Kimberlé Crenshaw, the Promise Institute Professor of Human Rights at UCLA School of Law, has received a lifetime service award from the Association of American Law Schools. The triennial award is the association&#rsquo;s highest honor and was given to Crenshaw in recognition of her establishment of the concept of intersectionality and advancement of critical race theory.
Crenshaw, who is also a distinguished professor of law, teaches civil rights and other courses in critical race studies and constitutional law. She was a founder and has been a leader in the intellectual movement called critical race theory.
Her think tank, the African American Policy Forum, works to connect academics, activists and policymakers to promote efforts to dismantle structural inequality. The forum utilizes new ideas to transform public discourse and policy and seeks to promote solutions that address the intersections of race, gender, class, and the array of barriers that disempower those who are marginalized in society.
Speaking with the association, Crenshaw noted the relevancy of the award in relation to the current political climate: “I would have been delighted to have received the AALS Triennial Award under any circumstances, but it is especially heartening to be honored by my colleagues at a time in which critical race theory and intersectionality have become targets of censorship and legal prohibition in many parts of our country.”
