Taking a Stand lectures continue at Lewes library Sept. 14, 21
The popular Taking a Stand Lecture Series, co-sponsored by the Lewes Public Library and Topical Seminars, will resume at 6 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 14, when lobbyist and author Tom Sheridan speaks about his book “Helping the Good Do Better: How a White Hat Lobbyist Advocates for Social Change.”
Sheridan will pull back the curtain on the corridors of power in Washington to reveal how social change really happens. His book offers lessons from the trenches on how some of this generation's most defining social issues - AIDS, disabilities, global poverty, cancer, human trafficking, national service, early childhood education and social entrepreneurship - engendered landmark federal policies.
Each chapter tells the story of how a particular issue was shaped by the movements and legislation at the center of public debate. Each case provides powerful lessons about how coalitions are built, strategies crafted, and powerful interests challenged in high-stakes, no-holds-barred political battles. Browseabout Books will have copies of the book available for purchase at the lecture, and there will be a signing afterward.
Civil rights-criminal justice lawyer Jason Downs will present at 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 21.
A partner at Downs Collins, he handles civil rights law, civil litigation, criminal defense and legal matters that involve an overlap in civil and criminal proceedings. He gained nearly a decade of experience working with the public defender service for the District of Columbia, serving as lead counsel on 26 felony jury trials against federal prosecutors. In that time, he maintained an astounding success rate in jury trials that was 282 percent higher than the average in the Superior Court.
Among his many achievements, Downs successfully represented an NFL player in a contract dispute governed by the NFL Players Association. No stranger to high-profile litigation, he was a key part of the litigation team that investigated and settled the 2015 Freddie Gray civil case for $6.4 million.
The goal of the lecture series is to have a shared learning experience that will improve the social capital of the community. Registration is requested for both presentations. To sign up, call the library at 302-645-2733, stop by the circulation desk or go to www.lewes.lib.de.us. Walk-ins are welcome.
