Friends,
Earlier this week in Atlanta, GA, eight people were murdered in three separate spas. Six of the victims were Asian women. During this period of grief, our hearts go out to the victims and their loved ones. Friends,
Appleseed justice centers across the country seek to amplify community voices and empower community members to be involved in decision-making processes. At New Jersey Appleseed Public Interest Law Center, Executive Director Renee Steinhagen is engaged in multiple litigation efforts helping community groups to properly participate in administrative and judicial hearings and enforce community empowerment provisions. Friends,
I’d like to take a moment to celebrate the release of Ronald McKeithen, an Alabama man sentenced to life without parole for a first-degree robbery – in which no physical harm occurred – 37 years ago. Ronald is one of the many victims of Alabama’s draconian Habitual Felony Offenders Act, mandating life without parole for anyone convicted of a felony if they have three prior felonies on their record, regardless of whether they were nonviolent crimes or how long ago they occurred. This past summer, Alabama Appleseed took on Ronald’s case and, as of December, successfully won his release. They have since been helping him adjust to daily life in the midst of a global pandemic after 37 years inside a correctional facility. Friends,
The white supremacy-fueled insurrection at the United States Capitol Building last week was a horrifying reminder of the hard work we have ahead. The Appleseed Network is dedicated to dismantling racism, advancing democracy and the rule of law, and building a more just society, now and for future generations. Dear Friends,
Appleseed Mexico was founded in 2003 with a mission to strengthen the country’s civil society organizations and provide systemic legal support for vulnerable communities. A key component of Appleseed Mexico’s work has been building up a thriving pro bono culture in Mexico to help more, and to help better. Dear Friends,
Appleseed is mourning the loss of Mark Joelson, one of our founding members, who passed away last week. Mark’s life embodied the pursuit of justice that lies at the heart of Appleseed’s mission. A Jewish refugee who escaped to America at the age of seven, shortly before the Nazis occupied his hometown, Mark built a distinguished legal career that earned him the Order of the British Empire from Queen Elizabeth II in 2001. Dear Friends,
An inclusive and complete census is essential for the communities Appleseed serves, and today we are celebrating two recent judicial decisions. Dear Friends,
Last week, Appleseed Centers in Texas, Nebraska, and New Jersey submitted a joint comment letter to the US Comptroller of the Currency to speak out against a recently proposed rule. As the letter documents, the proposed rule would allow predatory lenders to escape rate cap laws, as well as liability for violations of federal and state consumer protection laws, by participating in “rent-a-bank” schemes. Borrowers can get trapped in these predatory loans, often paying extremely high interest rates and taking on more and more loans to extend the interest payments. Please click here to read the letter from Texas, Nebraska, and New Jersey Appleseed, which was prepared with the pro bono assistance of Fish & Richardson P.C. Sincerely, Sarah Pacilio Appleseed Network Manager Report Finds Black Girls are Subject to Discriminatory School Disciplinary Action in Kansas, Massachusetts, and AlabamaWASHINGTON, DC, September 2, 2020 – Three members of the Appleseed Network, a non-profit network of independent organizations in the United States and Mexico working towards social and legal justice, today announced the release of their comprehensive report, “Protecting Girls of Color from the School-to-Prison Pipeline,” the final product of a year-long research project examining disparities in school disciplinary treatment for Black girls in Massachusetts, Alabama, and Kansas. Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, an international law firm, served as pro bono partner throughout the project.
Dear Friends,
On behalf of the Appleseed Foundation Board of Directors, we are thrilled to announce the appointment of Benet Magnuson as Interim Executive Director for the Appleseed Foundation. |
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