MCCA Lecture To Commemorate 1963 March on Washington

Minority Corporate Counsel Association Lecture to Commemorate 1963 March on Washington

WASHINGTON D.C. – The Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA) will sponsor a lecture on Sept. 10, 2013 commemorating the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s historic “I Have a Dream Speech.” Presented by Ricardo A. Anzaldua, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of MetLife, Inc., the 45-minute lecture will take place at the Washington, D.C., offices of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. It will begin at 5:30 p.m. and be followed by a reception until 7:30 p.m.

The event is free and open to members of the legal community and the media, but attendance is limited and advance registration is required.

Mr. Anzaldua’s talk will be titled “The Manifestation of The Dream – The 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington”. With Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous 1963 “I Have A Dream Speech” as the background, Ricardo will discuss his work with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and share his thoughts about the impact of the civil rights movement on diversity efforts today.

The lecture is being cosponsored by the D.C. Diverse Partners Network, and it will be moderated by MCCA President and CEO Joseph K. West.

“MCCA is honored that Ricardo Anzaldua will speak about this historic occasion,” said West. “As a young man, Ricardo was a member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and worked for civil rights. His story perfectly illustrates the thread connecting the movement’s goals and aspirations, as illustrated by the March on Washington, to the current state of affairs where MetLife’s legal department is led by someone with a background touched by that very movement.”

Following the event, Mr. Anzaldua’s presentation will be viewable on the Video Corner of the MCCA homepage, mcca.com.

About MCCA
MCCA was founded in 1997 to advance the hiring, retention and promotion of diverse attorneys in legal departments and the law firms that serve them. MCCA accomplishes its mission through publishing, research and training, pipeline initiatives and networking. MCCA’s work has been recognized with awards from the National Minority Business Council, Inc., the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National LGBT Bar, and the Association of Corporate Counsel. MCCA is headquartered in Washington, D.C. For more information, go to mcca.com.

About Ricardo A. Anzaldua
Ricardo A. Anzaldua is executive vice president and general counsel of MetLife, Inc. He leads the company’s global legal operations, and oversees MetLife’s government relations and public policy department, corporate secretary’s office and corporate ethics and compliance group. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Mr. Anzaldua is a member of the board of directors of the Greater Hartford Legal Aid Foundation. He also serves as pro bono general counsel of the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction, an international nonprofit focused on economic and community development and empowerment in the developing world.

About D.C. Diverse Partners Network
Founded in 2010, the D.C. Diverse Partners Network seeks to bring together partners of color and help them prepare for the challenges inherent in their roles as law firm partners. The network holds educational and networking events, and partners with organizations working to increase diversity with the legal arena. The network operates in the Washington, D.C., region.

About the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) was an organization that played a central role in the American Civil Rights Movement during the 1960s. It began in early 1960 in North Carolina when college students staged sit-ins as nonviolent protests against racial segregation. Over the next few years, it grew into a large organization of students and volunteers who became community organizers and developed “One Man, One Vote” voter registration campaigns all across the South. SNCC’s Chairman in 1963, John Lewis (now the U.S. Representative from Georgia’s Fifth Congressional District) spoke at the 1963 March on Washington.