Join Us for CFR’s 2023 Gala Honoring Justice Visionaries

Please join us on Wednesday, June 7th, 2023 for the Center for Family Representation’s 21st annual Gala as we honor three visionary justice leaders: Judge Michael Corriero, Prof. Jane Spinak, and Prof. Martin Guggenheim.

Judge Corriero is a champion for young people impacted by the youth justice system and a passionate advocate for reform. Throughout his career, as a judge in New York State’s criminal court and as a non-profit executive, the Judge has led a movement to change how our legal system treats youth. First, he created the Youth Part in criminal court where young people accused of serious crimes could be treated fairly – as children with developing brains. He then founded the New York Center for Juvenile Justice whose mission was to educate the court system on the importance of providing individualized attention and resources to children in criminal court. His work at the Center was crucial to the success of the “Raise the Age” movement – which institutionalized the youth part model through statewide legislation. Judge Corriero is recognized worldwide as a true visionary for youth justice – his lifelong work for change aligns with CFR’s mission to keep system-impacted youth at home and in school instead of detention. It is an honor to recognize the legacy he built at our gala.

Prof. Guggenheim and Prof. Spinak, founding Board members of CFR, are also champions for families and children who are too often harmed by the family and criminal court systems. Over two decades ago they shared a vision with a few others on how the system could work to support rather than separate families in crisis. This vision was realized in the creation of CFR, whose mission is to keep families together by offering legal and social work advocacy. Prof. Guggenheim is a national leader in family court reform; he created the Family Defense Clinic at NYU Law and has written numerous articles and addressed countless audiences on the urgent need for changing the family regulation system. Prof. Spinak is also a nationally renowned family regulation and youth justice legal advocate. Throughout her career, she mentored law students by sharing her knowledge and resources to guide future family court leaders. As a critically acclaimed scholar, she is a prolific writer on family court system reform and opened Columbia’s first law clinic focused on representing families and children. Prof. Guggenheim’s and Prof. Spinak’s lifelong fight to create a more just system for children and youth in crisis exemplifies CFR’s core values – that every family deserves respect and support instead of condemnation and judgment. It is an honor to recognize their legacy this evening.

On this special evening, we will share how our work is dedicated to deterring or minimizing traumatic harm to families from the family regulation and the youth carceral systems. CFR’s holistic model of service is changing the trajectory of families in crisis by providing the vital support they need – legal representation, social work, parent mentorship, public benefits, and more. We are so thankful for the support of everyone who shares CFR’s belief that every family deserves to be together.

Our gala is the organization’s largest fundraising event of the year and is typically attended by more than 350 guests from across the sector, all of whom are dedicated to improving outcomes for the city’s most vulnerable families. The benefit dinner will be held at Cipriani, 25 Broadway in New York City, with cocktails at 6:30pm and dinner at 7:30pm. We kindly ask that you reserve a ticket or sponsorship package no later than March 24 if you would like to be listed on our invitation. If you are unable to attend, please consider sponsoring a journal ad or making a contribution in honor of our work.

We hope you will join us to celebrate our honorees for being pillars of justice reform and all of the remarkable and resilient families we serve. If you have any questions, please contact Javon Robinson at [email protected].

 

We are grateful to our 2023 gala sponsors.