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2 Chairman Phil Mendelson
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8 A PROPOSED RESOLUTION
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11 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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14 To appoint Ms. Nkechi Taifa to the Corrections Information Council Governing Board.
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16 RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
17 resolution may be cited as the Corrections Information Council Governing Board Nkechi Taifa
18 Appointment Resolution of 2021.
19 Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia appoints:
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21 Ms. Nkechi Taifa
22 27th Street, N.W.
23 Washington, D.C. 20015
24 (Ward 4)
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26 as a member of the Corrections Information Council Governing Board, established by section
27 11201a(b) of the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of
28 1997, effective October 2, 2010 (D.C. Law 18-233; D.C. Official Code 24-101.01(b)), for a
29 term to end 2 years after the effective date of this resolution.
30 Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit a copy of this resolution,
31 upon its adoption, to the appointee, the chairperson of the Corrections Information Council
32 Governing Board, and the Office of the Mayor.
33 Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first date of publication in
34 the District of Columbia Register.
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 Nkechi Taifa, Esq.
Washington, DC 20015
SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
Advocacy Director and Strategic Policy Analyst
Coordinate federal criminal justice agenda working closely with members of
Congress and their staff and key committees on issues that relate to
sentencing reform, prison reform, reentry, law enforcement accountability
Analyze and review, conduct policy analysis and advocacy strategies
Serve as principal spokesperson on criminal justice reform issues
Convene Washington-based advocacy coalition advancing criminal justice
policy reforms ; liaison with governmental agencies, institutions & others
Provide technical assistance to members of Congress and their staff, U.S.
Sentencing Commission, Mayor, City Council, and other policy makers,
including preparation and delivery of testimonies
Academician
Public interest counselor for law students
Teach specialized law school seminars
Develop and coordinate opportunities for law student pro bono activities and
public service employment
Legal research and writing
Teach high school students in summer law camp
Private Practitioner
Cases involving adult criminal defense, juvenile court, employment
discrimination, landlord & tenant, child abuse and neglect, family law
Litigation, analyzing & indexing discovery, preparation and examination of
expert and lay witnesses for trial, taking and defending depositions,
settlement negotiations
Landmark cases, Shepherd v. American Broadcasting Companies, 864 F. Supp.
486 (D.C. Cir. 1994); 62 F.3d 1469 (D.C. Cir. 1995); U.S. v. Whitehorn, 710 F.
Supp. 803 (1989), Knop v. Johnson, 655 F. Supp. 871 (WD Mich 1987)
Manager
Oversee recruiting, hiring and supervision of staff, research assistants, law
clerks and interns, and promote professional development opportunities
Mentor young professionals who have gone on to work at organizations such
as the American Civil Liberties Union, Leadership Conference on Civil and
 Human Rights, American Constitution Society, Justice Policy Institute, D.C.
Public Defender Service, etc.
Convene and Manager of the Justice Roundtable Coalition
Manage conceptualization, planning and implementation of events including
congressional briefings, lobby days, call-in days, town hall meetings, etc.
Identify best practices & improvement of internal systems, policies &
procedures
Manage law school public interest resource center & supervise Externship
Program
Communicator
Represent criminal justice and civil rights policy reform priorities before the
federal government, state legislatures, city council, coalitions, conference
panels and community events
Respond to media requests and develop communication strategies
Speaker/moderator/keynote at countless conferences, town halls, panels,
workshops, and trainings nationwide
Prepare diverse range of documents, including issue briefs, reports, book
chapters, articles, memos, summaries, blogs
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Open Society Foundations and Open Society Policy Center, Advocacy Director
for Criminal Justice & Senior Policy Analyst; Manager, Justice Roundtable
Coalition, 2002-present
National Bar Association Law Camp summers 2001-present
Howard University School of Law
Director, Equal Justice Program, 1995-2002
Supervisor, Externship Program, 1995-2002
Adjunct Professor, 1995-2009
American University Washington College of Law
Adjunct Professor, 1997-99
American Civil Liberties Union, Legislative Counsel, 1991-1995
Womens Legal Defense Fund, Public Policy Counsel, 1989-1991
Private Practitioner, Law Office of Nkechi Taifa, Esq. 1987-1991
National Prison Project of the ACLU Foundation, Staff Attorney, 1984-1987
Washington Office on Africa, Network Organizer/Office Manager, 1980-1983
NationHouse Watoto School, First Grade Teacher, 1977-1980
EDUCATION
George Washington University Law School
Juris Doctor degree, 1984
Howard University
Bachelor of Arts degree, 1977, magna cum laude
ADMITTED TO PRACTICE
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 United States Supreme Court
