Dec. 21, 2013

ACLU's Bill of Rights dinner draws Beverly Hills crowd

The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California held its annual Bill of Rights dinner at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, honoring an array of individuals and groups for their work in promoting equality and justice. The star-studded gala, which included speeches and videos from the likes of recording artists Macklemore and Ryan Lewis as well as television show "Mad Men" creator Matthew Weiner, served as a fundraiser for the organization and a forum to recognize the actions of some of the communities most engaged activists. The focus of the dinner was on the ACLU of Southern California's legal director, Mark D. Rosenbaum, who has been with the organization since 1974. Rosenbaum has worked on several cases that have made it to the U.S. Supreme Court. He's argued there three times, most recently this fall in an affirmative action case out of Michigan. He's also been involved with efforts to improve conditions at underprivileged schools, overturn Proposition 187 — the "anti-immigrant" law found unconstitutional in 1995 — and recently helped win a court battle with the U.S. Department for Veterans Affairs to force the organization to repurpose a swath of land in Los Angeles for veteran housing. ACLU of Southern California Executive Director Emeritus Ramona Ripston and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa presented tributes to the organization and its honorees. Rosenbaum himself spoke about the many influences he's had over the years and about how the disillusionment he felt coming out of law school transformed into inspiration when he was hired to work for the ACLU. — Henry Meier