Blogs

By Barry Skidelsky

On March 12th, the New York State Bar Association's Entertainment Arts and Sports Law section (EASL) sponsored "Symphony of Courage" -- a 3-part hybrid program (simultaneously live streamed by Zoom and held in-person at the NYC offices of Baker Hostettler) consisting of: (i) a Screening of a 30 minute documentary with the same title, (ii) a CLE program (with 1 hour of credit in Diversity, Inclusion and Bias), and (iii) a Networking Reception.

The film chronicles the exodus from Afghanistan of nearly 300 music students and faculty after the Taliban's most recent rise to power there and the theocracy's re-imposition of severe restrictions on women and girls (as well as a general ban on the study and performance of non-religious music).

The program was organized and moderated by former EASL Chair Barry Skidelsky. Additional speakers included representatives from the three co-sponsoring NYSBA sections, among others. 

Pictured below are the in-person speakers: Susan Harper (Women in Law), Jane Bello Burke (Health Law), Connie Tomaino (Music Therapist), Lesley Rosenthal (Juilliard School), Barry Skidelsky (EASL), and Gonzalo Zeballos (International Law, Baker). Speakers appearing by Zoom included ABA representatives Steve Richman and Mike Byowitz.

Planned to occur during Women's History Month and near Women's International Day, the CLE program discussed the following topics: Extreme and systematic sovereign bias against women's basic human rights, efforts at the United Nations to expand the international law definition of Crimes Against Humanity to include Gender Apartheid (as distinct from the existing Racial Apartheid component), efforts to amend the New York State Constitution to include certain Equal Rights Act protections (now a ballot item for NYS voters during this coming November's election period), and the societal or public benefits of both music and music therapy (plus their positive impacts on individual mental and physical health).

The program was recorded and will be made available for replay on www.nysba.org.