Office - 1534 Bedford Ave., 2nd Floor, Brooklyn NY 11216
Mailing Address - 1150 Carroll Street, Brooklyn NY 11225
718 804 8893
The mission of the Center for Law and Social Justice is to provide quality, expert legal advocacy, training and services on racial justice issues in a personal manner to people of African descent, and persons who are under-served, under-represented and otherwise disenfranchised. The Center for Law and Social Justice (CLSJ) accomplishes this racial justice mission by conducting research and providing advocacy and litigation on behalf of community organizations and other civil society groups promoting human, civil and international rights. These activities are delivered from CLSJ’s offices at Medgar Evers College, and in predominantly high-need neighborhoods across New York City.
Using a grass-roots approach to its advocacy projects and litigation, CLSJ addresses a broad range of social justice issues, including: a) voting rights; b) immigration; c) public education; d) police-related harassment and abuse; e) discrimination issues; f) police-related harassment and abuse; and, g) United States human rights violations. As a result of CLSJ’s unique synthesis of research, public policy advocacy and litigation from a community-based perspective, CLSJ is a focal point for progressive activity. CLSJ specializes in conducting in-depth analysis of social problems, resulting in creative, action-oriented solutions and social changes that are both cogent and timely.
Current Advocacy Projects:
Racial Justice Redistricting/Voting Rights Policy Project is a comprehensive voting rights project. As the redistricting process progresses in New York State and New York City, CLSJ continues our broad level of active advocacy to protect the voting rights of Black New Yorkers. CLSJ is conducting community outreach, testifying at public hearings, litigation, research, alliance building, and public speaking. The project utilizes the expertise of CLSJ’s two voting rights attorneys as watchdogs on voting changes that will affect Black, Latino, and Asian voters in New York City. CLSJ employs the Voting Rights Act and works with other voting rights advocates to protect the voting power of these populations.
The New York Immigration Law Program provides free immigration legal services to New York City residents. Both legalization and naturalization immigration services are offered by expert legal staff.
The Police and Racial Violence Project provides legal counseling and referrals to victims of police and racial violence.
Free Legal Counseling and legal referrals are offered to Medgar Evers College students, faculty and staff and to community residents.
Current Litigation includes:
- Little v. LATFOR (2011) (As co-counsel to interveners defending a challenge to the recently enacted NYS Prison Adjustment Act which ended prison–based gerrymandering in New York State.)
- Favors v. Cuomo(2011)(Federal redistricting case challenging failure of state to timely redistrict state legislative districts and New York State’s congressional districts and its violation of the Voting Rights Act.)
CLSJ receives generous support funding from the New York Community Trust, the New York City Council Brooklyn Delegation, and City Council Members: Al Vann, Gail Brewer, Fernando Cabrera, Inez E. Dickens and Robert Jackson, as well as numerous individual donors. |
Center for Law and Social Justice Contact Information:
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