ACLU-NJ Executive Director Amol Sinha receives national public interest award from the South Asian Bar Association of North America for his leadership in civil rights advocacy

The award recognizes an individual or organization that has shown a deep commitment to the welfare and wellbeing of the South Asian community, the general public, and society.

For Immediate Release: July 20, 2023

NEWARK – ACLU of New Jersey Executive Director Amol Sinha is being honored Friday with the South Asian Bar Association of North America (SABA) Public Interest Achievement Award for his exemplary work in advancing racial justice, fostering and uplifting community, and holding institutions accountable.

Candidates are evaluated on factors including innovative models of practice and representation, contributions to the public interest legal field, and advocacy for underprivileged, disenfranchised, or under-represented groups.

As the one of the first South Asian executive directors of an ACLU affiliate, Sinha has led the ACLU-NJ to significant growth. Throughout his tenure, the ACLU-NJ has appeared before the New Jersey Supreme Court more frequently than any non-governmental party, deepened community partnerships across the state, and centered the experiences of directly impacted communities. His leadership has resulted in transformational change to New Jersey’s civil rights landscape, particularly in its efforts to lead on decarcerating the state’s prison system and efforts to expand affordability and access to healthcare, including abortion.

“It is such an honor to be recognized by SABA and my peers for the work we are doing at the ACLU-NJ,” said ACLU-NJ Executive Director Amol Sinha. “Being a public interest lawyer has been rich and rewarding and has allowed me to live my values while having an impact for all communities, including South Asians. Our communities experience both privilege and oppression, and the full range of civil rights challenges. This award is particularly meaningful as New Jersey has one of the largest populations of South Asians in the country. I see it as part of my responsibility to make sure our communities are visible and that our power is felt.”

SABA praises Sinha’s dedication to promoting racial equity, and fighting for civil rights and liberties.

“We are thrilled to award this year’s Public Interest Achievement Award to Amol Sinha,” said SABA North America Executive Director Mona Shah. “His years of service and dedication to public interest efforts, the community, and to rectifying injustices are an inspiration and example to us all. It is at the ACLU-NJ that he has been able to execute on a transformative vision of the future and it is the combination of all this hard work that has led to his selection as SABA’s Public Interest Award recipient.”

Sinha’s time as executive director has been marked by unprecedented national challenges to democracy, rights and liberties, a global pandemic, and a racial reckoning. Under Sinha’s leadership, the ACLU-NJ has had a remarkable impact in New Jersey, developed a strategic focus on racial justice and partnered leadership, and built meaningful relationships with stakeholders and impacted communities.

“New Jersey is a better, fairer, and more just state because of Amol Sinha,” said Gurbir S. Grewal, former Attorney General of New Jersey. “His principled leadership, trustworthiness, and commitment to serving the public make him a reliable partner with immeasurable impact. He is an honest broker, a thoughtful collaborator, and a worthy adversary. Even in the most challenging times, Amol remains undeterred in the fight for justice and is a model for what it means to be a public interest lawyer. There is no one more deserving of this recognition.”

Sinha is being honored at the SABA 2023 Annual Conference: The Next Revolution taking place in Boston from Thursday, July 20 to Saturday, July 22. He is also a panelist for “The Intersection of Privacy and Civil Rights: A Discussion for Practitioners and Advocates.” The panel will discuss how privacy is an important issue for communities of color and share developments in tech and civil rights around the world.

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The ACLU of New Jersey has defended liberty and justice guided by the vision of a fair and equitable New Jersey for all since our founding in 1960. Our mission is to preserve, advance, and expand the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the state and federal constitutions in courts, in the legislature, and in our communities. We strive to be anti-racist and are actively committed to advancing racial justice for the people of New Jersey. We are a non-partisan organization that operates across political, legal, and cultural fronts to bring about change and build a more equitable society. www.aclu-nj.org