COMMUNITY JUSTICE PROJECT
aims to raise awareness and drive policy change around the inflated fees for phone calls from jail and prison, which run as much as $24 for a 15-minute call in some states. (Minnesota’s highest rate is more than $12 for a 15-minute call.) “It really does tie into this brutal cycle of incarceration. A lot of people [in jail or prison] are lower income and don’t have the resources to make these phone calls,” Zell said. “A big part of avoiding recidivism is being able to grow and stay in contact with outside community, and a big part of that is through phone calls. Because the rates are so high, a lot of people can’t stay in contact with their community, family, friends, jobs, community groups. That isolates people, which leads to the cycle continuing.” “[This work] really openedmy eyes to how big the community is, not just in Minnesota but across the nation, and the people who recognize this is an issue and who are working to dismantle it just a bit more,” Zell added. “There are a bunch of different groups focusing not just on this issue, but on other parts of the prison system and issues within it. Realizing there are a lot more people working toward these goals was a very eye-opening and humbling experience. The work I did over a short period of time didn’t solve this issue by any means, but working with so many people to take steps closer to solutions was a powerful thing.” ‘A GREATERWHOLE’ Students generally work one semester at a time (although many students continue working with the CJP for two or more semesters), so they contribute
schools across the state to reverse the disproportionate discipline of students of color, to the Harriet Tubman Center and its work with low-income youth. Two former CJP student attorneys recently were praised by Alex Migambi, the state disproportionality specialist in the Minnesota Department of Education. Amanda Harrington ‘19 J.D. and 3L Dustin Cesarek had worked to improve state technical assistance for students of color with disabilities. “I’m happy to let you know that your work and research was featured in a presentation to the Special Education Division Leadership,” Migambi said. “These recommendations also will be adopted into a report that is going to the Legislature.” Students gain a valuable set of skills and formative experiences through the CJP. “Not only do they learn through research, but they have the opportunity to actually have practical, day-to-day experience with people who are being impacted by the social justice issue in question. People who are on the ground, grassroots, trying to make a difference in these areas. They’re working with them as colleagues,” Warren said. “There’s nothing more cogent than having that type of experience.” 2L Mariah Zell worked last semester on the long-standing project Prison Phone Justice, which the School of Law Center for Race, Leadership and Social Justice Director Artika Tyner ’06 J.D., ’10 MA, ’12 EdD has focused on for more than a decade. The project
School of Law faculty member Carl Warren
media and other communication channels – to identify issues that are impacting people’s lives. Warren and his students research the issue and identify potential community partners to collaborate with to explore solutions. As issues and partnerships are identified, students build relationships aimed at making an impact on real community issues. “Giving students the opportunities to have experience in this or other areas of real practice equips them for the work they will be doing after they graduate,” Warren said. “Education is only meaningful when it ultimately applies to real life. It’s one thing to be learning about a topic such as social justice; it’s another thing to be engaged in it. The most effective teacher is experience.” The range of issues and partnerships over the clinic’s 14-year history has been huge: Last semester alone students worked on 13 different projects, ranging fromworking with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights in its investigation with school districts and charter
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