2023 CEO Civil Rights Fellowship Begins Accepting Applications

Center for Equal OpportunityAbout CEOUSA

It is with great joy that the Center for Equal Opportunity (CEO) announces and begins accepting applications today for its 2023 Civil Rights Fellowship. The program, which will take place between August 7-11, 2023 is intended for law students with an interest in a career in a public, private, or nonprofit setting where their instruction and training can be shared with the public, the courts, and/or through policy development. LEARN MORE Related posts: TESTIMONY OF ROGER CLEGG, PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL, CENTER FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY BEFORE THE U.S. COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS REGARDING THE PROPOSED EMPLOYMENT NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT CEO Launches Inaugural …

CEO Files Key SCOTUS Brief in Fight for Colorblind Equality

Center for Equal OpportunityRacial Preferences

This week, the Center for Equal Opportunity (CEO), joined by our colleagues at the Manhattan Institute, filed an amicusbrief with the Supreme Court of the United States in Khatibi v. Lawson. This brief represents a critical moment in the ongoing defense of America’s foundational principle: true equality under the law, without regard to race, ethnicity, or color.  The core question at the heart of this case is one that CEO has spent decades addressing: Can the government use racial engineering to divide Americans? Our brief provides the Court with the historical context and robust empirical data necessary to reject racial preferences and uphold …

A Major Win at UW-Madison—And Our Ongoing Fight

Center for Equal OpportunityEducation

Dear Supporters, We wanted to share an update that highlights exactly why our mission is so critical—and how our steadfast pressure is forcing major institutions to change their ways. The College Fix published a crucial report this week exposing how the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School quietly backed away from the racially exclusionary language used for its prestigious William H. Hastie Fellowship. For years, the university explicitly used descriptions stating that the program “especially encourages applications from candidates of color.” When called out, UW-Madison quickly scrambled to disavow that language, claiming the program is open to everyone and blaming third-party sites—even though records show …

CEO Selects 2026 Fifth Annual Civil Rights Fellows: A Record-Breaking Class

Center for Equal OpportunityAbout CEOUSA

Dear Supporters, We are thrilled to announce the selection of our 2026 class of Center for Equal Opportunity (CEO) Civil Rights Fellows. This year marks a historic milestone for our organization. We received an unprecedented level of interest from highly qualified law students and young leaders across the nation, and as a result, we are proud to welcome a record-breaking class of fellows—our largest and most formidable cohort to date. This expansion reflects the growing urgency and importance of our mission. As cultural and institutional challenges to colorblind equal opportunity continue to evolve, the need for principled, well-trained attorneys and …

Honoring Memorial Day & Welcoming Our Newest Team Member

Center for Equal OpportunityKeeping Up with CEO

Dear CEO Supporters, As we head into Memorial Day weekend, all of us at the Center for Equal Opportunity join you in pausing to honor and remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our nation, our freedom, and the constitutional principles we hold dear. It is in that very spirit of preserving America’s founding principles that we look to the future of our movement. As CEO continues its critical work defending colorblind equal opportunity and merit-based public policy, strengthening our legal pipeline remains a top priority. Today, we are thrilled to introduce the newest …

Federal Investigation at UCLA Follows Decades of CEO Advocacy

Center for Equal OpportunityEducation

Dear Supporters, We have major news to share in the fight for colorblind equality. A Department of Justice investigation has determined that the UCLA School of Medicine has been illegally using race as a factor in its admissions process. This finding serves as a powerful reminder: This investigation—and the legal accountability we are seeing today—would never have been possible without the Center for Equal Opportunity’s relentless efforts over more than 30 years. Establishing the Intellectual and Legal Framework for Colorblind Equal Opportunity The current accountability at UCLA is the direct result of a strategic foundation that CEO has spent three …

CEO Alumni Impact: Joel Mowbray’s Fearless Fight Against Antisemitism

Rudy GerstenKeeping Up with CEO

The Center for Equal Opportunity (CEO) is proud to highlight the continued impact of our alumni, as former intern Joel Mowbray makes significant waves in the national conversation on civil rights and religious freedom. Mowbray, a Georgetown graduate and an alumnus of CEO’s internship program, was recently featured in both Commentary Magazine and The Jerusalem Post for his tireless advocacy against antisemitism. His work as an investigative journalist, syndicated columnist, and attorney has been featured in major outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, New York Post, National Review, and Fox News. Mowbray led a high-profile investigation into Alhurra, the U.S. …

PRESS RELEASE: CEO Applauds SCOTUS Decision in Louisiana v. Callais

Shawna BrayPress Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Shawna Bray(410) 598-5388 Wednesday, April 29, 2026 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Center for Equal Opportunity (CEO) today praised the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais. CEO Chairman Linda Chavez applauded the ruling, noting that it is consistent with the colorblind, merit-based positions for which CEO has long advocated. In a majority opinion authored by Justice Alito, the Court held that Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) “was designed to enforce the Constitution—not collide with it. Unfortunately, lower courts have sometimes applied this Court’s §2 precedents in a way that forces States to engage …

My Conversation w/ Coleman Hughes: The Future of Immigration

Linda ChavezImmigration

Dear CEO Supporters, I recently joined Coleman Hughes on his widely popular podcast, “Conversations with Coleman,” for a wide-ranging discussion on an issue that has become increasingly fraught in our national discourse: birthright citizenship and the future of the immigration debate. During the episode, Coleman and I explored how current rhetoric often obscures the historical and legal reality of what it means to be an American. For me, this conversation was a vital opportunity to reflect on my own experiences—including the personal and political challenges I’ve faced—and to re-center the principles that have always guided the Center for Equal Opportunity. Our work at CEO …

CEO Alum Named Deputy Assistant Secretary at USDA

Rudy GerstenKeeping Up with CEO

The Center for Equal Opportunity (CEO) is proud to announce that Ladisa Onyiliogwu, a distinguished alumna of our 2022 Civil Rights Fellowship, has been appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Ms. Onyiliogwu, who holds a Master of Arts in Government from Johns Hopkins University, now holds the second-highest leadership position within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (OASCR). In this role, she will collaborate with Assistant Secretary Devon Westhill, a former CEO President and General Counsel, to shape and implement civil rights policies that impact millions of Americans. The …

2026 CEO Civil Rights Fellowship Accepting Applications

Center for Equal OpportunityAbout CEOUSA

It is with great joy that the Center for Equal Opportunity (CEO) announces and begins accepting applications today for its 2026 Civil Rights Fellowship. The program, which will take place in August of 2026 is intended for law students with an interest in a career in a public, private, or nonprofit setting where their instruction and training can be shared with the public, the courts, and/or through policy development. LEARN MORE Related posts: TESTIMONY OF ROGER CLEGG, PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL, CENTER FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY BEFORE THE U.S. COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS REGARDING THE PROPOSED EMPLOYMENT NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT Where there’s smoke, …