Northeastern Law Launches Hope Lewis Visiting Lecture

01.06.25—To honor the late Professor Hope Lewis, a globally renowned legal scholar, human rights advocate and beloved Northeastern Law professor from 1992 until her untimely death in 2016, Northeastern Law’s Center for Law, Equity and Race (CLEAR) is launching the Hope Lewis Visiting Lecture. An extraordinary mentor and advocate, Lewis was internationally acclaimed for scholarship in the areas of human rights, the rights of non-citizens and persons with disabilities. Among her many contributions to the Northeastern Law community, Lewis was the driving force in founding the Program on Human Rights and the Global Economy. This annual series celebrates her legacy by featuring a keynote address from a distinguished advocate, jurist or scholar who has made significant contributions to advancing human rights.

The inaugural visiting lecturer is Gay McDougall, a human rights leader, attorney and distinguished scholar in residence at Fordham Law’s Leitner Center for International Law and Justice. The recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship, known as a “genius grant,” McDougall has been a leader in human rights within the United Nations for more than three decades, holding several important positions, including as the first UN independent expert on minority issues. McDougall currently serves as vice chair of the UN Committee on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination, which oversees compliance with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. She played a pivotal role in ending apartheid in South Africa, serving on the electoral commission for the country’s first democratic elections, and was awarded the Order of O.R. Tambo Medal for her extraordinary contributions.

McDougall will deliver her keynote address, Human Rights and the UN System, on March 26, during a three-day visit to Northeastern Law (March 25–27). She will also engage with students, faculty and staff, sharing insights from her work on issues of race, equity and justice in the global context.

“We are very honored and excited to have Gay McDougall as the inaugural Hope Lewis lecturer,” said Dr. Deborah A. Jackson, managing director of CLEAR. “McDougall’s work and stature in the field is a fitting tribute to the tremendous contribution Hope made in the human rights arena.”

The lecture series will open with a celebration in Northeastern University’s Curry Ballroom on March 25, featuring a musical tribute by award-winning R&B singer-songwriter Danielle Ponder ’11, a former student of the late Hope Lewis.

The Hope Lewis Lecture Series is made possible through a generous gift from the estate of Hope Lewis and Blossom Stephenson to the Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project at Northeastern Law.

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