Lisa Rice
President and CEO, National Fair Housing Alliance
As President and CEO, Lisa Rice leads the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA)’s efforts to advance fair housing principles, preserve and broaden fair housing protections, and expand equal housing opportunities for millions of Americans. Ms. Rice is a published author contributing to several books and journals addressing a range of fair housing issues. She played a major role in crafting sections of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and in establishing the Office of Fair Lending within the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. She also helped lead the investigation and resolution of precedent-setting fair housing cases which have resulted in providing remedies for millions of people as well as the elimination of systemic discriminatory practices involving lending, insurance, rental and zoning matters. She is a recipient of the National Housing Conference’s Housing Visionary Award and was named as one of Time’s 2024 Closers. Ms. Rice also serves on various Boards and Advisory Councils.
Transcript
My name is Lisa rice. I'm the president and CEO of the National Fair Housing Alliance. The National Fair Housing Alliance and Legal Defense Fund have had a long term relationship advancing housing and lending justice. A part of that work is co-chairing the Fair Housing and Fair Lending Task Force, which exists under the umbrella of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. LDF has had a profound impact on my life. Its 85 year legacy as one of the nation's most revered civil rights agencies is more than just a history lesson for me, that legacy is a guiding light for today and really a promise for tomorrow. What I see and what I have benefited from is the work of visionaries, civil rights trailblazers like Thurgood Marshall, Constance Baker Motley, Elaine Jones, Sherrilyn Ifill. Their brilliance and courage laid the foundation for what we do. They showed us that the fight for justice, no matter how daunting, is one we can win when we persevere. Their victories and their determination remind me daily that progress is possible. One of the things that brings me joy is the ability to work more closely with Janai Nelson, LDF's current leader. She's brilliant. She's committed. She's a visionary. She's determined. And in the past, I have had the privilege of working with Janai and the LDF team on a number of issues, combating the harms of residential segregation, appraisal bias, combating discrimination against people who use housing choice vouchers. NFHA and LDF even collaborated to support a major Supreme Court case, the Inclusive Communities case, and in that case, the state of Texas mounted a tremendous effort to destroy disparate impact. Now, disparate impact is a vital tool for combating discrimination in the Civil Rights field. We were up against a majority conservative court, and every single media outlet predicted a loss for the civil rights community. But LDF worked with us to put in place a strong, multifaceted strategy, and we won. Justice Kennedy even wrote the majority opinion finding that disparate impact is viable under the Fair Housing Act. When I think about the next 85 years, I imagine a world where racial equity and housing justice are not just aspirations that we strive to achieve. They are a reality. I see communities full of opportunity where no one's future is dictated by their zip code or the color of their skin. I see children learning in classrooms filled with possibility, families thriving in healthy and stable homes and policies that serve everyone. But none of this happens just by choice. It takes each and every one of us stepping up and passing forward the torch of justice. Whether you choose to donate, volunteer, advocate or vote, your actions matter. Together, we can honor our heroes of the past by continuing their work and building a future in which we all can flourish.
