As we start this new year, the Center for Earth Jurisprudence at Barry University School of Law is hosting an exciting opportunity to learn about how Green Amendments could work in Florida and current efforts to see them implemented.
On January 8, 2023 from 2:00pm-4:30pm in the Moot Courtroom, CEJ will welcome author Maya van Rossum. Barry University School of Law is located at 6441 East Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL 32807 and has on-site parking.
Maya K. van Rossum is the Founder of Green Amendments for the Generations, a grassroots non-profit organization inspiring a nationwide movement to secure constitutional recognition and protection of environmental rights in every state and ultimately at the federal level. Maya is also the Delaware Riverkeeper, leading the watershed based advocacy organization, the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, for over 30 years in its efforts to protect the health of the Delaware River and its tributaries. A skilled activist, attorney, strategist and community organizer, she was named in 2020 as a River Hero by River Network, in 2019 as one of Philadelphia Business Journal’s Power 100, and One of the “10 Most Influential People of 2015” When It Comes to Energy Issues by SNL Energy. Her writing has been featured in such publications as BloombergLaw, Law360, the Boston Globe, and TIME Magazine. She is author of, The Green Amendment: The People’s Fight for a Clean, Safe, and Healthy Environment. Since launching Green Amendments for The Generations, constitutional amendments have been proposed in 11 states, with New York formally passing a Green Amendment in 2021.
On Sunday, January 8th, we will be hosting Maya, along with a panel of Constitutional Law experts, to discuss the realities of implementing “Green Amendments” in Florida. The panel will include Barry Law professor Jason Buhi, former Barry Law professor Judy Koons, and Barry Law Alum and environmental advocate Mel Martin.
This event offers 2.5 General CLE credits for Florida and 2.5 Cultural Competency credits for Barry Law students.
There will be light refreshments served and an opportunity to meet with Maya. There is also a virtual option for the event. Please register for the virtual options at the link below.
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tfyBKp1rS76MovehMggrZQ
If you would like any additional information, please do not hesitate to reach out to CEJ. We also invite you to check out some of the sources below.
https://www.floridarighttocleanwater.org/maya
https://forthegenerations.org/
We hope to see you there!
Panelists
Judith E. Koons, Professor Emerita of Law – Professor Koons is a retired law professor with a lifelong commitment to social and ecological justice. After practicing law for a number of years, Professor Koons attended Harvard Divinity School where the sacred loomed large and embraced all of the natural world. She was able to bring these commitments into teaching at Barry University School of Law where she became a leading contributor to the field of Earth Jurisprudence, chaired the Environmental and Earth Law programs, and wrote 12 law review articles, including What is Earth Jurisprudence and The Moral Value of Nature. Professor Koons lives on the Indian River Lagoon in Cocoa Beach, where she observes the beauty and degradation of this biodiverse estuary.
Jason Buhi, Associate Professor of Law - Jason Buhi is an Associate Professor at the Barry University Andreas School of Law where he instructs courses in Constitutional Law, Election Law, Law and Religion, and Freedom of Assembly. He holds a J.D. from the Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in Constitutional Law from the University of Hong Kong. Prior to joining Barry University, Professor Buhi taught for four years at the Peking University School of Transnational Law in Shenzhen, China. He was first introduced to China as a Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholar and served several years in the HKU Center for Comparative and Public Law’s Design Democracy Hong Kong project. His scholarship focuses on constitutional history, comparative constitutionalism, voting rights, freedom of assembly, and the protection of regional autonomy. He published a book entitled The Constitutional History of Macau, and his legal articles have appeared in the Hong Kong Law Journal, Texas International Law Journal, and Cambridge University Press, among other venues.
Melissa Martin - a Florida native, is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and served as a commissioned U.S. Marine Corps Officer, retiring as a Staff Judge Advocate in 2014. She earned her law degree from Barry University School of Law. Active in matters of good governance, clean water advocacy and conservation, in 2016 Mel helped defeat a pro-fracking bill in Florida and led a countywide coalition which successfully helped pass a half-cent sales tax to support necessary restoration projects for the Indian River Lagoon. She has also served as an Adjunct Law Professor, teaching Water Pollution Law and Environmental Ethics at Barry Law. She currently lives in Eugene, Oregon and volunteers in support of the Florida Right to Clean Water citizens’ initiative as the campaign coordinator.