Key Note Speaker

Learn more about our Key Note Speaker: Dima Khalidi

Dima Khalidi is the founder and director of Palestine Legal, an organization dedicated to protecting the constitutional and civil rights of people in the US speaking out for Palestinian freedom. Dima founded the organization in 2013 on the belief that grassroots movements are what create transformative change, and that movement lawyers have a critical role to play to protect and advance organizing for justice on the ground, especially in the face of backlash from powerful forces. Dima has over two decades of experience as a lawyer, educator, writer, and advocate. Prior to founding Palestine Legal, she worked as co-counsel with the Center for Constitutional Rights on a campaign to stop the desecration of an ancient Muslim cemetery in Jerusalem, and as an intern and volunteer on various cases that sought to hold Israeli officials and corporations accountable for violations of international law. Dima has a JD from DePaul University College of Law, an MA in International and Comparative Legal Studies from the University of London – SOAS, and a BA in History and Near Eastern Studies from the University of Michigan. Dima speaks and advocates extensively on Palestinian rights issues in legal, academic and public arenas, including in media forums and other outlets.