Husch Blackwell is pleased to announce the launch of HB Communities for Change, a new program that unifies and enhances the firm’s outreach to the African American community. The program’s goal is to harness the energy of its offices to make positive change in the United States with respect to racial justice.
HB Communities for Change will house multiple initiatives that seek to address different, but significant, challenges faced by African Americans.
“The results of institutional racism on Black communities across the country are complex, and we feel there is no one solution in terms of racial equity and justice,” said Angela Quinn, Husch Blackwell’s Chief Client and Inclusion Officer. “We wanted to craft an approach that both takes advantage of our legal expertise and also provides opportunities for service more broadly.”
At launch, HB Communities for Change is comprised of the following initiatives:
Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA). Husch Blackwell is one of nearly 200 law firms to join the newly formed LFAA, a group dedicated to addressing inequality and racial injustice. The group’s charter states that its purpose is to “leverage the resources of the private bar in partnership with legal services organizations to amplify the voices of communities and individuals oppressed by racism [and] to better use the law as a vehicle for change that benefits communities of color and to promote racial equity in the law.”
Promoting Food Security. Partnering with best-in-class local agencies and organizations that have demonstrated excellence in executing food collection and distribution programs, HB Communities for Change will deploy Husch Blackwell volunteers across the country to collect and distribute food to those most in need in the communities where we live and work.
Community & Economic Development. Husch Blackwell will hire a full-time attorney to work exclusively on the establishment and support of Black-owned businesses and fostering entrepreneurship. The firm will develop and implement creative solutions to assist in accessing start-up capital and will identify and work with existing not-for-profit organizations that are already involved heavily with Black entrepreneurs.
DE&I Speaker Series. Husch Blackwell will sponsor a monthly DE&I Speaker Series to address a variety of diversity, equity and inclusion topics. Building upon the firm’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion educational programming, the purpose of the series is for our HB community to gain wider exposure to diverse perspectives.
Husch Blackwell’s Executive Board approved the allocation of $500,000 to fund the initial set of initiatives for HB Communities for Change.
“Individuals within Husch Blackwell have long supported the goals of our new program through their pro bono activity, philanthropy and community service,” said Chairman Greg Smith. “HB Communities for Change does not replace that work but is in addition to it. The program will provide structure and additional resources to our efforts, focusing in a few areas where we feel we can have a real impact.”
