“Decolonizing Justice: Advancing Community-Grown Justice Solutions,” was a week-long series of free online conversations, panels and interactive workshops centered on legal empowerment and community-based justice strategies in the US. This gathering, which drew hundreds of participants from across the US, was designed to create space for critical thinking, discussion and visioning approaches to people-centered justice, fostering equity and inclusion, and democratizing the law that elevate and grow local legal knowledge, capacity and power in communities at a time of transformative change.

The steering committee for this event included Ayuda Legal Puerto Rico, Alaska Legal Services Corporation, Pro Bono Net and the Open Society Justice Initiative. Our gratitude to the over 30 organizations whose voices and perspectives made this gathering possible and to the hundreds of participants across the US and beyond who participated. 

Beyond Legal Aid: Legal Empowerment and Community-Based Justice

The theme for day 1 of the Decolonizing Justice convening was "Beyond Legal Aid: Legal Empowerment and Community-Based Justice."

This day consisted of two sessions:

• Beyond Legal Aid: Legal Empowerment and Community-Based Justice
• Transforming Legal Aid to Achieve People-Centered Justice

Click here for recordings and resources on Legal Empowerment and Community-Based Justice. 

Democratizing the Law: Regulatory Reform and Roles Beyond Lawyers

The theme for day 2 of the Decolonizing Justice convening was "Democratizing the Law: Regulatory Reform and Roles Beyond Lawyers."

This day consisted of two sessions:

• Regulatory Reform as an Access to Justice Imperative
• Voices from Beyond the Legal Profession

Click here for recordings and resources on Regulatory Reform and Roles Beyond Lawyers.

Community-Grown Research, Education and Data Strategies 

The theme for day 3 of the Decolonizing Justice convening was "Community-Grown Research, Education and Data Strategies."

This day consisted of two sessions:

• Centering Legal Knowledge and Lived Experience in Local Communities
• Critical Participatory Action Research: Commitments, Accountabilities and Epistemic Justice

Click here for recordings and resources on Community-Grown Research, Education and Data Strategies.

Design and Technology Strategies to Advance Community-Centered Justice

The theme for day 4 of the Decolonizing Justice convening was "Design and Technology Strategies to Advance Community-Centered Justice."

This day consisted of three sessions: 

• Living Justice
• Connecting Access to Advocacy: Technology Strategies to Build Community Power and Participation
• Interactive Workshop: Tools and Tactics for Participatory Design

Click here for recordings and resources on Design and Technology Strategies to Advance Community-Centered Justice.

Bringing Justice Home: Envisioning Just Futures

The theme for day 5 of the Decolonizing Justice convening was "Bringing Justice Home: Envisioning Just Futures."

This day consisted of two sessions:

• Envisioning a Just Future for All: Nurturing and Sustaining Justice Movements
• Global Perspectives on Advancing Community-Centered Justice

Click here for recordings and resources on Envisioning Just Futures.

Participating Organizations

Alaska Legal Services Corporation, Ayuda Legal Puerto Rico, Bernstein Institute for Human Rights at NYU School of Law, Beyond Legal Aid, Brentwood Public Library (Brentwood, NY), Brooklyn Law School, Center on International Cooperation at NYU,  California Rural Legal Assistance, Community Justice Project, Cooperativa Brújulas, Creative Reaction Lab, The Elders, First Alaskans Institute, The Graduate Center at CUNY, Immigration Advocates Network, JustFix.nyc, LatinoJustice PRLDEF, Law for Black Lives, Law Society of Ontario, Legal Technician Division, Legal Empowerment & Advocacy Hub (L.E.A.H.), Make the Road New York, Movement Law Lab, Namati, National Center for Access to Justice, Open Society Justice Initiative, Pro Bono Net, Red Hook Community Justice Center, Technology Law and Policy Institute at Georgetown University Law Center, University of San Diego Center for Public Interest Law, Innovation for Justice Program at University of Arizona Law, Upsolve, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the The Women’s Community Justice Association (WCJA).

For More Information

Questions or interested in learn more about the Decolonizing Justice convening? Contact Liz Keith, Program Director, Pro Bono Net at lkeith@probono.net

Facilitation Guide

Code of Conduct