Observing Juneteenth

The following is a list of resources for Juneteenth. Equal Justice Works is not a direct affiliate of any of these resources, unless otherwise noted.

Juneteenth Resources

Learn more about the history of Juneteenth.

• Juneteenth, A Celebration of Resilience, from the National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington, D.C.
• “What Is Juneteenth?” by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., from PBS.org.

Racial Justice Resources & Organizations

• The Law Firm Antiracism Alliance: a coalition of nearly 300 law firms formed to “facilitate opportunities for action in pursuit of racial justice in the law and racial equity in our country,” created in June 2020.
  • An Interview with Brenna DeVaney on the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance: a discussion on the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance with Brenna DeVaney, director of pro bono programs at Skadden, Arps, Meagher & Flom LLP.
• Lawyers for Good Government, on Racial Justice: ‘Lawyers for Racial Justice’ is an initiative to “mobilize critical pro bono legal services in the fight for racial justice” by promoting long-term reform and the creation of remote pro bono clinics.
• Law for Black Lives: a “national community of radical lawyers and legal workers committed to transforming the law and building the power of organizing to defend, protect, and advance Black Liberation across the globe.”
• Law Deans Antiracist Clearinghouse Project: the Association of American Law Schools created a collective space for Law School Deans to share resources on antiracism and engage their institutions with “teaching, scholarship, service, ativism, programming, and initiatives on strategies to eradicate racism”.
• White Supremacy Culture: a resource from Dismantling Racism Works that lists characteristics of white supremacy culture with the aim to “point out how organizations which unconsciously use these characteristics as their norms and standards make it difficult, if not impossible, to open the door to other cultural norms and standards”.

Equal Justice Works Community

Hear from Equal Justice Works Fellows, our Board, and other community members.

• Fighting for My Clients’ Right to Life: by Bailey Russell, February 3, 2022: 2020 Fellow Bailey Russell shares her experience defending people charged with capital crimes in Louisiana and fighting the state’s capital punishment system.
• Michelle Mapp Believes in Public Service: read about 2021 Fellow Michelle Mapp’s journey to become a public interest lawyer in Charleston, helping low-income and Black residents avoid eviction and displacement.
•  ‘Sexist,’ ‘Racist,’ ‘Classist’: Georgia 8th Grader Challenges School Dress Code: 2020 Fellow Sabrina Bernadel discusses how dress codes disproportionately restrict women and girls for violations, and especially punish Black students, in this article about how young activists in Cobb County, Georgia responded to the codes.
• Why schools need to abandon facial recognition, not double down on it By Clarence Okoh and John S. Cusick, August 3, 2021: 2020 Fellow Clarence Okoh and 2017 Fellow John S. Cusick write about the drawbacks of facial recognition, with a focus on the detrimental harm it causes to students of color.
• Black Farmworkers Say They Lost Jobs to Foreigners Who Were Paid More: read about how 2020 Fellow Ty Pinkins aided Black farmworkers in the Mississippi delta in filing a lawsuit against their former employers, who asked them to train white guest workers from South Africa before firing them.
• “Embody Black Lives Matter in Every Facet of Your Legal Career,” by Walter Jean-Jacques, July 2020: a member of the Equal Justice Works Board of Directors, Walter shares reflections on 2020 events as a young Black man entering the legal field.
• “To Fellow Young Black Lawyers Seeking Justice,” by Clarence Okoh, June 2020: 2020 Fellow Clarence Okoh addresses fellow young Black lawyers and shares a comprehensive racial justice syllabus.
• “A Plea to Build Something Better,” by Tracie Johnson, July 2020: 2018 Fellow Tracie Johnson writes about the need to disrupt the cycles of generational poverty and violence that stem from over-policing.
• “Making Your Voice Heard at the Ballot Box,” by Mitchell D. Brown, June 2020: 2019 Fellow Mitchell D. Brown reflects on racial justice and voting rights.
• Equal Justice Works Fellows Challenge Racial Injustice Fellows Emma Shakeshaft, Molly Griffard, and Mitchell D. Brown discuss their efforts to challenge racial injustice by addressing debtors’ prisons, police brutality, and voter suppression.
• Racial Justice Beyond Litigation: Working Outside the Legal System to Affect Change: a panel discussion from our 2020 Conference and Career Fair, featuring Jason Bailey of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.; Eliana Green, a 2019 Fellow; and A’Niya Robinson of the ACLU of Louisiana.

To learn more about how Equal Justice Works Fellows are addressing racial justice through their work, visit here.

Juneteenth & Pride

Juneteenth takes place during Pride Month, the annual celebration commemorating the 1969 Stonewall Riots, a tipping point in the Gay Liberation Movement with deep ties to the fight for racial justice.

• LGBTQIA+ Resources—#AllBlackLivesMatter: a comprehensive list of intersectional resources for education, information, entertainment, and empowerment, from the Community Renewal Society in Chicago.
• Black LGBTQ+ Prides: a directory of official Black Pride Celebrations throughout the country.
• 2015 Fellow Tsion Gurmu: featured at our 2015 Annual Dinner, Fellow Tsion Gurmu describes her work with the African Services Committee to secure asylum for LGBTQ+ asylum seekers fleeing persecution for their sexuality.