The Color of Mitigation is the first conference of its kind aimed at practitioners of color that work as, or are interested in, becoming mitigation specialists.
What is a mitigation specialist? Mitigation specialists are vital members of criminal defense teams, representing clients that are facing the death penalty in 24 out of 50 states in addition to those charged at a federal level. They are skilled members of the death penalty or capital teams who conduct life history investigations to humanize clients to the courts, juries, and other decision-makers.
Mitigation investigation, when done well, is a major factor in saving the lives of clients. Mitigation investigation is complex; it involves continuous meetings with clients, document collection and analysis, research and report-writing, on-the-ground interviews with client family members, friends, teachers/professors, employers, and spiritual leaders in different states, and sometimes in different countries.
In a racially biased justice system, there simply are not enough people doing this vital work who are part of affected communities and who understand community culture and all its complexities. The need to orient and support people of color in capital mitigation is an urgent one.
The Color of Mitigation will welcome those interested in this area of defense work and provide critical training for those in the field. Accomplished members of the capital defense community will lead conference sessions and help build a strong professional network.
We will also help attendees build their professional / company profiles and assist them in gaining access to the field, one that serves many people of color as defendants but does not have an open door for practitioners of color.
This training is curated for:
- Persons of color
- Capital Mitigation investigators
- social workers interested in capital work
- investigators doing mitigation on capital cases
- fact investigators transitioning into mitigation investigation
Topics included at this event:
- History of Mitigation
- White Supremacy In All Its Forms
- Blueprint for Success: The Imporance of an Investigation Plan
- Mitigation 101
- Navigating the Race Dynamics of Team/Client/Family When You're the (Only) Voice of Color on The Team
- The Unspoken Burden of Being a Person of Color
- Finding the Right Expert and Our Role In It
- How Do We Create the Funding to Join this Work?
- How to Avoid Bias as a Person of Color in Evaluating Clients
- Brainstorming Our Future: How Do We Build Our Own Network and Safety Nets?
- Coded Language: How to Identify, Appropriately Respond, and Avoid Using It Ourselves
- Burnout, No, On Fire, and Angry
- Race Conscious Wellness
- Intro to Field Work and Interview Techniques
- The Art of Crafting Your Client's Story: A BIPOC Perspective
- The Double Edge Sword of Being a State Actor: Navigating the System to Save Our Clients While Being Part of The System
Event Location: State Bar of Georgia | 104 Marietta St NW | Atlanta, GA 30303
Event Pricing: $100
Hotel/Lodging: Once you register, a list of recommended hotels will be provided in the confirmation message for you to book rooms with. The confirmation email for your ticket will include a list of hotels that are a short distance to the event venue. We do not have a room block affiliated with this event.
Special Thanks: This event is being produced in collaboration with the National Association for Public Defense and a variety of other organizations including:
- Black Public Defenders Association
- Southern Center for Human Rights
- NLADA
Know anyone who wants to sponsor a participant? Encourage them to visit this link and donate - be sure to type "Color of Mitigation" in the "Gift Designation" area.