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District Of Columbia Council Bill PR25-0412

District Of Columbia 2023-2024 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill PR25-0412 Compare Versions

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1- ENROLLED ORIGINAL
1+1
2+
3+ ______________________________ 1
4+ Chairman Phil Mendelson 2
5+ 3
6+ 4
7+A PROPOSED RESOLUTION 5
8+__________________ 6
9+ 7
10+IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 8
11+ 9
12+ 10
13+To reappoint Ms. Nkechi Taifa to the Corrections Information Council Governing Board. 11
14+ 12
15+ RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 13
16+resolution may be cited as the “Corrections Information Council Governing Board Nkechi Taifa 14
17+Reappointment Resolution of 2023”. 15
18+ 16
19+ Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia reappoints: 17
20+ 18
21+Ms. Nkechi Taifa 19
22+27th Street, N.W. 20
23+Washington, D.C. 20015 21
24+(Ward 4) 22
25+ 23
26+as a member of the Corrections Information Council Governing Board, established by section 24
27+11201a(b) of the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of 25
28+1997, effective October 2, 2010 (D.C. Law 18-233; D.C. Official Code § 24-101.01(b)), for a 26
29+term ending December 7, 2024. 27
30+ Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit a copy of this resolution, 28
31+upon its adoption, to the appointee, the chairperson of the Corrections Information Council 29
32+Governing Board, and the Office of the Mayor. 30
33+ Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately. 31
34+. 32 1
35+Nkechi Taifa, Esq.
36+Comprehensive Bio / Curriculum Vitae (January 2023)
37+Preferred pronunciation
38+(Neh-KEE-Chee Tah-EE-fah)
39+Nkechi Taifa is founder, principal and CEO of The Taifa Group LLC, a social enterprise firm whose
40+mission is to advance justice. The Taifa Group’s portfolio of client services includes coalition-
41+building, convenings, government relations, meeting and retreat facilitation, strategic planning,
42+trainings and as an expert and inspirational speaker. She is founder and executive director of the
43+Reparation Education Project, a 501 C(3) organization that supports the escalating movement for
44+reparations as a resource for those exploring historical and current information and analysis on
45+reparations. She is founder and convener emeritus of the Justice Roundtable - a broad network
46+of advocacy groups advancing progressive justice system reform, and she serves as a Senior
47+Fellow for the Center for Justice at Columbia University. Nkechi also serves on the governing
48+board of the Corrections Information Council, an independent monitoring body that provides
49+oversight over the conditions of District residents imprisoned throughout the Federal Bureau of
50+Prisons and the D.C. Department of Corrections. She is a founding member of the National
51+Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (N’COBRA), and an inaugural commissioner of the
52+National African American Reparations Commission (NAARC).
53+Nkechi served as the Advocacy Director for Criminal Justice for the Open Society Foundations and
54+Open Society Policy Center from 2002-2018, focusing on issues of sentencing reform, law
55+enforcement reform, reentry, prison reform, executive clemency, and racial justice. She also
56+founded the Justice Roundtable coalition while at the Open Society. As the Roundtable convener
57+for 19 years, Taifa was in the leadership of the coalition responsible for passage of both the
58+Second Chance Act reentry legislation (2008) and the Fair Sentencing Act crack disparity
59+legislation (2010). She helped to fuel the mobilization of the Obama administration’s clemency
60+initiative, which resulted in the early release from unjust imprisonment of over 1,700 people and
61+successfully advocated for the inclusion of sentencing provisions within the 2018 First Step Act.
62+Nkechi was founding director of the award-winning Equal Justice Program at Howard University
63+School of Law from 1996-2002, where she also directed the Law School’s Externship Program and
64+taught popular seminars on “Racial Disparity in the Criminal Justice System,” Public Interest Law,”
65+and the “Law of Corrections and Prisoners’ Rights.” She taught as an adjunct professor at
66+American University Washington College of Law as well as Howard Law until 2006 and taught
67+high school students criminal law as part of the National Bar Association’s Crump Law Camp from
68+2001-2019.
69+Taifa served as legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union from 1991-1996 where
70+she was the principal spokesperson on criminal justice and civil rights issues; policy counsel for
71+the Women’s Legal Defense Fund from 1989-1991; staff attorney for the National Prison Project 2
72+from 1984-1987; Office Manager and Network Organizer for the Washington Office on Africa
73+from 1980-1983; elementary school teacher at NationHouse Watoto School from 1977-1980, and
74+as founder and director of a Saturday School for youth during the 1970s. She also maintained a
75+general criminal and civil law practice in the District of Columbia between 1987-1991,
76+representing indigent adult and juvenile clients, and specializing in employment discrimination
77+law.
