Public Justice Center

This year, the National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel supported tenant right to counsel legislative efforts in 100+ jurisdictions & advanced civil right to counsel laws in other critical areas, such as child custody, forfeiture, and mental health. Learn more in the Public Justice Center's annual report. https://lnkd.in/e-UJUK3N

This year, the PJC’s Prisoners’ Rights Project continued advocacy to improve conditions at the Baltimore City jail, demand police accountability, and reduce pretrial detention. Learn more in our annual report. https://lnkd.in/ennk5_Fg

All people deserve to access healthcare and government services in a language they understand. But despite protections under state and federal law, state agencies and healthcare providers do not always provide translation and interpretation for people with limited English proficiency, and federal rights are at serious risk of being gutted with the incoming administration. Now is the time to stand in solidarity with Maryland’s immigrant communities and individuals with limited English proficiency – we must mobilize together. Join the PJC’s Health and Benefits Equity Project for a virtual Justice for Breakfast discussion on January 16 on Language Access as a Human Right: Standing, Strategizing, and Mobilizing in Solidarity with Marylanders with Limited English Proficiency. We’ll discuss language access rights, gaps in Maryland’s language access landscape, and strategy to strengthen and preserve these important rights at the state level. https://lnkd.in/eP2qGtJE

This past year, the PJC’s Appellate Advocacy Project filed amicus briefs in appeals to protect tenants’ belongings after an eviction, fight for minimum wage for incarcerated workers, and stop employers from filing for bankruptcy to dodge wage theft liability. Learn more in our annual report. https://lnkd.in/eDsNhygA

Join us on December 19 at noon for a webinar introducing the Doula Alliance of Maryland! DAM is a grassroots advocacy coalition for doulas, by doulas, and we're proud to be a member. You'll hear about the work the coalition has done so far and how to join DAM's advocacy efforts. bit.ly/DAMintro

This week, Jews United for Justice honored the Public Justice Center with a Heschel Vision Award for partnering on campaigns for housing justice, decriminalization of students, and more, both in Montgomery County and across Maryland. Thank you, JUFJ, for this honor and your partnership! https://lnkd.in/eijJ3gaB

Cross-sector collaboration works! Maryland housing and education advocates, including the PJC, Renters United Maryland, and the Maryland Eviction Prevention Funds Alliance, worked together to successfully advocate for a new law that will provide eviction prevention funds for families whose children are in community schools. Community schools provide support for families by coordinating wraparound services like transportation, healthcare, counseling, and healthy food. Eviction prevention funds will help families avoid eviction and keep their children from losing access to the wraparound services. We appreciate the support of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, Maryland State Department of Education, and bill sponsors Sen. Shelly Hettleman and Del. Vaughn Stewart and look forward to working with them to get the program up and running. https://lnkd.in/ezmVzUBg

This year, the PJC’s Education Stability Project leveraged statewide data to combat school pushout, advocated for a new law to improve school discipline practices in Prince George’s County Public Schools, and defeated expansion of the truancy court program. Learn about these and more in our annual report. https://lnkd.in/eJig_pGZ

Join us on December 19 at noon for a webinar introducing the Doula Alliance of Maryland! DAM is a grassroots advocacy coalition for doulas, by doulas, and we're proud to be a member. You'll hear about the work the coalition has done so far and how to join DAM's advocacy efforts. bit.ly/DAMintro

Jennifer Rowe and Michael Abrams are awarded the PJC’s Outstanding Partner Award for their years-long fight for Marylanders facing public accommodations discrimination who are denied justice by the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights (MCCR). Their advocacy with the PJC and stirring testimony at two legislative hearings successfully created an avenue to challenge findings by the MCCR of no probable cause for discrimination in the state appellate courts. Read more at https://lnkd.in/ePnu9ZUq.