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Nekima Levy Armstrong

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Nekima Levy-Pounds
A woman with dreaded black hair and a purple leather jacket speaks toward TV cameras.
Levy-Pounds in 2015 at a press conference regarding the death of Jamar Clark
President of the Minneapolis NAACP
In office
2015–2016
Preceded byJerry McAfee
Succeeded byJason Sole
Personal details
Born (1976-06-27) June 27, 1976 (age 48)
Jackson, Mississippi
NationalityAmerican
ChildrenFive
Residence(s)Minneapolis, Minnesota
Alma materUniversity of Illinois (J.D.)
University of Southern California (B.A.)
OccupationAttorney
WebsiteOfficial website

Nekima Valdez Levy-Pounds (born June 27, 1976) is an American lawyer, professor, activist, and writer. She served as president of the Minneapolis chapter of the NAACP from 2015–2016. She also serves on and has founded a variety of organizations that focus on issues of racial equality and disparity in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area.

Levy-Pounds was an associate professor of law at the University of St. Thomas (UST) in Minneapolis from 2003 to 2016. After leaving her position at UST and concluding her term as Minneapolis NAACP president, she announced her intention to run for mayor of Minneapolis in the 2017 election as a member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL). Levy-Pounds writes for several local publications including the Star Tribune and MinnPost and has been recognized for her legal work, including being named 2015 Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer.

Early life

Nekima Valdez Levy-Pounds was born on June 27, 1976, in Jackson, Mississippi, the eldest sister of five.[1][2][3] She moved to Los Angeles after spending the first eight years of her life in Mississippi, and later attended school in Massachusetts.[1][4] She received her BA from the University of Southern California and her J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law.[5] Levy-Pounds lived in Los Angeles until 2003 when she moved to Minnesota.[6]

Career

Professorship and early projects (2003–2014)

Levy-Pounds began teaching law as an associate professor at the University of St. Thomas (UST) in Minneapolis in 2003.[4][6][7] In her research, she has focused on the War on Drugs, incarceration, mandatory sentencing, and sentencing guidelines, primarily as they affect women and children of color, but also young black men.[7][8][9] In 2006, Levy-Pounds founded the Community Justice Project (CJP), a partnership between UST's School of Law and the Saint Paul chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The CJP allows law students interested in working with underserved communities to gain experience through academic writing, fora, and interaction with local governments and communities.[10]

Levy-Pounds cofounded Brotherhood Inc., an organization dedicated to helping young African American men stay away from gang activity and prison.[10] Using what Levy-Pounds described as "a proven holistic approach to community building that employs culturally sensitive social services, educational opportunities, and on-site employment", Brotherhood began by selling a blend of coffee, Brotherhood Brew, and currently has plans to open a coffee shop in Saint Paul.[4][11] She chairs the Minnesota State Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights and Everybody In, a nonprofit with the goal of closing race-based employment gaps in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area.[1][12] As a writer, Levy-Pounds has been published in the Twin Cities Daily Planet, MinnPost, and the Star Tribune.[12][13] She formerly preached at Minneapolis's First Covenant Church every other month.[1][14]

Levy-Pounds has garnered several accolades including being named one of Lawyers of Color's "50 Under 50", Minnesota Lawyer's Attorney of the Year in 2015, and receiving the Hennepin County Bar Association's Diversity Award.[10][13]

Initial Black Lives Matter work (2014–2015)

In mid-2014, Levy-Pounds participated in the anti-police brutality protests in Ferguson, Missouri.[15] In December 2014, she took part in a Black Lives Matter protest of police brutality at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. She and ten other protesters were charged by the City of Bloomington with disorderly conduct and trespass which carry a penalty of a fine up to $8,000 and a prison sentence of up to two years.[6][15] Levy-Pounds characterized herself as "a defender of the law and a protector of the law [and] a protector of my people", and called the actions of the City of Bloomington "prosecutorial overreach and misuse of taxpayers' dollars."[15] Restitution charges for $40,000 against the protesters were later withdrawn by the city.[6] In November 2015, a Hennepin County judge dismissed the charges against Levy-Pounds and the ten others charged by Bloomington.[16]

Minneapolis NAACP presidency (2015–2016)

A woman with black hair in a black T-shirt speaks through a megaphone as she marches.
Levy-Pounds marching in 2015, protesting the shooting of Tania Harris

Jerry McAfee served as president of the Minneapolis chapter of the NAACP until 2015, at which point Levy-Pounds decided to run.[6] She won the election unopposed on the ballot but faced criticism from McAfee who contended that she was too focused on issues of police brutality to the neglect of concerns such as crime perpetrated against African Americans by African Americans.[6][17] Levy-Pounds stated that she hoped to increase youth engagement with the NAACP during her term with the organization.[6] She has been critical of racial disparities in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul region, citing them as some of the nation's worst.[12]

In November 2015, following the shooting death of Jamar Clark at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, Levy-Pounds was involved in a human blockade of Interstate 94. Of the approximately 40 protesters, Levy-Pounds was among the first arrested for the action.[18] MinnPost wrote that she served as a leader in the subsequent protests against Clark's killing.[19] They highlighted Levy-Pounds's savvy in using social media as a tool to encourage local and national media to report on the death and demonstrations.[19]

Levy-Pounds left her professorship with UST at the end of July 2016 to devote herself full-time to addressing issues of economic and racial justice.[20] She announced in October of that year that she did not intend to seek a second term as president of the Minneapolis NAACP, but that she "plan[s] to have an even more visible presence in the community".[21] As her successor, Levy-Pounds nominated Jason Sole, an activist and professor of criminal justice. He successfully won the election and credited Levy-Pounds with leading the Minneapolis chapter of the organization in its support of BLM, describing Minneapolis's as "the only branch in the country to stand so closely with Black Lives Matter".[22]

