north carolina JUSTICE CENTER 20 YEARS of DEFENDING JUSTICE

REPORT & RETROSPECTIVE 1996  2016

20 YEARS OF DEFENDING JUSTICE 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Letter from the Executive Director...... 2

Letter from the Founders...... 3

Leading a War on Poverty in North Carolina: The History of the Justice Center...... 4

The Mission...... 8

Budget and Tax Center...... 9

Consumer Protection and Housing...... 10

Education and Law...... 11

Health Advocacy Project...... 12

Immigrant and Refugee Rights...... 13

NC Policy Watch...... 14

Workers’ Rights...... 15

Management and Support Staff...... 16

Board of Directors...... 17

Thanks to Our Generous Donors...... 18

2015 Defenders of Justice Awards...... 20 2 North Carolina Justice Center

Dear Friends of the Justice Center, This year we celebrate 20 years of work by the North Carolina Justice clergyman who was famous for collecting charity. One day he visited Center. the home of a famous miser who was very rich and lonely. The clergyman knocked on the door and when the miser appeared, he asked him for a Never has the work been so challenging nor more critical: challenging donation for the poor. The miser, incensed, screamed back at him, “All given the national dialogue (or lack thereof), polarized state, and partisan anyone wants is my money. No one cares about me. I worked hard for this political context; critical given the opportunity for change upon us and money and I am going to keep it.” for the crucial need to move North Carolina towards a path of progressive social renewal and expanded economic opportunity for all. The clergyman calmly said, “Please go to the window and tell me what you see.” The man did so and described the people in the street. Then One of my favorite quotes, from Rabbi Hillel, reads, “If I am not for myself, the clergyman asked the miser to look into the mirror on the wall and tell who will be for me; But if I am only for myself, what am I? If not now, him what he saw. The man said, “Well, I see only myself.” The clergyman when?” Everyone belongs to a family, some large and some small. But then said, “The lesson is very simple. Look into the silver and you see only all provide key things for their members: clothing, food, shelter, love and yourself. Take away the silver from the glass and you see the rest of the companionship. And for a family to fulfill its commitment to every member, community.” each person has responsibilities. The Justice Center’s real mission is to help us take away the silver from Those who founded, work in, and support the Justice Center know more the glass and allow all North Carolinians to see one other. In doing so, than most that we all also belong to a much bigger family as part of our we assure no citizen is left behind, none abandoned in the crossfire of an communities and state. Just as with our family, if we are to enjoy the uncaring home, community or society. We help plant the tree of knowledge benefits of our state, we all must equally contribute to its maintenance in every town, sustain the tree of life throughout our state, and nurture the and growth: by paying taxes, abiding by its laws, and helping those in need tree of love for all of us. by alleviating human suffering wherever possible. When we fail to do so the results are all too foreseeable (and preventable): increased hunger, For all who have given and will give to the Justice Center and our work, you homelessness, disease, illiteracy, and poverty. We are, in the end, talking will be remembered for every child you helped inspire, every family you about real people who are dramatically affected by all our contributions of touched and as keepers of North Carolina’s soul. Thank you for making this time, service, and resources. state a kinder, wiser, and better place to live for everyone!

What the Justice Center teaches, by actions and not just words, is a solemn obligation exists, passed down to us by previous generations: to leave this state a better place for us having lived here. By living in North Carolina,

LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR EXECUTIVE THE FROM LETTER we agree to accept it. And, a trust is placed in each of us—by future Rick Glazier generations not yet born—to fulfill our maintenance obligation to fight Executive Director poverty and disease, ignorance and bigotry, and apathy and distrust.

History’s fundamental lesson is we cannot ever separate ourselves from the larger community in which we live. It brings to mind the parable of the 20 YEARS OF DEFENDING JUSTICE 3 LETTER FROM THE FOUNDERS