78+Nkechi Taifa served as co-chair of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR) Steering
79+Committee on D.C. Statehood (1993-95) which resulted in a historic first vote in Congress; and
80+on the Leadership Conference’s Task Force on Voting Rights (1991- 93) which resulted in passage
81+of the National Voter Registration Act (Motor Voter bill). She helped to mobilize the successful
82+campaign against implementation of the death penalty in the District of Columbia in the early
83+90’s and served as coordinator and trainer for the 1995 Million Man March Legal Observer
84+Committee. Taifa served as chief prosecutor for the 2021 International Tribunal on Human Rights
85+Abuses; and as the prosecutor delivering the Opening Statement for both the 2007 International
86+Tribunal on Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the 1997 International Tribunal for Justice for Mumia
87+Abu-Jamal.
88+Nkechi Taifa has testified before the U.S. Congress, the United States Sentencing Commission,
89+the Council of the District of Columbia, the American Bar Association Justice Kennedy
90+Commission, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the U.S. Helsinki Commission,
91+and the California State Task Force on Reparations. She served as an appointed Commissioner
92+and Chair of the District of Columba Commission on Human Rights from 2007-2014. On April 4,
93+2022, she delivered a poignantly moving TED Talk, “Reparations: An Issue Whose Time Has
94+Come.”
95+Attorney Taifa has had six law review articles published, “Let’s Talk About Reparations” (Columbia
96+Journal of Race and Law (Spring 2019); “Integrative Solutions to Interrelated Issues: A
97+Multidisciplinary Look Behind the Cycle of Incarceration” (Harvard Law and Policy Review,
98+Summer 2009 – co-authored with Catherine Beane); “Codification or Castration – the
99+Applicability of the International Race Convention to the U.S. Criminal Justice System” (Howard
100+Law Journal 1997); “Cracked Justice: A Critical Examination of Cocaine Sentencing” (Univ. of West
101+Los Angeles Law Review, 1996); “Three Strikes and You’re Out – Mandatory Life Imprisonment
102+for Third Time Felons” (University of Dayton Law Review, 1995); and “Civil Forfeiture vs. Civil
103+Liberties” (New York Law School Law Review, 1994).
104+She was the Project Chair for the publication, Tulia: Tip of the Drug War Iceberg, and author of
105+the chapter, “Social Policy Implications of Racial Disparities in the Criminal Justice System,”
106+published in The Color of Social Policy. She is also the author of ground-breaking White Papers
107+and Issue Briefs, such as “Race, Mass Incarceration, and the Disastrous War on Drugs” (Brennan
108+Center for Justice May 2021); “Reparations: An Issue Whose Time has Come,” ACLU; “Clemency:
109+An Inside Story from a Progressive Advocate” (Federal Sentencing Reporter June 2017); “Racism
110+in the Criminal Justice System: Institutionalized Genocide” (American Constitution Society 2016);
111+“A Bittersweet Moment in History: Passage of the Fair Sentencing Act (NACDL Champion 3
112+Magazine 2010); “Roadblocked Reentry: the Prison After Imprisonment” (National Bar
113+Association Magazine 2006); and “Reflections from the Frontlines: An Insider’s Perspective on
114+the Crack Cocaine Controversy” (Federal Sentencing Reporter 1998).
115+Nkechi Taifa served as the principal author of the Advancement Project’s report, “Re-
116+Enfranchisement! A Guide for Individual Restoration of Voting Rights in States that Permanently
117+Disenfranchise Former Felons” (2002). She was a contributing author to Black Reparations:
118+American Slavery and its Vestiges; and Reparations Yes: The Legal and Political Reasons Why
119+Blacks Should be Paid for the Enslavement of Our Ancestors; and Decolonization U.S.A. (1987).
120+Nkechi served on the Legal Advisory Team of the Legacy of the GU272 Alliance (descendants of
121+the 1838 Jesuit sale of 272 enslaved persons which ensured the survival of Georgetown
122+University); and is a past president of the DC Chapter of the National Conference of Black Lawyers
123+and former co-chair of the Legislative Commission of the National Coalition of Blacks for
124+Reparations in America.
125+Reported civil and criminal legal cases with Taifa as counsel include Shepherd v. American
126+Broadcasting Companies, 864 F. Supp. 486 (D.C. Cir. 1994); 62 F.3d 1469 (D.C. Cir. 1995); U.S. v.
