Why do we fight?
How do we fight?
Every child can reach their potential, but children of color and poor children are routinely denied the resources and opportunities they need to do so. Instead, many are funneled into a justice system that only makes it harder to succeed.
We fight to keep kids out of the harmful justice system so that they can thrive where they belong: at home, at school, and in our communities. We use 3 main strategies.
Legal Defense + Advocacy + Storytelling
We Represent
As the juvenile public defender in New Orleans, we represent over 90% of children in the city who come into contact with the juvenile justice system.
We provide each child with a holistic team – a lawyer, social worker, investigator, and youth advocate – to address both the causes and consequences of an arrest.
We Advocate
We advocate for local and statewide policies that reduce the number of children in the justice system and provide better alternatives to arrest and incarceration.
For the kids who do enter the system, we support policies that keep them safe, protect their rights, and get them home as soon as possible.
We uplift
We lead strategic messaging campaigns that combat negative narratives harming our children.
We share their true stories and potential and work to build a community that supports and believes in them and supports their healing.