Latinojustice Prldef

LATINOJUSTICE PRLDEF USES AND CHALLENGES LAWS TO CREATE A MORE JUST AND EQUITABLE SOCIETY. WE TRANSFORM HARMFUL SYSTEMS, EMPOWER OUR COMMUNITIIES, AND GROW THE NEXT GENERATION OF LIDERES.

LITIGATION:LATINOJUSTICE ORGANIZES ITS LEGAL PROGRAMMATIC WORK ALONG FIVE PRIMARY LEGAL PILLARS: CRIMINAL JUSTICE, ECONOMIC JUSTICE (WHICH INCLUDES ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATION), IMMIGRANT RIGHTS, VOTING RIGHTS, AND PUERTO RICO. LATINOJUSTICE ENGAGES IN HIGH-IMPACT LAW REFORM LITIGATION AND ADVOCACY TO ADDRESS SYSTEMIC DISCRIMINATORY POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY LOCAL, STATE & FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND PRIVATE ENTITIES THAT ADVERSELY IMPACT THE GREATER PAN-LATINX COMMUNITY. IN FY22 LATINOJUSTICE'S CRIMINAL LAW LITIGATION INCLUDED SUCCESSFUL CHALLENGES TO RECALCULATE GOOD-TIME CREDITS IN PRISON, SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATION OF A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT ALLEGING BIASED POLICING AGAINST LATINO MOTORISTS; CHALLENGES TO PRISON PROGRAMMING AND ONEROUS POST-RELEASE CONDITIONS; AND SEVERAL OPEN RECORDS LAWSUITS TO SUPPORT POLICY REPORTS ON LOCAL POLICING. ON THE ECONOMIC JUSTICE FRONT, WE SUCCESSFULLY NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENTS FOR LOST WAGES FOR WORKERS AND PURSUED JUDGMENT ENFORCEMENT FOR OTHERS; INTERVENED IN LAWSUITS AND FILED AMICUS BRIEFS ON EDUCATIONAL EQUITY ISSUES ALONG THE EAST COAST; AND CONDUCTED MULTIPLE COMMUNITY EDUCATION EVENTS ON WORKERS' RIGHTS. FOR IMMIGRANT RIGHTS, WE CONTINUED TO PROSECUTE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT ON BEHALF OF IMMIGRANTS UNLAWFULLY DETAINED BY THE SUFFOLK COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, CHALLENGED ICE AND CBP IN FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT CASES, AND FOUGHT FOR DAMAGES FOR A FAMILY SEPARATED DURING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY. LJP WAS ACTIVE IN NUMEROUS VOTING RIGHTS CASES, AND AS PART OF SUCCESSFUL TRIAL TEAM OBTAINED DECISION STRIKING FLORIDA SB90 VOTER SUPPRESSION LAW DOWN.

ADVOCACY, COMMUNITY OUTREACH & COMMUNICATIONSIN ADVOCACY, WE PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN ROLLING OUT VOTER EDUCATION EFFORTS AND ENGAGED IN EXTENSIVE ELECTION PROTECTION WORK DURING THE 2022 ELECTION, COVERING NY, PA, FL, AND GA. IN PARTICULAR, WE URGED ELECTION OFFICIALS TO PROVIDE BILINGUAL MATERIALS FOR ALL LEP VOTERS. OUR CRIMINAL LEGAL EXPERTS FOCUSED ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION ON ABOLITION, SUPPORTED SOLITARY CONFINEMENT REFORM, AND OPPOSED VOTER DISENFRANCHISEMENT FOR INCARCERATED PERSONS. WE ARE ACTIVELY OPPOSING OPERATION LONE STAR IN TEXAS AND MONITORING IMMIGRATION COURTS FOR DUE PROCESS VIOLATIONS.OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT LED AND/OR COLLABORATED ON SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES, ELEVATING AND BUILDING AWARENESS AND SUPPORT OF ALL LJP CASES, PROGRAMS, AND CAMPAIGNS. THE DEPARTMENT MANAGED AND CREATED MATERIALS, CREATED AND DISTRIBUTED SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT TO INFORM THE PUBLIC, AND SECURED MEDIA COVERAGE OF LJP'S ISSUES, WORK, AND ACHIEVEMENTS. THE COMMUNICATIONS HELPED TO ORGANIZE COMMUNITY EVENTS COMMEMORATING LJP'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY, WORKED ON A VIDEO DOCUMENTARY RELATING THE ORGANIZATION'S HISTORY, AND COLLABORATED ON WEBINARS, DATA REPORTS, AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES THAT SERVED TO INFORM AND MOBILIZE COMMUNITIES ON OUR CORE PILLAR ISSUES.

CAP LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE:OUR CAP LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE CONTINUES TO PROVIDE CRITICAL SERVICES FOR NUMEROUS PRELAW STUDENTS; THIS INCLUDED OUR ANNUAL LAW DAY FAIR THAT ATTRACTED MORE THAN 80 LAW SCHOOLS AND SCORES OF ASPIRING LATINO LAWYERS TO VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS AND PANEL DISCUSSIONS.OUR LAWBOUND PROGRAM SERVED NEARLY 50 ASPIRING LAW STUDENTS THROUGH TWO INTENSIVE 1-WEEK LAW SCHOOL ADMISSIONS BOOT CAMPS. OUR CORPORATE-LAW FIRM ALLIANCE SUMMER PROGRAM (CLASP) PROVIDED SUMMER INTERNSHIPS FOR SIX LAW STUDENTS WITH PARTNERING LAW FIRM AND CORPORATE PARTNERS. THREE FORMER CLASP FELLOWS WERE OFFERED POST-GRADUATION POSITIONS AT THEIR RESPECTIVE LAW FIRMS. CLASP HAS A 100% POST-FELLOWSHIP EMPLOYMENT RATE TO DATE. TWO FORMER LJP CIVIL RIGHTS LEGAL INTERNS WERE AWARDED 2-YEAR EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS LEGAL FELLOWSHIPS. CAP PROGRAMS ARE ACTIVELY SUPPORTED BY THE LATINO JUSTICE LIDERES YOUNG PROFESSIONALS BOARD, COMPRISED OF 30 YOUNG PROFESSIONALS IN VARIOUS FIELDS INCLUDING LAW, FINANCE, AND TECH. THE LIDERES BOARD ORGANIZES EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT OUR SOCIAL JUSTICE ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS AS WELL AS RECRUITING VOLUNTEERS AND SUPPORTERS FOR OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. CAP PROGRAMS HAVE CONTINUED TO GROW WITH STUDENT PARTICIPANTS ENROLLING FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES.