The Shriver Center on Poverty Law’s flagship leadership development program enters 11th year
April 17, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Dawn Raftery
312-771-7724
dawnraftery@povertylaw.org
Chicago, IL — The Shriver Center on Poverty Law today announced 25 Fellows for its 2024 Racial Justice Institute (RJI). Now in its 11th year, the innovative leadership development program brings together anti-poverty advocates from around the country to learn new tools to advance racial equity.
This year’s diverse group of RJI Fellows includes a health justice advocate, an elderly law attorney, an equity officer, and a marketing director, to name just a few. They come from nine organizations advancing justice in five states, as well as Washington, D.C., and — for the first time ever — the island of Puerto Rico.
The 2024 Fellows bring expertise in advocacy areas including immigration and labor law, child welfare, and homelessness.
“RJI builds capacity for leaders to advance racial justice in communities across the country, and we’re thrilled to add Puerto Rico to the national Network,” said Janerick Holmes, director of the Racial Justice Institute and Network. “Our program will give the 2024 Fellows the strategies and tools needed to work alongside those most impacted by structural racism. Together, they can push for systemic solutions and lasting change.”
During an intensive program that begins this month, Fellows learn a core set of racial equity concepts and tools for their work with low-income communities and communities of color. Following seven months of intensive training, they join a growing national network of more than 430 alumni from 127 organizations advancing racial equity across the country.
“Since 2014, our flagship program has transformed how legal advocates approach their work,” said Monica Yvonne, director of training justice at the Shriver Center. “As we enter the second decade of RJI, I want to expand the program to include a wider variety of advocates and organizers in the racial and economic justice space. We all have a role to play.”
The full list of 2024 RJI Fellows:
Fundación Fondo de Acceso a la Justicia
New Hampshire cohort
Legal Action Center
Legal Council for Health Justice
Legal Services Alabama
Legal Services NYC
Massachusetts Law Reform Institute
Shriver Center on Poverty Law
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About the Shriver Center on Poverty Law
The Shriver Center on Poverty Law fights for racial and economic justice. Over our nearly 60-year history, we have secured hundreds of victories with and for people living in poverty in Illinois and across the country. Today, we litigate, shape policy, and train and convene multi-state networks of lawyers, community leaders and activists nationwide. Together, we are building a future where all people have equal dignity, respect and power under the law. Join the fight at povertylaw.org.
67 East Madison Street, Suite 2000
Chicago, IL 60603
phone: 312.263.3830
