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Ryan Kendall
Civil Rights Attorney - Systemic Impact Unit - CLA SoCal
Professional Background
Ryan Kendall is a highly-regarded civil rights lawyer and advocate, celebrated for his relentless fight for marginalized communities. With an impressive career spanning various critical legal areas, he has dedicated his life to championing the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals and the broader purpose of social justice. A pioneer in the arena of conversion therapy bans, Ryan has played a significant role in shaping the national discussion on this critical issue, advocating for the health and dignity of adolescents across the nation. His unwavering commitment to civil rights is underscored by his history of involvement in landmark legal challenges that have significantly advanced equal rights.
Ryan's impact in legal advocacy is perhaps most evident in his founding role in the movement that led to the passage of legislation banning conversion therapy for minors, first accomplished in California and New Jersey. These laws are noteworthy as they mark a significant step towards the protection of vulnerable youth and serve as a historical reference for legislative success on this issue globally. His efforts have made headlines and have initiated important conversations around the topic of conversion therapy, helping to fortify legal protections for the LGBTQ+ community.
In addition to promoting legislative change, Kendall has ardently defended bans on conversion therapy in various federal appellate courts through amicus curiae briefs, collectively arguing for the recognition of sexual orientation and gender identity as suspect classes deserving of elevated legal protection. His assertive participation in these pivotal cases showcases not only his legal acumen but also his deep understanding of civil rights law.
Furthermore, Ryan was a key figure in the successful movement for marriage equality in California. He courageously testified in the federal challenge against California’s Proposition 8, a landmark case that upheld the rights of same-sex couples to marry. His compelling testimony was singled out by Judge Vaughn Walker as the most emotionally impactful during the trial. His narrative was so profound that it inspired portrayals by well-known actors Rory O’Malley from The Book of Mormon and Chris Colfer from Glee, in the play 8, penned by Academy Award-winner Dustin Lance Black.
In addition to his advocacy work in LGBTQ+ matters, Ryan has broad experience as a civil rights lawyer dedicated to vindicating constitutional rights. His work encompasses fighting against unjust evictions, defending the rights of the unhoused, and participating in critical legal discussions to uphold the COVID-19 protections established for the residents of Los Angeles. By intervening in federal lawsuits, Ryan exemplifies a dedicated commitment to equity and justice amid challenging socio-legal landscapes.
Education and Achievements
Ryan Kendall's strong academic background laid a firm foundation for his illustrious career in civil rights law. He earned his Juris Doctor (J.D.) with a focus on Public Interest Law & Policy from the University of California, Los Angeles - School of Law, a premier institution known for nurturing future leaders in public service and social justice. Prior to this, he completed his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at Columbia University, graduating with departmental honors and receiving distinctions like Phi Beta Kappa election and the Alumni Key Award for his exceptional scholarly contributions.
His formidable educational accomplishments and expertise in public interest law have been recognized through several prestigious awards. He is a recipient of the Courage Award from the National Center for Lesbian Rights, highlighting his innovative advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights. Ryan also received the Arthur Ross Prize from Columbia University, recognizing his impact and excellence in the field. In 2014, he was distinguished as one of only six Great Graduates from Columbia, standing out among 12,000 graduation candidates – a testament to his leadership, motivation, and contributions to the community.
Media Presence and Publications
Throughout his distinguished career, Ryan Kendall has established himself as a thought leader and advocate in both legal and media circles. His insights and expertise have been showcased in various television appearances, including high-profile shows such as Anderson Cooper 360 and The Dr. Drew Show. These appearances have not only allowed him to convey critical messages surrounding civil rights but have also helped normalize conversations surrounding complex socio-legal issues, bringing them into the homes of millions.
Moreover, Ryan is a published author who has contributed op-eds and scholarly articles to esteemed publications such as The Advocate and the NYU Review of Law and Social Change. His writings reflect deep insights into legal challenges and victories for civil rights, enriching the dialogue around equitable treatment under the law.
Community Commitments and Involvement
Ryan's commitment to civil rights extends beyond litigation; he has actively contributed to various organizations and initiatives. He formerly served as a Staff Attorney at the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, where he worked on housing and community issues, and played a pivotal role in the Eviction Defense Center. Additionally, his tenure as a Litigation Fellow at the National Prison Project with the ACLU illustrates his dedication to advocating for the rights of incarcerated individuals.
