State Judicial Council Racist Halloween Party Strongly Criticized in Letter to CA Supreme Court Justice by Sacramento Chapter of First and Oldest Racially Integrated U.S. Bar Association
(From Press Release) – The Sacramento chapter of the nation’s oldest and first racially integrated bar association has strongly criticized the state Judicial Council after it was disclosed a Halloween party at the Judicial Council’s Sacramento office featured staff dressed as inmates, and wearing blackface.
In a pointed letter to CA Supreme Court Justice Cantil-Sakauye, the Board of Directors of the National Lawyers Guild-Sacramento Chapter noted:
“It is deeply disturbing and confidence-shaking to see photos and read stories about a Halloween party…in which Judicial Council staff dressed as inmates, decorated workspaces as a prison, and wore blackface. The event raises serious questions about the culture of the Judicial Council, a body charged with advancing impartiality of the judiciary, and the role of the 
Council’s leadership in fostering that culture.” (Is Orange the New Racist? Party at Judicial Council Makes the NAACP Thinks So)
The letter continued: “Our members spend countless hours in the courthouses and jails of California, and are committed to ensuring that all members of our society are treated with basic fairness, dignity, and respect under law. Our constituents and members consistently report that trust between California communities, the judicial system and law enforcement is steadfastly eroding.
“The Judicial Council’s goal to ‘enhance public trust and confidence’ is significantly undermined if its leadership is not committed to actively intervening in destructive cultures that are at work under its own roofs. It is incumbent upon an institution’s leadership to take prompt and meaningful action when instances of racism and bias occur, and to foster a culture of respect for diversity through long-term actions that seek to dismantle the systems of racial bias that exist throughout our society.”
The NLG Sacramento concluded by calling “upon the leadership of the Judicial Council to come out strongly against racism and bias, and to promptly and publicly affirm the Judicial Council’s commitment to take action to ensure that the Judicial Council as a workplace, and our courts as an institution, reject racism in all forms.”
