Civil Rights Coalition Priorities
Despite the pandemic and deliberate barriers to the ballot, more than 160 million people cast their vote in the 2020 general election, shattering records. Voters decisively rejected four years of demagoguery, fearmongering, racism, and xenophobia from those in power.
Now, the Biden-Harris administration and 117th Congress must undertake the enormous, yet necessary, task of repairing the devastation wrought and charting a new course forward for our democracy. In this new era, we have the opportunity to move beyond the status quo to address the root causes of racial and gender inequity. The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is hard at work pushing for critical infrastructure to protect civil rights and the America we aspire to be — one that is inclusive, just, and fair.
First and foremost, our new leaders have a responsibility to address the structural racism and barriers to opportunity so starkly on display in the time of COVID-19. In doing so, they must center vulnerable communities, particularly people of color, people with disabilities, low-income families, older people, immigrants, and those who are incarcerated. Building on that progress, the Biden-Harris administration and the 117th Congress should fight for an America as good in practice as it is in promise.
The challenges before us are immense, but they hold the possibility for real change and transformation.
To that end, together with our 11 task forces, we have identified and developed a comprehensive list of priority initiatives for the Biden-Harris administration and the next Congress that represent a path forward for our country.
Our task forces are composed of coalition members who have expertise in the following issue areas:
- Census
- Education
- Employment
- Fair courts
- Fair housing and lending
- Hate crimes
- Health care
- Immigration
- Justice reform
- Media/telecommunications
- Voting rights
The priorities do not reflect the views of any one person or organization, but rather reflect the shared agenda developed over several months. We believe these goals can and should be met by the Biden-Harris administration and the 117th Congress, and we are eager to engage with committed leaders to advance our coalition’s priorities.
Key Transition Documents
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights Transition Priorities ›
Our task forces developed a comprehensive, though not exhaustive, list of priority executive and legislative initiatives that represent a path forward for our country in advancing social and economic justice.
Transition Priorities (Summary) ›
This document is an abbreviated version of the transition priorities, allowing ease of identifying those efforts important to the first 100 days and first year of the Biden-Harris administration.
The Leadership Conference outlines the need to appoint people who have a demonstrated commitment to upholding civil and human rights, supporting marginalized communities, and advancing progressive values; and who are reflective of our nation’s tremendous diversity. Below are letters on individual personnel qualifications:
Trump Administration Civil and Human Rights Rollbacks ›
Since Trump took office in January 2017, his administration has worked aggressively to turn back the clock on our nation’s civil and human rights progress. Here’s how.
Contact Us
Learn more about The Leadership Conference coalition’s transition priorities, our task forces, and our process for developing a shared agenda for the civil rights community.