Brenda Shum

Brenda Shum is Director of the Educational Opportunities Project at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under law where she oversees complex litigation, public policy advocacy, and programs designed to ensure educational equity for all students and to eliminate discriminatory practices in schools.  sHer practice focuses on the enforcement of civil rights in both K-12 and higher education systems.  She is part of the legal team representing underrepresented minority students and applicants defending race conscious admissions policies at Harvard and the University of North Carolina.  She was one of the lead counsel in successful litigation which challenged Maryland's failure to desegregate its discriminatory system of higher education, and she served as part of the legal team that settled a lawsuit against the Louisiana State Department of Education which challenged the state's failure to address disability discrimination in New Orleans charter schools.  As Director of the Educational Opportunities Project, Brenda works to ensure that federal and state policy protects our most vulnerable students, including students of color, students with disabilities, low-income students, and English Language Learners.  Brenda serves on the steering committee for the National Coalition for School Diversity, the Education Civil Rights Alliance, and the Dignity in Schools Campaign.  She also oversees the Parental Readiness and Empowerment Program, an initiative designed to support parents and families in becoming more effective advocates for their children, and Let Us Learn, an initiative that protects the right of all students to enroll in public school regardless of immigration status.