As a former Commissioner at the Denver GLBT Commission and an NCIC Agent with the Denver Police Department, Ryan has also influenced policy and practice at the intersection of law enforcement and community affairs, ensuring fair treatment and the protection of rights within these critical frameworks.
As a well-respected figure in civil rights law, Ryan Kendall epitomizes dedication, passion, and advocacy excellence. His career stands as a beacon of hope and progress for many. Balancing legal expertise with heartfelt dedication, he continues to pursue an agenda that fights for justice and equality, resonating with the core values that underpin American civil rights.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
Clay offers several powerful features including:
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- Reminders and Notes: Helps you remember important details about contacts
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- Nexus AI: An AI navigator that helps you derive insights from your network, such as finding contacts who have been to specific places or work at particular companies
Clay is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
Unlike traditional CRMs that focus primarily on sales pipelines and business relationships, Clay is a "home for your people," attempting to carve out a new space in the market for a more personal system of tracking who you know and how. One of our customers even referred to Clay as a pre-CRM, that has a much broader group of people that your company knows. Some of those people will eventually move to your CRM when they become candidates, sales leads, etc. Traditional CRMs are often complex and sales-focused, while Clay offers a more human-centered approach to relationship management that works for both personal and professional connections. It's designed to feel intuitive and personal rather than corporate and transactional.
Clay takes privacy seriously. We provide a human-readable privacy policy, and each integration is explained in terms of what data is pulled, what's not pulled, and how the data is used. Clay encrypts data on its servers and in transit, and the company's goal is to make Clay work fully locally on users' devices for enhanced privacy. Clay is also SOC 2 Type 2 certified.
Clay is available across multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, Windows, and all web browsers. Clay is especially strong for Apple users, offering Mac, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS apps with deep native integrations on each platform. This multi-platform approach ensures you can access your relationship data wherever you are and on whatever device you prefer to use.
Clay offers tiered pricing options to suit different needs. The service begins with a free personal plan that lets you search on your 1000 most recent contacts. Clay offers a Pro Plan ($10 when billed annually) with unlimited contacts. Clay for Teams starts at $49/month/seat. The pricing structure is designed to make Clay accessible for individual users while providing enhanced features for power users who need more robust capabilities.
Yes, Clay offers extensive integration capabilities. Clay introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Clay supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Clay also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
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Clay makes it much easier to stay in touch with the people you care about. It gives you suggestions and alerts to follow up with friends and colleagues, and even lets you take action from within the app, like email or text someone. Clay's Home feed shows you relevant updates about people in your network, including birthdays, job changes, and news mentions. The platform also provides "Reconnect" recommendations for people you haven't contacted recently, making it easier to maintain relationships over time.
Clay is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Clay stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Clay excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Clay is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Clay offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Clay focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Clay also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
Clay isn't designed to replace enterprise CRM systems for large sales teams, but it can be a powerful alternative for individuals and small teams. Many people use Clay instead of Salesforce, Hubspot, and Pipedrive. Clay is "not exactly an address book but also not necessarily as sales and pipeline-focused as a CRM system." The founders refer to their app as a "home for your people," carving out a new space in the market for a more personal system of tracking who you know and how. For solo entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small teams focused on relationship quality rather than sales pipelines, Clay can absolutely serve as your primary relationship management tool.
Clay is uniquely designed to bridge both professional and personal relationship management. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay helps you organize your contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. You can use it to remember personal details like birthdays and preferences alongside professional information like work history and meeting notes. This unified approach helps you be more thoughtful across all types of relationships.
Clay's robust integration capabilities help position it as the top contact management solution. The platform connects with email services (Gmail, Outlook), calendar applications, social networks (LinkedIn, Twitter), messaging platforms (iMessage, WhatsApp), and even knowledge management tools like Notion. Clay has expanded its integrations catalog to include Zapier and Make.com support, allowing connections to thousands of other apps. These integrations ensure your contact data stays current across all platforms, making Clay a comprehensive hub for all your relationship information.
Clay's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Clay's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Clay has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
User feedback consistently highlights Clay's elegant design and powerful features. Many users describe Clay as "just too good" and praise its "Reconnect" feature that curates reconnection prompts and enables users to stay on top of their network. Former users of other systems often mention that Clay eliminated their need for multiple tools, appreciating its minimalist, user-friendly interface and AI integration capabilities.