Larkin Levine

The Project

Larkin (she/her/hers) will work to improve living conditions and mitigate health disparities in East St. Louis, Illinois, and other Metro East area communities by representing tenants in housing habitability and eviction disputes and launching a medical-legal partnership with SIHF Healthcare to educate healthcare staff and patients about legal rights, and create efficient systems for patient referrals.

Once a booming industrial city, today East St. Louis bears the scars of loss of industry, dramatic depopulation, white flight, and two centuries of institutional and structural racism. As of 2022, 94.6% of East St. Louis residents identified as Black or African American, and 31.6% lived in poverty. Laws meant to ensure the safety of rental units are rarely enforced in East St. Louis. As a result, East St. Louisans face blatantly dangerous housing conditions—including sewage overflows, mold, pests, and vermin—and related severe health disparities.

Larkin decided to pursue a career in law after studying global health as an undergraduate student in the St. Louis Metro Area. She believes the law is a critical tool in combating systemic inequalities that contribute to disparities in healthcare in the St. Louis area and beyond.

Fellowship Plans

Larkin will pursue affirmative litigation against landlords who fail to maintain the safety of their units and defend clients with habitability matters from eviction. Larkin will also launch a medical-legal partnership with SIHF Healthcare. Through this partnership, Larkin will educate health care providers and community members about legal rights, identify clients in the greatest need of legal assistance, and work to ameliorate health disparities in Metro East area communities.

Media