Annual Luncheon – She Leads Justice

The

Constance Baker Motley

Award Luncheon

October 21st, 2026 | 12:00 PM

Bristol Event Center, 112 Century Dr., Bristol, CT 06010

Each year, She Leads Justice gathers advocates, community leaders, and changemakers from across Connecticut for our signature annual fundraiser: The Constance Baker Motley Award Luncheon.

Named in honor of trailblazer Judge Constance Baker Motley, this luncheon celebrates women who are transforming Connecticut and advancing justice in the spirit of her legacy. To see the powerful stories and community that shaped last year’s celebration, view our 2025 Program Book here.

Ticket sales and sponsorship opportunities opening soon.

Annual Gathering for Justice | Why This Luncheon Matters

The proceeds from The Constance Baker Motley Award Luncheon go directly toward providing free legal education and referral services to women across Connecticut.

Through our statewide program, we ensure that women, particularly women of color and women living with low incomes, have access to the information, tools, and support they need to navigate systems that were not designed with them in mind.

By joining us, you are not only honoring women changing Connecticut, you are helping ensure that our legal and policy systems work for the women who rely on them most.

Each year, She Leads Justice gathers advocates, community leaders, and changemakers from across Connecticut for our signature annual fundraiser: the Constance Baker Motley Award Luncheon.

Named in honor of trailblazer Constance Baker Motley — the first Black woman to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court and the first Black woman appointed to the federal judiciary — this luncheon celebrates women who are transforming Connecticut and advancing justice in the spirit of her legacy.

But this event is more than a celebration.

It is a powerful moment to invest in the work ahead.

The Bristol Event Center

To sponsor this year’s event, host a table, or volunteer on the Event Committee, please contact Joshua Claudio at jclaudio@sheleadsjustice.org.

The 2025 Constance Baker Motley Award

Chief Mutáwi Mutáhash (Many Hearts) Marilynn “Lynn” Malerba became the 18th Chief of the Mohegan Tribe on August 15, 2010, and is the first female Chief in the tribe’s modern history. The position is a lifetime appointment made by the Tribe’s Council of Elders.

Prior to becoming Chief, she served as Chairwoman of the Tribal Council, and served in Tribal Government as Executive Director of Health and Human Services. Preceding her work for the for the Mohegan Tribe, Lynn had a lengthy career as a registered nurse ultimately as the Director of Cardiology and Pulmonary Services at Lawrence & Memorial Hospital.

Lynn was appointed by President Biden and served as the 45th Treasurer of the United States from 2022-2024.

Prior to her current role, she served as the United South and Eastern Tribes Board of Directors Secretary. She formerly served as Chairwoman of the Tribal Self-Governance Advisory Committee of the Federal Indian Health Service (IHS), a member of the Justice Department’s Tribal Nations Leadership Council, a member of the Tribal Advisory Committee for the National Institute of Health, a member of the Treasury Tribal Advisory Committee and a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Center for Indian Country Development Leadership Council.

She published “The Effects of Sequestration on Indian Health Funding” in the Hastings Center Report, Nov-Dec. 2013 and authored two chapters in “American Indian Health and Nursing” Ed. Margaret P. Moss, Springer Publishing Company.