127+Whitehorn, 710 F. Supp. 803 (1989); U.S. v. Marilyn Buck and Mutulu Shakur, 690 F. Supp. 1291
128+(SDNY) 1988; and Knop v. Johnson, 655 F. Supp. 871 (WD Mich 1987).
129+Nkechi has served on the boards of numerous organizations, and has received many awards,
130+accolades and honors, including the “Champion of Justice Award” from the National Association
131+of Criminal Defense Lawyers (2021); “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the 17
132+th
133+ Annual A Love
134+Supreme Trane Tribute (2021); “Distinguished 400 Award” from the 400 Years of African
135+American History Commission (2021); “Black Resistance Matters Award,” from the Malcolm X
136+Commemoration Committee (2017); “Equal Justice Award” from the UDC David A. Clarke School
137+of Law (2017); Dad’s Award from Hope House (2016); “Wiley Branton Award” from the National
138+Bar Association (2016); “Legacy Award” from the Institute of the Black World 21
139+st
140+ Century (2016);
141+the “Marcus Garvey Award” from the Universal Negro Improvement Association (2015); the
142+“Cornelius Neil Alexander Humanitarian Award” from the D.C. Commission on Human Rights
143+(2015); the “Wiley Branton Award” from the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights
144+and Urban Affairs (2014); the “Umoja Award,” from the National Black United Front (2014);
145+“Certificate of Achievement for Outstanding Advocacy” from Congresswoman Maxine Waters
146+(2011); the “President’s Award” from the Washington Council of Lawyers (2005);” the
147+“Rosmarian Award for Excellence in Teaching and Service (2000); ” “Professor of the Year
148+(1999),” “Outstanding Social Engineer Award (1996),” and “Distinguished Faculty Author Award”
149+-- – all from Howard University School of Law; Certificado De Participation, Universidad de la
150+Habana, Sociedad y Derecho en Cuba;” the “Pro Bono Publico Award” from the American Bar
151+Association for outstanding leadership of Howard Law’s Equal Justice Program (1996); and the
152+“Appreciation Award” from the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland (1996).
153+Taifa was honored as one of Essence Magazine’s 100 Woke Black Women Advocating for Change
154+(2019); celebrated as one of Essence Magazine’s Unsung Black Women Making Strides in the Law 4
155+(2018); and was showcased in a feature article in People’s Magazine (2020). She has served as
156+consultant to various organizations and projects and is interviewed and quoted extensively in the
157+national and local electronic and print media.
158+Nkechi is the author of five best-seller books: Reparations on Fire: How and Why it’s Spreading
159+Across America (2022); a memoir, Black Power, Black Lawyer: My Audacious Quest for Justice,
160+and three best-seller books for children, Shining Legacy (1983) which highlights twelve Black
161+heroes and heroines through moving stories accentuated with rhyme; Three Tales of Wisdom
162+(1983), and The Adventures of Kojo and Ama (1992) which contains seven wisdom-filled stories
163+combining excitement, fun and suspense with lessons in pride and heritage. These classics were
164+re-published in 2021 for a new generation of youth. She performed spoken word with the group
165+“BlackNotes” as part of its 1998 debut CD project, leading her original creation, “While Malcolm
166+Preached, Trane Played.”
167+Nkechi is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Appeals for
168+the District of Columbia Circuit, and the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. A native
169+Washingtonian, she received her Juris Doctorate from George Washington University Law School
170+(1984) and graduated magna cum laude from Howard University (197). She is the proud mother
171+of an adult daughter, Mariama Taifa-Seitu.
172+###
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5-
6-
7-
8-A RESOLUTION
9-
10-25-354
11-
12-IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
13-
14-November 21, 2023
15-
16-
17-To reappoint Ms. Nkechi Taifa to the Corrections Information Council Governing Board.
18-
19- RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
20-resolution may be cited as the “Corrections Information Council Governing Board Nkechi Taifa
21-Reappointment Resolution of 2023”.
22-
23- Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia reappoints:
24-
25-Ms. Nkechi Taifa
26-27th Street, NW
27-Washington, DC 20015
28-(Ward 4)
29-
30-as a member of the Corrections Information Council Governing Board, established by section
31-11201a(b) of the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of
32-1997, effective October 2, 2010 (D.C. Law 18-233; D.C. Official Code § 24-101.01(b)), for a
33-term ending December 7, 2024.
34-
35- Sec. 3. The Council shall transmit a copy of this resolution, upon its adoption, to the
36-appointee, the chairperson of the Corrections Information Council Governing Board, and the
37-Office of the Mayor.
38-
39- Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
40-.