expands protections against discrimination and harassment in the workplace, and that support the needs of the current and future workforce, including by ensuring workers’ rights to join together in unions, receive fair wages and benefits, and the ability of workers to meet family needs through legislation that provides for paid family and medical leave, access to paid sick days, and fair and predictable schedules.
Co-Chairs
Vicki Shabo
National Partnership for Women & Families ›
Yona Rozen
Fair Courts
The Fair Courts Task Force advocates for fair and independent courts and works to ensure the nomination and confirmation of judicial nominees who will protect and defend civil and human rights.
Co-Chairs
Amy K. Matsui
Michael B. Keegan
Fair Housing & Lending
The Fair Housing & Lending Task Force strives to ensure the Fair Housing Act and other key civil rights laws are fully and fairly enforced in the area of housing and financial services, and supports policies to promote nondiscriminatory affordable housing and responsible lending.
Co-Chairs
Jorge Soto
National Fair Housing Alliance ›
Lisa Cylar Barrett
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. ›
Hate Crimes
The Hate Crimes Task Force focuses its coalition efforts on raising awareness of crimes or incidents based in hate, strengthening hate crime laws and reporting and data collection, and opposing executive actions and rhetoric that are polarizing and divisive.
Co-Chairs
Michael Lieberman
David Stacy
Naheed Qureshi
Health Care
The Health Care Task Force works to promote and protect access to health care as a civil and human right, and supports efforts to uphold and expand the breadth, depth, and scope of health programs, benefits, and funding for all individuals, especially those from underserved communities.
Co-Chairs
Debra L. Ness
National Partnership for Women & Families ›
Mara Youdelman
Immigration
The Immigration Task Force strives for fairness, equity, humaneness, and family unity in our country’s immigration laws and enforcement practices.
Co-Chairs
Esther Lopez
United Food and Commercial Workers ›
Megan Horn Essaheb
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC ›
Justice Reform
The Justice Reform Task Force works to transform the way our criminal legal system operates by advocating for federal administrative and legislative policy change to address inequities throughout the justice system from arrest to pretrial incarceration to sentencing and prison conditions to reentry.
Co-Chairs
Jesselyn McCurdy
American Civil Liberties Union ›
Hilary O. Shelton
Media/Telecommunications
The Media/Telecommunications Task Force focuses on ensuring that civil and human rights, equal opportunity, and democratic participation are front and center in communications and technology policy debates. The task force works to ensure that all people in the United States have access to advanced communications technology and full participation and fair representation in electronic media.
Co-Chairs
Cheryl Leanza
UCC Office of Communication, Inc. ›
Michael W. Macleod-Ball
627 Consulting, LLC
Voting Rights
The Voting Rights Task Force leads the coalition’s efforts to strengthen voting protections and oppose efforts to restrict voting rights for communities of color.
Co-Chairs
Lead Aden
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. ›
Andrea Senteno
Jon Greenbaum