All too often, people affected by diabetes find themselves facing discrimination and needing help to protect their rights in the courts. Ensuring fair treatment for people affected by diabetes is a core strategic goal for the American Diabetes Association® (ADA) to help people with diabetes thrive by igniting a movement to protect the rights of people with diabetes. One vital way to achieve this aim is through advocacy and impact litigation. To advance this effort, the Southern University Law Center (SULC) and the ADA have launched a groundbreaking partnership called “Project DEAL,” for Diabetes Equity and Advocacy Litigation. Project DEAL will allow both organizations to leverage their strengths to seek justice, equity and improve the lives of people with diabetes.
“The American Diabetes Association has a long tradition of legal advocacy for people with diabetes, working through litigation to ensure that the rights of our community are preserved and protected. We are thrilled that our work will be elevated by partnering with SULC – one of the nation’s most prominent HBCU law schools – to allow us to broaden our impact and deepen our commitment to equity and the rights of underserved Americans,” said Tracey D. Brown, Chief Executive Officer of the ADA.
“Diabetes is a life-altering, and often life-threatening condition that especially plagues our minority and low-income communities,” said John Pierre, chancellor of the Southern University Law Center. “This relationship with ADA will afford us the opportunity to provide legal assistance to those facing historic, systemic inequities in American health care, at work, in educational institutions and in the exercise of their civil rights.
ADA is seeding Project DEAL with initial launch funding for the strategic alliance, along with advisory consulting and support, while the SULC will house Project DEAL’s day-to-day litigation efforts and provide legal staffing and expertise.
For more information on this partnership, contact Jasmine Hunter, director of external affairs at SULC, at jhunter@sulc.edu.
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,About the American Diabetes Association
Every day more than 4,000 people are newly diagnosed with diabetes in America. More than 122 million Americans have diabetes or prediabetes and are striving to manage their lives while living with the disease. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization fighting to bend the curve on the diabetes epidemic and help people living with diabetes thrive. For 80 years the ADA has been driving discovery and research to treat, manage and prevent diabetes, while working relentlessly for a cure. We help people with diabetes thrive by fighting for their rights and developing programs, advocacy and education designed to improve their quality of life. Diabetes has brought us together. What we do next will make us Connected for Life. To learn more or to get involved, visit us at diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383). Join the fight with us on Facebook (American Diabetes Association), Twitter (@AmDiabetesAssn) and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn).
Southern University Law Center
The mission of the Southern University Law Center (SULC) is to provide access and opportunity to a diverse group of students from underrepresented racial, ethic, and socio-economic groups to obtain a high-quality legal education with special emphasis on the Louisiana Civil Law. SULC is a progressive, innovative institution that prepares students for success in all law-related segments of society. Excellence in education is the resounding goal of SULC. The faculty at SULC are committed to challenging and inspiring students to become “Lawyer Leaders.” The vision that compels SULC to seek excellence in every aspect of its program also fosters an environment that stimulates the intellectual processes and promotes professional development.