Mayoral bid (2016–present)

On November 15, 2016, a year after the death of Jamar Clark, Levy-Pounds announced her intention to run for mayor of Minneapolis in the city's 2017 election as a member of the DFL. The announcement was held outside Minneapolis's 4th Precinct police station, where protestors had demonstrated against Clark's killing for 18 days the year before. Levy-Pounds will face incumbent mayor Betsy Hodges, also a member of the DFL, and three other major candidates and at least one minor candidate.[23] Larry Jacobs, a University of Minnesota political science professor, stated that he believed Levy-Pounds is a divisive candidate who "will have strong support in some parts of the city [and] intense opposition elsewhere".[14]

Personal life

Levy-Pounds lived in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, until September 2015 when she moved to north Minneapolis.[14] She has a husband and five children, two of whom are adopted.[1][24]

Selected publications

  • Levy-Pounds, Nekima (2006). "Beaten by the System and Down for the Count: Why Poor Women of Color and Children Don't Stand a Chance against U.S. Drug-Sentencing Policy" (PDF). University of St. Thomas Law Journal. 3 (3): 462–495.
  • Levy-Pounds, Nekima (2007). "From the Frying Pan into the Fire: How Poor Women of Color and Children are Affected by Sentencing Guidelines and Mandatory Minimums" (PDF). Santa Clara Law Review. 47 (2): 285–346.
  • Levy-Pounds, Nekima (2010). "Can These Bones Live: A Look at the Impacts of the War on Drugs on Poor African-American Children and Families". Hastings Race & Poverty Law Journal. 7: 353–380.
  • Levy-Pounds, Nekima (2013). "Going up in Smoke: The Impacts of the Drug War on Young Black Men". Albany Government Law Review. 6: 563–589.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Regan, Sheila (June 5, 2014). "Nekima Levy-Pounds walks the walk for civil rights and social justice". Twin Cities Daily Planet. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  2. ^ Karnowski, Steve (November 23, 2015). "Minneapolis protest leader is preacher, lawyer, '60s-style agitator". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  3. ^ Colbert, Jr., Harry (June 24, 2016). "Candid Talk From Nekima Levy-Pounds". Insight News. Archived from the original on June 25, 2016. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c Yuccas, Jamie (May 5, 2015). "Minnesotan To Meet: Mpls. NAACP President Nekima Levy-Pounds". WCCO-TV. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  5. ^ "Nekima Levy-Pounds". School of Law. University of St. Thomas (Minnesota). Archived from the original on January 2, 2016. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Williams, Brandt (May 1, 2015). "Activist Levy-Pounds hopes young people energize NAACP". MPR News. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  7. ^ a b Levy-Pounds, Nekima (2013). "Going up in Smoke: The Impacts of the Drug War on Young Black Men". Albany Government Law Review. 6: 563–589. Retrieved June 12, 2015. – via Hein Online (subscription required)
  8. ^ Levy-Pounds, Nekima (2007). "From the Frying Pan into the Fire: How Poor Women of Color and Children are Affected by Sentencing Guidelines and Mandatory Minimums" (PDF). Santa Clara Law Review. 47 (2): 285–346. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  9. ^ Levy-Pounds, Nekima (2010). "Can These Bones Live: A Look at the Impacts of the War on Drugs on Poor African-American Children and Families". Hastings Race & Poverty Law Journal. 7: 353–380. Retrieved June 12, 2015. – via Hein Online (subscription required)
  10. ^ a b c Dunlop, Sybil (February 20, 2015). "Attorneys of the Year: Nekima Levy-Pounds". Minnesota Lawyer. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  11. ^ Stroud, Jr., James L. (December 14, 2011). "Local law professor finds her calling in civil rights work". Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  12. ^ a b c Norfleet, Nicole (May 4, 2015). "Black Lives Matter advocate elected to lead Minneapolis NAACP". Star Tribune. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  13. ^ a b Kimball, Joe (April 3, 2014). "St. Thomas law professor Levy-Pounds makes Lawyers of Color top list". MinnPost. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  14. ^ a b c Furst, Randy (November 14, 2016). "Civil rights activist Nekima Levy-Pounds to run for Mpls. mayor". Star Tribune. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  15. ^ a b c Hallman, Charles (January 21, 2015). "Mall protester Levy-Pounds vows to fight charges". Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  16. ^ Reinan, John; Olson, Rochelle (November 10, 2015). "Judge dismisses charges against Black Lives Matter organizers of MoA protest". Star Tribune. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  17. ^ Reilly, Mark (May 4, 2015). "Nekima Levy-Pounds voted in as Minneapolis NAACP president". Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  18. ^ Roberts, Ashley (November 17, 2015). "Minneapolis NAACP President Speaks Out On I-94 Arrests". WCCO-TV. Archived from the original on November 18, 2015. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  19. ^ a b Lambert, Brian (February 2, 2016). "How the Black Lives Matter movement is changing local reporting". MinnPost. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  20. ^ Sawyer, Liz (May 28, 2016). "NAACP head Nekima Levy-Pounds to leave St. Thomas law school". Star Tribune. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
  21. ^ Furst, Randy (October 6, 2016). "Nekima Levy-Pounds will not seek second term as Minneapolis NAACP president". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on October 7, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  22. ^ Tigue, Kristoffer (November 14, 2016). "'There are times you must agitate': a Q&A with new NAACP Minneapolis president Jason Sole". MinnPost. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  23. ^ Callaghan, Peter (February 22, 2017). "What the major Minneapolis mayor candidates' kickoff events say about their campaigns". MinnPost. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
  24. ^ Levy-Pounds, Nekima (2015). "Protecting our black sons: A mother's perspective on race, police abuse and effecting change". Minnesota Women's Press. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
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