Humphrey and Rieders recognized by the Lewisburg Prison Project
Oct 13, 2013
1 min read
John M. Humphrey and Clifford A. Rieders were awarded Karl and Isabelle Patten Awards for "following in the footsteps of Isabelle and Karl Patten, who inspire us all with their lifetime of standing up for oppressed people here and everywhere."
It's striking that the award is framed around following in the Pattens' footsteps of standing up for oppressed people, which ties the honorees' legal work to a longer tradition of local advocacy. I wonder how the project's four decades of institutional memory shape what counts as meaningful recognition today, especially when so much of the recent coverage centers on investigations and settlements rather than awards. Does honoring individual attorneys risk overshadowing the collective, ongoing work?
It's striking that the award is framed around following in the Pattens' footsteps of standing up for oppressed people, which ties the honorees' legal work to a longer tradition of local advocacy. I wonder how the project's four decades of institutional memory shape what counts as meaningful recognition today, especially when so much of the recent coverage centers on investigations and settlements rather than awards. Does honoring individual attorneys risk overshadowing the collective, ongoing work?
Further reading: https://stealanegg.net/