Prominent civil rights attorney Connie Rice to speak at AA/Ypsi Reads main event

By Ann Dwyer Production Asst.

Posted on Sat, Feb 2, 2013 : 11:12 a.m.

Meet influential civil rights attorney Connie Rice at the 11th annual Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads Event on Thursday. While AA/Ypsi Reads has many events around a book and theme—this year's is "Understanding Race"—there is one large event that features a special guest. Rice will be the keynote speaker at this year's event.

Connie L. Rice

Rice is the co-director for the Advancement Project, a civil rights organization that "use[s] innovative tools and strategies to strengthen social movements and achieve high impact policy change," according to the group's website. Rice has successfully litigated cases involving police misconduct, employment discrimination and fair public resource allocation in a non-traditional manner. It is her unique methods that have made her renowned in taking on cases of inequality. She has also received numerous major awards for her leadership

She is certain to have a fascinating look into race relations today.

This year's AA/Ypsi Reads book selection was "The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration In The Age Of Colorblindness" by Michelle Alexander. Find out more at aareads.aadl.org.

Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013. 7-9 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. Free. In the Towsley Auditorium at Washtenaw Community College, 4800 E. Huron River Dr., Ann Arbor. 734-677-5033.