FEATURED POSTS:
Election
AMBA will be holding an election for its Member-At-Large position that will be opening up this fall. If you are interested in joining the AMBA Board as a Member-at-Large (an officer whose duties and responsibilities are not fixed but instead vary according to the needs of the association and as directed by the other officers of the board), please submit a letter of interest to our President Annamarie Valdivia by 5:00pm on May 7th, 2021 by emailing: [email protected]
AMBA Digital Scholarship Fundraiser
Because we care about your health, AMBA has decided to postpone our annual banquet until Spring 2022. In order to avoid a gap in the distribution of scholarships, we are asking you to continue the generosity that we have come to rely upon. If you wish to make a donation by check please send checks to P.O. Box 409, Tucson, AZ 85701. For further information regarding the virtual fundraiser please view the flyer below.
Re: Meetings & COVID-19
During this unprecedented time when Covid-19 has affected our day to day professional and personal lives, the AMBA Board has been meeting regularly (virtually) to decide how our organization plans to forge ahead with meeting our goals during this "new normal." For the foreseeable future, and for the health and safety of our members, AMBA does not plan to schedule any monthly meetings. We will continue to meet as a board and monitor the Covid-19 situation here in Arizona and provide updates to our members as information develops. We again thank everyone for making our February scholarship banquet a success - the proceeds of which will be awarded as scholarships to law students in November. Please feel free to contact us with any questions. We appreciate your membership and look forward to working with you in the coming months as we navigate through unchartered waters. We hope everyone stays healthy and safe!
AMBA DONATION TO ARIZONA COALITION FOR CHANGE
Since May 25, 2020, there have been numerous solidarity statements regarding George Floyd's death at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer when Mr. Floyd was clearly not resisting and while he stated multiple times “I can't breathe!”. AMBA's Board and members cannot describe how tired and distraught we are from seeing Mr. Floyd's death, as well as the many acts of systemic violence and racism toward Black and other people of color. Police brutality is just one form of the institutional racism that exists in our community and part of the reason we exist as an organization.
The Arizona Minority Bar Association's mission statement, in part, states that it “was developed to further the interest, education and advancement of racial and ethnic minorities in law-related areas, and to advance the awareness and availability of legal services specifically targeting racial and ethnic minorities and legal issues that impact such community.” We do this through a variety of activities throughout the year, and this year we have decided to make a donation to Arizona Coalition for Change https://www.azc4c.org/ This donation will be made in honor of George Floyd and the countless minorities who have been the victims of police brutality and racism. The Arizona Coalition for Change advocates for lasting progressive public policies in the areas of education; fair elections; civil engagement; criminal justice reform; and leadership development. AMBA believes a contribution to this organization is an important contribution to the safety and success of our diverse community.
ONGOING ACTIVTIES:
JUDICIAL PREPARATION PANELS: If you are an AMBA member who is considering applying for a future vacancy on the Pima County Superior Court bench or Federal bench, AMBA strongly suggests you begin working on your application now. AMBA has a judicial appointments committee that can review your applications and/or conduct mock interviews with you to help you prepare for success. Please contact Leticia Marquez at [email protected] or Greta Vietor at [email protected] if interested.