The National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women awarded Professor Renee Hatcher the Shining Star Award at its annual conference on June 29. Hatcher serves as Assistant Professor and Director of the Community Enterprise & Solidarity Economy Clinic at The John Marshall Law School in Chicago.
Hatcher was nominated for the award by Illinois State Senator Mattie Hunter. The award recognizes women whose causes greatly contribute to their communities.
“I’m honored to receive this award from the National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women,” Hatcher said. “I’m proud of the work we’re doing at the Community Enterprise & Solidarity Economy Clinic on issues of economic and racial justice. At its core, the work of the clinic, and my work by extension, is driven by our innovative clients and base-building community partners. I’m grateful to collaborate with so many courageous and brilliant community organizers, entrepreneurs and elected officials like IL Senator Mattie Hunter and Illinois State Representative Carol Ammons. This award recognizes their work as much as mine.”
NOBEL Women is a non-profit, non-partisan organization primarily composed of current and former black women legislators and many appointed officials. Originally established in 1985 as a national organization to increase and promote the presence of black women in government, NOBEL Women in recent years has expanded its vision to serve as a global voice to address a myriad of issues affecting the lives of all women. Each year, the organization presents awards at its Shining Star Gala.
Earlier this year, Hatcher was also recognized by the publication Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, which selected Hatcher as one of 15 Emerging Scholars of color from around the country across all disciplines for her work around sustainable economic justice through community development law. For the past 17 years, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education has recognized an interdisciplinary group of minority scholars who represent the very best of the U.S. academy. Hatcher, who was selected for her work encouraging economic empowerment, was the only 2019 Emerging Scholar recognized in the field of law.
Hatcher came to John Marshall in 2016 after completing a clinical teaching faculty fellowship at the University of Baltimore School of Law. Hatcher has focused her career on public interest and social justice, creating social change through community development and human rights advocacy work.
Hatcher previously was a post-doctoral fellow at the Institute for Urban Policy Research and Analysis at the University of Texas-Austin, a staff attorney at the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law and the inaugural Helaine Barnett Fellow at the Legal Services Corporation in Washington, D.C.
A native of Gary, Indiana, Hatcher graduated from New York University School of Law in 2011.
