Overview:
Haitian American lawyer Ritha Pierre has been named common counsel at Race Ahead, a nationwide racial justice group based in 1981. Pierre says her function will concentrate on strengthening the group’s authorized technique whereas constructing stronger connections with communities of shade—together with the Haitian group going through challenges starting from immigration and employment to housing, schooling and well being care.
Skilled Haitian American lawyer Ritha Pierre has been recruited as common counsel at Race Ahead, a nationwide racial justice group based mostly in Washington, DC— with 44 years of historical past. This new place permits her to strengthen the group’s authorized advocacy methods and broaden its engagement with communities of shade — together with Haitians — which might be going through rising challenges associated to immigration, employment, housing, schooling and healthcare.
Race Forward introduced Pierre’s hiring this month, describing her as a seasoned lawyer with deep expertise in labor legislation, nonprofit governance and community-based advocacy.
“Her strategic authorized experience and fluency in labor relations and employment issues shall be invaluable as we navigate more and more difficult and unsure instances,” stated Glenn Harris, president of Race Ahead, in a press launch on Dec. 10.
A New York native with deep Haitian roots by her mother and father and grandparents, Pierre stated the function aligns carefully along with her private values and long-standing dedication to racial fairness.
“As a Black girl who has each skilled and witnessed the impression of intentional efforts to undermine fairness and inclusion, together with the current lack of lots of of hundreds of Black girls from the workforce, discovering a company actually aligned with my values is invaluable,” she stated.
“I deliver a mix of authorized experience, grassroots advocacy and artistic problem-solving that’s particularly important on this second,” Pierre added.
“My purpose is to strengthen Race Ahead’s inside and exterior programs so the group can proceed advancing fairness with integrity, braveness, and care.”
Bringing Race Ahead nearer to Haitian communities
Race Ahead, based in 1981, is nationally recognized for its racial fairness coaching, coverage advocacy and its annual “Going through Race” convention. However the group stays unfamiliar to many Haitian American communities, a niche Pierre stated she hopes to assist shut in her new function.
“Haitian communities are going through layered crises proper now — from immigration uncertainty and the top of TPS [Temporary protected Status] protections to housing instability and workforce exclusion,” Pierre advised The Haitian Instances.
“Race Ahead has instruments, authorized experience and nationwide attain that may assist that struggle, however partnerships are important.”
“We’d like organizations that aren’t afraid to face agency for fairness and humanity, particularly as these values are underneath assault. That issues deeply for Haitian communities proper now.”
Ritha Pierre
Pierre stated she sees Race Ahead as an ally that may assist Haitian-led organizations navigate advanced authorized and coverage environments, significantly as range, fairness and inclusion (DEI) initiatives come underneath political assault throughout the US.
“We’re in a really difficult time for folks of shade,” she stated.
“We’re seeing organizations retreat underneath stress from the present administration, legislation companies, companies and universities dismantle DEI packages, and communities left uncovered. It’s important to have establishments that aren’t afraid to face agency.”
Pierre brings over 14 years of authorized expertise to the function, together with positions as common counsel at RiseBoro Group Partnership—certainly one of New York’s largest human providers organizations—and earlier work as an assistant district lawyer in Brooklyn and affiliate common counsel at Service Workers Worldwide Union (SEIU) —Native 32BJ, representing primarily healthcare and public service employees.
Her background in prison justice, labor rights, nonprofit governance and human providers shapes her authorized method at Race Ahead. She holds levels from St. John’s College, Fordham Regulation, and a grasp’s in bioethics from Columbia College, which she pursued after organizing a post-earthquake service journey to Haiti.
“That have compelled me to assume deeply about accountability, ethics and international solidarity,” she stated. “These questions stick with me.”
How can authorized technique shield fairness amid political backlash?
As common counsel, Pierre manages Race Ahead’s authorized affairs and advises its management on danger, compliance and navigating the shifting authorized terrain going through racial justice organizations.
The urgency of her function has grown as federal insurance policies threaten packages like Non permanent Protected Standing (TPS) and humanitarian parole, which immediately impression thousands and thousands—together with lots of of hundreds of Haitians.
Pierre stated she is a part of a coalition addressing the TPS disaster and sees Race Ahead contributing by authorized evaluation, advocacy assist and convening energy to bolster immigrant communities underneath stress.
“Immigration is a racial fairness subject,” she stated. “And Haitians are sometimes on the middle of insurance policies that take a look at how far this nation is prepared to go in denying personhood.”
Pierre stated her long-term purpose is to assist Race Ahead turn out to be a stronger authorized and strategic voice in nationwide fairness debates—to construct stronger networks and partnerships whereas remaining grounded in group realities.
“Our work has to maneuver past idea,” she stated. “It needs to be sensible, accountable and rooted within the lived experiences of communities — together with Haitian communities which might be typically missed.”
For Pierre, the appointment is each skilled and private.
“As a Haitian American, aligning my work with my values issues,” she stated. “This function permits me to do this — and to make sure our communities are usually not combating alone.”