Community Defense Promise Teams

SCLC is using its historic and current brand to increase awareness to the work and mission of Gideon’s Promise, especially as it relates to the plight of the poor inside of the judicial system. This partnership will be utilized to create Community Defense Promise Teams.

Promise Teams are designed to be a point that Public Defender’s can utilize to access community support for some of the issues that face their clients but fall outside the purview of the defenders themselves. Often, public defenders are aware of the support, legislation, and policies that are affecting their clients. Promise Teams give them a place to share this information.

We  will show this two part objectives in three markets in the coming year: Washington, DC, Atlanta, GA and New Orleans, LA.

The core strategy will be the same in all three areas. Have a Fighting Injustice Forum bringing together SCLC, Public Defenders, Gideon’s Promise and other vested partners in the criminal justice system to discuss the issues that are facing their clients and how a partnership with community agencies can alleviate and assist.

The forum provides the context and contacts for the further discussion about the creation of a Promise Team for that area. Following the forum, SCLC and Gideon’s will lead the follow up effort to establish the Promise Team in that area.

Our first Fighting Injustice Forum was held Friday, July 13th between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm during the 60th Annual Convention of the SCLC.