Leadership Spotlight: Welcoming Our New Board President
In March, Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights (CLC) welcomed our new Board President, José Behar! José has been a committed board member since January 2019 and has partnered with CLC on several cases and initiatives. He served in a critical role during the organization’s executive search in 2022 and is passionate about advancing civil rights in our city and state. He currently serves as Assistant General Counsel at Constellation Energy and brings extensive experience to our organization.
We had the opportunity to ask José about his history with CLC and what he is most excited about in this new role. Read the interview below!
How did you first hear about the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights?
I first heard about CLC when I worked at Hughes Socol Piers Resnick & Dym. I connected with CLC to represent Spanish-speaking clients in a few different employment discrimination cases in federal court on a pro bono basis (back when there was an employment law project). In one case, I represented a woman whose supervisor had sexually harassed her, and, in another case, I represented workers at a restaurant whose supervisors had harassed and discriminated against them because they were Hispanic. Back then, when CLC needed a Spanish-speaking attorney for a case, I would be one of the attorneys it contacted.
What made you want to get involved with CLC?
CLC has a reputation for advancing significant civil rights work, and it excels at it. CLC’s work in the racial equity arena and its continuing commitment to providing legal assistance to small businesses and other nonprofits so that they can thrive and prosper are all vitally important to our communities, to Chicago as a city, and to me, personally.
What are some of the most memorable cases or projects you’ve worked on with CLC?
There have been many good memories since becoming a Board member. However, I come back to the work that first connected me with CLC, because that work left a lasting impression. The harassment cases I litigated in partnership with CLC stick with me. Those cases demonstrated CLC’s willingness to help vindicate the rights of members of marginalized communities, and, for me, simply fighting alongside those brave clients during some very difficult moments in the litigation was personally gratifying.
What motivates you to continue fighting for civil rights and racial equity?
I’ve come to realize that the hard-fought progress towards racial equity and civil rights that this country has made over a very long period of time is potentially fragile. If we care about protecting the progress that has already been made and if we care about also advancing racial equity in the spaces that still fall far short, we have to keep fighting in ways large and small.
What are you most excited about in this new role as Board President?
Simply as a Board member, I’m excited to do whatever I can to help CLC continue to cement its role as a premier civil rights organization in the face of the ever-growing challenges to democratic institutional norms and individual rights. For me, right now, CLC’s work in securing and protecting voting rights and ensuring racially equitable election laws meet the moment.
What advice would you give to young lawyers and advocates who want to make a difference in their communities?
Get out of your office, get out of your homes, get out into your communities, and get involved. Get involved in what matters and what is important to you, whether that’s community organizing for some cause or serving on your Local School Council or pro bono work for a community organization or helping an alderman or alderwoman get elected. Like most people, when I was younger, I wanted to make a difference in the world. What I’ve learned is that even if you can’t change the entire world, you can make a difference in your piece of the world.