Justice begins with respect for humanity. The story of Henrietta Lacks is one that shows the absence of humanity and respect coupled with greed masked as a medical intervention. In an effort to bring awareness to this ongoing injustice, the Health Equity, Law, and Policy Institute will host its inaugural Henrietta Lacks Symposium scheduled for March 14 at the Southern University Law Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This year’s theme is “Seeing Women through the Lens of Genetic Justice, Reproductive Justice and Criminal Justice”.
“The timeliness of the newly formed SULC Health, Equity, Law and Policy Institute is that it has been 72 years since Mrs. Henrietta Lacks’ cells were taken, without her consent, which resulted in the first immortal cell line and led to the creation of vaccinations and other scientific breakthroughs that have benefited the medical community and society-at-large,” said Deleso A, Alford, managing fellow for the Health, Equity, Law, and Policy Institute and Rachel Emanuel Endowed professor. “This symposium will shape the forward flow of human history by focusing on “Her-stories” -the unique and particularized experiences of black women and women of color due respect and dignity.”
The inaugural event will feature three panels consisting of renowned speakers, thought leaders, and academics. In addition, it will provide a venue for a 21st-century demand for justice from legal classrooms, political corners, medical/scientific institutions to the court of law. Speakers include Ben Crump, civil rights attorney; Dr. Edgar Feinberg, cardiothoracic surgeon; LaToyia Porter, social worker and founder of Walk With Me Community Improvement Center; Victor Jones, education special counsel at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.; Nancy Davis, advocate and founder of The Nancy Davis Foundation; Carole Roberts, Louisiana State University law professor; and more.
In national news, Attorney Crump and co-lead counsel Attorney Chris Seeger are currently representing members of the Lacks family in a federal lawsuit against Thermo- Fisher, Massachusetts- based scientific supplier, for profiting off biotech products made using cells taken decades earlier without Henrietta Lacks’ consent or compensation.
The event is free and open to the public; however, registration is encouraged. Attendees can register at www.sulc.edu/lackssymposium.
For more information, contact Jasmine D. Hunter, director of external affairs, at jhunter@sulc.edu.