About the Berkeley Journal of Black Law & Policy Symposium
As one of only a few Black legal journals focused on marginalized communities in the United States, the Berkeley Journal of Black Law & Policy researches, examines, and comments on issues facing Black communities and their connection to broader societal and legal structures. Led by an executive board of majority Black women, in Spring 2026, BJBLP will host its annual Symposium titled “The Politics of Sanctuary: Surviving Eras of Racial Terror.” This symposium examines sanctuary as both a legal practice and a tradition of collective resistance to racialized state violence. From the Underground Railroad to sanctuary churches, municipalities, and school districts that resist state surveillance, sanctuary has long operated as a refusal to legitimize racial domination.
We are interested in how sanctuary practices have shaped the very concept of legality, influencing the boundaries of belonging and constraining state power through collective action. Anchored in the Black Radical Tradition and informed by a broad history, the symposium traces how communities have built refuge in moments of intense
racial persecution.
Finally, we ask what these histories can teach us about designing and defending sanctuary today, as racialized myths—such as “white replacement” narratives or the specter of “narcoterrorism”—are mobilized to manufacture consent for repression. By bringing together scholars, lawyers, and activists, we will map the legal and political limits of sanctuary and better understand the collective power we have to protect one another today.
As much as our Journal focuses on problems unique to or of particular significance for Black communities, we recognize that these struggles are deeply interconnected with those faced by other marginalized groups. Sanctuary, as both a legal and moral practice, reflects a universal desire to be protected and allowed to exist with dignity. Through panels focused on local government, faith-based institutions, and educational spaces, the Symposium will explore practical manifestations of sanctuary across education, housing, immigration enforcement, and community governance. We aim to host speakers from our local community, including leaders and scholars at UC Berkeley, alongside national voices engaged in sanctuary work and resistance movements.
The day-long Symposium will include a keynote and two informative panels. The tentative schedule is as follows:
- 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM: Breakfast
- 9:00 AM - 9:30 AM: Opening
- 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM: Panel 1 (Professors)
- 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Keynote
- 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: Lunch
- 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM: Panel 2 (Practitioners)
- 2:30 PM - 3:00 PM: Closing
- 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM: Reception
Fundraising for this project through the Crowdfunding Cohort will allow us to print, prepare, and share educational materials ahead of and during the Symposium, provide food for the event, and publicize it effectively. We will be able to engage students and community members and encourage them despite the projected dark days ahead during a Trump presidency, which has already begun to affect many of us directly, and tap into the communal and supportive environment that UC Berkeley has come to be known for. If we meet our goal, we will also be able to teach a new generation of budding attorneys and Berkeley community members about movements that are often forgotten or paraphrased, but that have historically proven the power of collective engagement and support, especially within the Black community. Any additional funds we receive beyond what is necessary to produce the Symposium will be used to publish our accompanying Spring volume of the Journal of Black Law & Policy, which will feature more nuanced writings on the topics we're discussing at the Symposium. If we don't reach our goal, we will still host the event, and any shortfall will be used to put on the Symposium.
Budget Allocation | Use |
|---|---|
$650 | Venue & Travel - we plan to host the event at UC Berkeley Law, but if we have to host elsewhere, these funds will be used in part to help cover venue rental. Otherwise, these funds will be used to accommodate our speakers and participants and to assist with their travel and lodging, as necessary, to ensure their participation in the symposium. |
$650 | Food - small breakfast items, beverages for the duration of the day-long program, lunch, and small bites for the reception |
$300 | Marketing - printing posters and the symposium booklet, outlining the progra,m and recommended reading materials |
This budget provides rough estimates only, and actual expenditures may vary.
Thank you for taking the time to read and support Berkeley Journal of Black & Policy! Connect with us below:
- Follow us on Instagram: @bjblp_berkeley
- Follow us on LinkedIn
- Check out our previous volumes
- Email us: bjblp@berkeley.edu
$25
BJBLP Logo Sticker and Pen
Stickers and pens with the BJBLP logo, designed by students
$50
"Thank you" postcards
A personalized/handwritten "thank you" postcard from a BJBLP member. Also includes a BJBLP sticker or pen.
$100
Program Shout Out
This perk includes the name of the donor listed in the physical brochure symposium programs, a personalized thank you note, and a BJBLP sticker.
$500
Video Thanks and Donor Seat
This perk includes a personalized "thank you" video from BJBLP members, a "thank you" postcard, a donor exclusive seat at Symposium, and a logo sticker or pen.