United States Court of Appeals
for the District of Columbia Circuit
District of Columbia Court of Appeals
SELECTED HONORS and AWARDS
Black Resistance Matters Award, Malcolm X Commemoration Comm (2017)
Wiley Branton Award, National Bar Association (2016)
Hope House Dads Award, Hope House (2016)
IBW Legacy Award (2016)
Cornelius Neil Alexander Humanitarian Award, DC Commission on Human
Rights (2015)
Marcus Garvey Outstanding Community Service Award, UNIA (2015)
Wiley Branton Award Recipient, Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil
Rights and Urban Affairs (2014)
Umoja Award, National Black United Front (2014)
Certificate of Achievement for Outstanding Advocacy, Congresswoman
Maxine Waters (2011)
NBA Crump Law Camp Service Award, National Bar Association (2011)
Presidents Award, Washington Council of Lawyers (2005)
African Consciousness Award, United Black Community (2004)
Furthering the Legacy Award, Howard Law School Students (2002)
Warren Rosmarian Award for Excellence in Teaching and Service, presented
by Howard University School of Law, (2000)
Professor of the Year, Howard Law School (1999)
Pro Bono Publico Award for outstanding leadership of Howard Law Schools
Equal Justice Program, (1996)
Outstanding Social Engineer Award, Howard Law Student Bar Assn (1996)
Dedicated Service Award, Kwanzaa Childrens Party, Inc. (1996)
SELECTED PRESENTATIONS
American Constitution Society for Law and Justice
Bipartisan Summit
Coalition for the Fair Sentencing of Youth
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation
CATO Institute
Charles Koch Institute
Data & Civil Rights: A New Era of Policing and Justice
Drug Policy Alliance
National African American Reparations Commission
National Press Club
CNN & Company, Fox Morning News, BET, C-SPAN, WPFW-FM
Department of Veterans Affairs
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
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 Council of State Governments
Black Law Students Association
Howard Law Journal Symposium
Institute of the Black World 21st Century
Maryland Legal Services Partnership
National Alliance Against Homelessness
National Bar Association
National Black Caucus of State Legislators
National Black Police Association
National Conference of Black Lawyers
NAACP/NAACP-LDF
US Department of Agriculture
Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs
Yale Law School, Harvard Law School, Howard University & Law School,
University of the District of Columbia, David A. Clarke UDC School of Law,
Georgetown Univ. Law School, George Washington Law School, American
University, George Mason University, Univ. of Arkansas Law School,
University of Connecticut, University of Chicago Law School, University of
Maryland Law School, Sojourner-Douglas College, Columbia University Law
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Numerous guest blog posts in American Constitution Society, Open Society
Voices and Huffington Post
Racism in the U.S. Criminal Justice System - Institutionalized Genocide?
Issue Brief, American Constitution Society (Nov. 3, 2016)
Righting Historical Wrongs Through Clemency, Washington Informer
Newspaper (Feb. 28, 2014)
Integrative Solutions to Interrelated Issues: A Multidisciplinary Look Behind
the Cycle of Incarceration, Harvard Law and Public Policy Review, Co-
Author, (summer 2009)
The Crack/Powder Disparity: Can the Intl Race Convention Provide a Basis
for Relief? American Constitution Society for Law & Policy (2006)
Tulia, Tip of the Drug War Iceberg, Book Project Chair (2005)
Roadblocked Reentry: The Prison After Imprisonment, National Bar
Association Magazine (2003)
Re-Enfranchisement! A Guide for Individual Restoration of Voting Rights
Advancement Project (2002)
Codification or Castration the Applicability of the International Race
Convention to the US Criminal Justice System, Howard Law Journal (1997)
Cracked Justice: A Critical Examination of Cocaine Sentencing, Univ. of West
Los Angeles Law Review (1996)
Civil Forfeiture vs. Civil Liberties, New York Law School Law Review (1994)
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PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
Legal Advisory Team, Legacy of GU272 Alliance, 2016 present
National African American Reparations Commission, 2016 - present
Board of Directors, Clemency Resource Center, 2015-2016
Commissioner & Chair, DC Commission on Human Rights, 2007-2014
Honorary Board, Washington Council of Lawyers 2013-present
Advisory Panel Member, Leadership Institute Fellowship Program, Center for
American Progress (2012-present)
Board of Advisors Institute of the Black World 21st Century (2009-2011)
Advisory Board Member, American Bar Association Racial Justice
Improvement Project (2010-present)
Founder and President, Legacy Empowerment Center, (2010-present)
Founder and CEO, SCHOLARgifts, LLC (2013-present)
Producer and Host, Legacy Justice Radio Show (2010-2011); & Spotlight on
Justice (2014)
Co-Founder, Solace for Sistas, (2008- present)
Member, Board of Directors, Bureau of Rehabilitation, Inc. (1999-2004)
Founding Member and Chair of Legislative Commission, National Coalition of
Blacks for Reparations in America (1999-2004)
Member, Board of Directors, American Civil Liberties Union of the National
Capital Area (1998-2004)
Chair, D.C. Chapter, National Conference of Black Lawyers (1990-1995)
Member, D.C. Bar Public Service Activities Corporation (early 1990s)
Member, Board of Directors, DC Prisoners Legal Services, Inc. (1995-2001)
Member, Advisory Board, Kwanzaa Childrens Committee, (1980 present)
Founder and Director, Saturday School for youth, (1972-1984)
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