February FIRST FRIDAY SOCIAL MIXER: Celebrating Black History Month and Black Achievement in Foreign Affairs

February First Friday Social Mixer

"Celebrating Black History Month and Black Achievement in Foreign Affairs" 

Friday, February 3, 2023 | 6:00pm - 8:00pm EDT 

The Vue Rooftop -- 515 15th St. NW, Washington DC 20004 

No Cover • Business Casual Attire 

This event is Jointly Hosted by: BPIA, the Pickering and Rangel Fellowship Association (PRFA), Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security (WCAPS), and the International Career Advancement Program (ICAP) Fellows Association. 

Guest of Honor: Justin Hansford

Professor Justin Hansford is a leading scholar and activist in the fields of racial justice, human rights, and law and social movements. He is the Founder and Executive Director of the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center and a law professor at Howard University School of Law. Professor Hansford was previously a Democracy Project Fellow at Harvard University, a Visiting Professor of Law at Georgetown University, and an Associate Professor of Law at St. Louis University. His interdisciplinary scholarship has appeared in academic journals at various universities, including Harvard, Georgetown, Fordham, and the University of California at Hastings. Professor Hansford is also a member of the Stanford Medicine Commission on Justice and Equity.

Professor Hansford holds a Bachelor of Arts from Howard University and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University. He also earned a Fulbright Scholar award to study the legal career of Nelson Mandela and served as a clerk for Judge Damon Keith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Professor Hansford served as a policy advisor to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. His advocacy for marginalized groups, commitment to human rights, leadership in civil society, and innovative research on racial justice, attests to his ability to effectively advance the work of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent.

Professor Hansford has visited Europe and Canada as an activist and scholar, specifically exploring how racial justice issues like police violence and reparations manifest in diverse environments. If elected, Professor Hansford will draw upon his deep experience, expertise, and passion to help ensure the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent is impactful as a platform for improving the safety and quality of life and livelihoods of African descendent people globally.