COMMUNITY JUSTICE PROJECT
THINGS ARE A LOT DIFFERENT WHEN YOU FACTOR IN THE COLD. For Atlanta native and 2L student Kailey Meadows , that wasn’t a realization until she moved to Minnesota to attend the School of Law. “I never thought about the danger of someone not having a home, freezing to death. That’s not a consideration in the South,” she said. “Housing is a much bigger crisis up here in the winter; there’s a different sense of urgency.” Meadows felt that urgency last year as she worked with the School of Law’s Community Justice Project (CJP), which offers opportunities for students to integrate the school’s mission into their clinic experience as they work for justice and reconciliation. Started in 2007 under the leadership of former Professor Nekima Levy Armstrong, CJP and the St. Paul chapter of the NAACP formed a partnership to work collaboratively on behalf of communities of color to challenge laws and policies that negatively impact these communities. Meadows worked last semester on two different projects – one related to housing, the other to the juvenile justice system. “For a lot of us as students, these are not things that are in our face every day, because we are insulated from all these things while we’re in school,” Meadows said. “You read these cases and it’s hard to put yourself in these shoes, but in this work with the CJP, seeing and talking to these community
members … the issues become real very quickly.” Creating connections with fellow community members permeates the CJP’s spirit. In the program’s description, this spirit is represented by the sub- Saharan African phrase “ubuntu,” which Archbishop Desmond Tutu translated as “My humanity is inextricably bound up in yours.” As that human connection is realized, the desire to make a positive impact on others’ experiences becomes a natural extension. “One of the things that excites me most is the opportunity to raise students’ awareness not only about social justice issues, but about their ability to have an impact, even as students. There’s nothing more satisfying than to see that ‘aha’ moment as they see they can make a difference in their community,” said Carl Warren , CJP director. “When they do fully realize the impacts of these issues, it’s almost like a fire is lit. They become quite passionate and dedicate themselves to trying to make a difference, trying to create change. I see that every semester.” MANY ISSUES, MANY OPPORTUNITIES In both identifying issues and working toward solutions, the CJP focuses on bridge building with community stakeholders, specifically aimed at improving the lives of the African American community in the Twin Cities. That process starts with engaging the community – and monitoring
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