46th Gertrude E. Rush Conference and Awards Gala

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Gertrude Rush Conference & Awards Gala - March 26-29, 2026

Event Descriptions:

The Gertrude Rush Conference & Awards Gala is one of the National Bar Association’s most inspiring traditions. It honors the legacy of Gertrude Elzora Durden Rush, the first African American woman admitted to the Iowa bar and the only woman among the NBA’s founders.

Conference-at-a-Glance Agenda

Thursday | Arrival & Welcome

All Day
Registration & Membership Lounge
NBA Board of Governors Meeting - 12:00 PM PST to 3:00 PM PST
Optional Member Sightseeing — Experience San Diego

Evening
Poolside Welcome Reception
Sisterhood & Brotherhood Hospitality Suites (Late Night)

Friday | Power, Policy & Purpose

Morning
Breakfast
Presidential Showcase
Reframing the Narrative: Law, Race, and Who Gets to Tell the Story
with Dr. Ekow Yankah

Midday – Concurrent Tracks

Civil Rights & Public Interest
The Lynching of Affirmative Action: A 360° Legal Analysis
Health, Equity & Care
Closing the Gap: Legislative Solutions for Black Maternal Health
Litigation Lab
Mastering Our Trials: Mentorship, Wellness & Longevity
General Counsel Invitational (Closed Door)

Heman Sweatt Awards Luncheon
Holding the Line: Law, Media & the Responsibility to Tell the Truth

Afternoon Sessions

AI, Sports & Entertainment Law
Expungement as a Justice Imperative
Women in Mass Torts & Personal Branding
General Counsel Invitational (Closed Door)

Evening
Joint Reception with the San Diego County Bar Association
Optional Outing: San Diego Padres Opening Game

Saturday | Legacy in Motion

Morning
Breakfast & Leadership Development Institute
NAMWOLF Expo (All Day)

Presidential Showcase
Where Are the 300,000? Black Women, Work, Power & Disappearance

Keynote Address
Patricia Russell-McCloud
We Heal Forward: Sisterhood, Mentorship & Preparation

Midday
Live from the Writer’s Room:
From Reasonable Doubt to Cultural Truth

Afternoon
Expungement Clinic
Justice in Action: Youth Legal & Leadership Experience
President-Elect Planning Meeting

Evening
VIP Red Carpet Reception
46th Gertrude E. Rush Awards Gala

Late Night
Afterglow Scholarship Fundraiser Party

46th Gertrude E. Rush Conference and Awards Gala

March 26 - 29, 2026
Region 9
San Diego, California
United States