FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 11, 2022
The Black Women Lawyers of Los Angeles, Inc. (“BWL”) and the John M. Langston Bar Association of Los Angeles, Inc. (“Langston”) denounce the racially insensitive and inappropriate remarks made by Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez and call for an immediate investigation and action by the Council to formally censure and expel Martinez and councilmembers Kevin DeLeon and Gil Cedillo, if they fail to resign their seats. All three councilmembers are duly elected officials, put in a place of public trust to represent all people, and they have broken that trust by making discriminatory remarks about Black people, and others who supported Black people, in the recently released audio recordings. The comments are offensive, especially the remarks directed at a young black child. Further, as allies of other diverse communities in Los Angeles and of voting rights, BWL and Langston are disappointed that public officials like councilmembers DeLeon and Cedillo were engaging in discussions to undermine the voting rights of Angelenos while strategizing how to redistrict to increase their power to the detriment of their fellow councilmembers. These are important issues for the legal community and the citizens of Los Angeles, and BWL and Langston call for Ms. Martinez’s resignation from the City Council along with the resignation of Messrs. DeLeon and Cedillo.
BWL, founded in 1975, is a non-profit corporation created to address the needs and concerns of African-American women in the legal profession and whose mission is dedicated to charitable, educational, and community-based services. Founded in the 1920s as the Blackstone Law Club, Langston seeks to empower leadership, advance the professional development of its membership, and promote the administration of justice in the Black community and the community at large.
Both BWL and Langston are committed to using their platforms to advocate for justice and equality and our civic leaders should be committed to the same.
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