Eva Paterson to Keynote 33rd Anniversary Gala
Celebrating Victories and Preparing for the Challenges Ahead
Eva Paterson
Berkeley, 04.03.25 – The Impact Fund is delighted to announce that Eva Paterson will be the special guest and keynote speaker at its 33rd Anniversary Gala on May 14.
“It’s very meaningful to have Eva Paterson as our keynote speaker,” said Lindsay Nako, Impact Fund Executive Director. “Eva is a champion for civil rights, a leader of our movement – and an incredible speaker. I’m looking forward to a much-needed dose of inspiration!”
A civil rights champion and litigator for more than four decades, Eva Jefferson Paterson co-founded the Equal Justice Society and served as its President from 2000 through August 31, 2022. She was also a member of the Impact Fund’s original Board of Advisors.
Eva is a frequent speaker and commentator on topics such as white supremacy, implicit bias, and affirmative action. Her presentations include appearances before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judicial Conference.
Paterson co-founded and chaired the California Civil Rights Coalition for 18 years. She served as Vice President of the ACLU National Board for eight years and chaired the boards of Equal Rights Advocates and the San Francisco Bar Association Foundation. She has received more than 50 awards, including an honorary Dr of Laws degree from her alma mater Northwestern University in 2022 and the ABA Thurgood Marshall Award in 2024.
“We find ourselves at a very dangerous moment in the history of our country and of the world,” said Eva Paterson. “Democracy itself is under constant assault. Lawyers and judges have played heroic roles in the defense of our democratic values. The Impact Fund through its support of cutting-edge litigation plays a vital role in this on-going struggle.”
Paula Maccabee
We will also be honoring our grantee, WaterLegacy, for its success litigating In re Contested Case and Issuance of NPDES/SDS Permit for NorthMet Project: an appeal of a permit issued for Minnesota’s first proposed sulfide mine, which would have polluted the water of nearby rural and Indigenous communities with sulfate and toxic metals. WaterLegacy won this case at the Minnesota Supreme Court, which found that the permit was issued using irregular and arbitrary procedures and that the proposed mine did not comply with the Clean Water Act. As a result, the permit was reversed.
“Environmental protection, justice, and science are all under attack and the power of government is being corrupted to serve individual looters and polluters,” said Paula Maccabee, Executive Director and Counsel for WaterLegacy, adding: “It has never been more critical to celebrate our victories and join forces to keep fighting.”
Join us on Wednesday, May 14 on the top floor of the Westin St. Francis, Union Square, San Francisco, famed for its floor to ceiling panoramic vistas of San Francisco and the Bay Area.
The Gala will feature live entertainment by The Coolerators:
Vocalists: Paula Collins, Eva Paterson, Cheryl Stevens, Corina Corina
Drums: Elizabeth Cabraser
Bass: Bill Hing
Guitars: Brad Seligman, Bob Hirsch
Keyboards: Bill Tamayo
For tickets and sponsorship:
Impact Fund 33rd Anniversary Gala 2025 - Tickets & Sponsorship — Impact Fund
ENDS
For more information and photography, contact:
Teddy Basham-Witherington 415.845.1206 / communications@impactfund.org
About The Impact Fund
The Impact Fund was founded in December 1992 to help advance economic, environmental, racial, and social justice through the courts. Originally envisioned as a purely grantmaking organization, the Impact Fund has made over 800 grants totaling over $10 million. Click here for Grant Criteria and information about Grant Deadlines.
Since its inception, the Impact Fund has grown to include both advocacy and education in its range of services. Today, the Impact Fund litigates a civil rights impact cases directly, authors amicus briefs, and provides consulting to civil rights practitioners free of charge.
The Impact Fund also presents an annual conference for plaintiff-side class action practitioners, a training institute for budding public interest class action practitioners, and numerous seminars and webinars. Its latest initiative, the Notice Project, creates solutions to improve class action notices. Click here for the 2024 Annual Report.