ACLU campaign strategist Rakim Brooks to lead Alliance for Justice

(Reuters) - Liberal advocacy group the Alliance for Justice has named Rakim Brooks, a senior campaign strategist at the American Civil Liberties Union, as its next president, the group said on Wednesday.

Brooks will take over the role from founder Nan Aron, who has been at the helm since the judicial advocacy organization's launch in 1979. He will start Sept. 9, according to an AFJ representative.

The Alliance for Justice, an association of 120 organizations, presses for diverse federal judges, among other priorities, including access to justice. The group is doing work to identify and promote potential candidates for the Biden administration to nominate to the federal bench, according to its website.

"As someone who grew up in public housing in a vibrant community of working people, I have a deep appreciation for the interconnected struggles of America's poorest families and a personal connection to their struggle for racial, economic, environmental and reproductive justice," Brooks said in a statement.

"In our time, the courts are the frontline of democracy reform, and nonprofits will continue to be on the frontlines of every major social issue for their communities," he said.

Prior to joining the ACLU's Systemic Equality Campaign, Brooks was an associate at Susman Godfrey. He also worked at the U.S. Department of the Treasury as a policy advisor during the Obama administration, among other previous roles.

"AFJ's fight for a just, free, and equitable society for all has never been more important, and Rakim is the right leader for this important moment," Aron, the group's longtime leader, said in a statement.

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