For too many people, everyday interactions with the law are marred by injustice. Unable to navigate the laws that affect their everyday lives, countless individuals are marginalized by the workforce, the economy, and society at large.

Street Law is committed to increasing basic legal acumen for all, especially those who are in underserved communities. We develop community-centered programs and tailored curricula, train community leaders, and foster peer networks that help people who are marginalized gain essential knowledge and applicable skills.

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Before the Street Law program, I didn’t even realize that I had rights.”

Yael

Prince George’s County, Maryland, USA

Actions

  • Built the capacity of people who are LGBTQ in Los Angeles to ensure they have the legal life skills to navigate their everyday lives.

  • Collaborated with local Atlanta partners to empower and build agency in domestic violence survivors.

  • Partnered with the private sector and schools nationwide to ensure that young people – particularly in underserved communities – have an early introduction to legal careers. Our goal is a more diverse legal profession.

  • Developed a curriculum that has been adopted by juvenile justice systems to address the barriers to understanding youth rights and responsibilities.

  • Leveraged law schools, worldwide, to provide public legal education primarily to marginalized communities – children in underserved schools, individuals in the criminal or juvenile justice systems, survivors of domestic violence, and people experiencing homelessness.

Scaled Impact

We broaden our reach and increase our impact through leveraged collaborations. We develop, pilot, and partner with existing organizations at home and abroad.

  • Proliferated the model of public legal education for community empowerment, which began at Georgetown University in 1972 and is now implemented by 200+ law schools around the globe.

  • Partnered with the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) to bring programs to communities. Our programs have reduced recidivism among youth diverted from the justice system.

  • Built a unique legal diversity pipeline that partners nearly 2,000 lawyers with high school classes at more than 70 sites nationwide.

Want to Learn More?

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Bianca Rizzio

Acting Director, Community Empowerment and Justice Programs