NAACP honors UH Law School Dean Nelson’s leadership, social justice work

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University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa William S. Richardson School of Law Dean Camille A. Nelson has been named the 2025 recipient of the Dr. Alice A. Huffman "Hats Off" Award of Excellence by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) California-Hawaii State Conference.

Nelson was honored at the 38th Annual State Convention's Women in the NAACP (WIN) "Hats Off" Luncheon on October 24. The award celebrates individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership and dedication to advancing social justice and equality, continuing the legacy of Huffman, civil-rights icon and former NAACP state conference president.

"I am deeply honored to receive the Dr. Alice A. Huffman 'Hats Off' Award of Excellence," said Nelson. "Having my work recognized with an award bearing Dr. Huffman's name, a phenomenal woman whose unwavering commitment to equity touched law, education, and community, is a tremendous honor, one that fills me with humility and profound gratitude."

More on Nelson

A nationally respected legal scholar and administrator, Nelson has served as dean at three law schools, each time as the first woman of color to hold the role. Her scholarship focuses on health law, criminal law and procedure, comparative law, and leadership through the lens of cultural studies and critical race theory. Nelson's influence extends beyond academia through her commitment to equity, education and community empowerment.

In 2025, Nelson also received the Deborah L. Rhode Award from the American Association of Law Schools (AALS) and was named Outstanding Woman Lawyer by Hawaiʻi Women Lawyers. These recognitions underscore her wide-reaching impact on access to justice, leadership and gender equality in law.

"Dean Nelson's career reflects the courage, vision, and dedication that this award was created to honor," said Rick L. Callender, Esq., president of the NAACP California-Hawaii State Conference. "Her scholarship, leadership, and unwavering commitment to justice have had an extraordinary impact on legal education and the broader pursuit of equality."

The NAACP California-Hawaii State Conference presented the Dr. Alice A. Huffman Award of Excellence during the WIN Luncheon as part of its annual state convention in Honolulu. The event brought together leaders from across the Pacific and continental U.S. to celebrate those advancing civil rights and social justice in the spirit of Dr. Huffman's legacy.

NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization, dedicated to ensuring political, educational, social, and economic equality for all. The California-Hawaii State Conference represents this mission across the region, advancing justice and equity through advocacy, education and community partnerships.

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About William S. Richardson School of Law

The William S. Richardson School of Law is a collaborative, multicultural community preparing students for excellence in the practice of law and related careers that advance justice and the rule of law. We develop highly qualified, ethical professionals through excellence in teaching, scholarship, and public service. We embrace Hawai'i's diversity and values and recognize a special responsibility to our state and the Pacific region.

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