Dear Friends of the Justice Center,

Twenty years ago, a collaborative decision was made to create a bold facing struggling North Carolinians. Today, the Justice Center utilizes new organization capable of employing multiple advocacy strategies— those very same approaches, with some new ones as well. litigation, policy advocacy, policy research, and grassroots organizing—to improve the lives of low-income and working poor North Carolinians. In 2016, the Justice Center faces different challenges than it did 20 years ago. To be sure, our state’s political landscape has dramatically changed, In 1996, two Legal Services organizations merged—the NC Client and making progressive victories harder to achieve. Poverty is increasing Community Development Center and NC Legal Service Resource Center— in our state, affecting nearly 2 million of our people, and maintains its to form the NC Justice Center. fiercest grip on communities of color, rural areas, children, and single- parent households. Despite these challenges, the Justice Center continues These forerunner organizations had won important victories that moved to call on its remarkable staff to carry on the traditions of its predecessor North Carolina forward in its treatment of disadvantaged people. But, as organizations. successful as these early efforts were, they lacked the power of a single unified organization working, without political constraints, on multiple It is deeply gratifying to all of us who were part of the birth of the Justice fronts for progressive change. Center to see that it’s not only still here but flourishing. The concept of multi-forum advocacy has stood the test of time. The organization During its early years the Justice Center’s future was uncertain. It has grown and taken on that role – and it has emerged as the leader for struggled to find operating funds; in fact, many times we didn’t know if progressive change in our state. we’d be able to keep the doors open from one month to the next. It’s a testament to the commitment of our earliest staff members who took up We extend our congratulations to all who helped build and sustain the the challenge and devoted themselves to the Justice Center’s mission and Justice Center. Here’s to the next 20 years! untested advocacy model.

None of this would have been possible without the selfless support of the Legal Aid community – in many respects they are the reason the Justice Center exists. Due to restrictions placed on Legal Aid advocacy by Congress, the Legal Services community chose to rally together and support the creation of the Justice Center so that the excellent work formerly done by Legal Aid attorneys could carry on.

The Justice Center has evolved dramatically since the early days. In fact, the size and scope of the organization’s work are hard to believe for those of us who set the foundation for the next two decades. Yet the model that Greg Malhoit & Andrew Foster Willis Williams & Victor Boone we envisioned for the Justice Center in 1996 endures: an organization that Founding Co-Executive Directors Founding Board Co-Chairs could effectively employ multiple approaches to address the problems 4 North Carolina Justice Center

he North Carolina Justice Center was born North Carolinians. Tout of a long history of efforts to build Shortly before the pathways to a fairer and more prosperous end of his presidency state. in 1974, President Richard Nixon We have lifted up just some of the milestones signed the Legal in the work to fight poverty achieved by Services Corporation our organization, North Carolina leaders, Act, allowing legal communities, and those living in poverty. representation to dramatically expand The Justice Center’s 20-year plus history of across the country. work shows an institution always responsive to Legal Services of the historical moment but never limited by it. North Carolina was established in 1976 as a confederation of existing legal LEADING A WAR ON POVERTY: services programs, The North Carolina Fund and Its Legacy expanding access to

In the 1960s, Governor Terry Sanford’s In 1964, Gov. Terry Sanford (second from right, middle row) accompanied President Lyndon Johnson on legal representation vision gave rise to the North Carolina Fund the North Carolina leg of his "Poverty Tour" of southern states. This photo was taken in Rocky Mount for poor North – an ambitious initiative that tackled the by Billy E. Barnes. Carolinians. For the task of alleviating poverty by providing first time in many direct services, building connections to state’s poorest residents gave earliest seed to areas of the state, economic opportunity, and empowering local the North Carolina Justice Center. poor people had legal representation available communities. The North Carolina Fund laid the to them. foundation for a community-based model for Thou Shalt Not Ration Justice Not surprisingly, the phenomenon of lawyers fighting poverty—one that sought not just to One of the most effective aspects in the advocating for poor clients in many arenas was alleviate the challenges of economic hardship efforts to combat poverty in our state was often controversial. Right from the start, Legal but also to change the systems that allowed increased legal representation. Services programs encountered opposition such hardship to persist. from powerful interests that sought to shut Service agencies dedicated to legal Before closing in 1968, the North Carolina off and/or restrict their funding. Despite this representation of the poor began operations Fund established a set of community-based opposition, legal services lawyers in North in Greensboro, Charlotte, and Durham in institutions across the state and trained Carolina brought numerous landmark lawsuits, 1967. A few years later, the North Carolina Bar leaders who would continue to be instrumental helped draw up new statutes, and established Association began studying the feasibility of in the work to fight poverty. This early model important new rights for many of the state’s a statewide legal aid system to increase the for improving access to resources for the most vulnerable residents. reach of this effective model serving poor LEADING A WAR ON POVERTY IN NORTH CAROLINA NORTH IN POVERTY ON WAR A LEADING 20 YEARS OF DEFENDING JUSTICE 5

Center’s predecessor E. Casey Foundation, organizations. The with leadership Resource Center initially from the Center specialized in: housing, on Budget & Policy employment, public Priorities, provided assistance and benefits, funding to start Members of the original NC Justice & Community Development Center board included Joe Moody of Roanoke Rapids and Willis consumer protection, the Budget & Tax Williams (with wife, Delsie) of Bertie, Martin, Washington family law, community Center and expanded Community Development Corporation. economic development, Bill Rowe the capacity of the lobbying on behalf of project to conduct Through sustained and effective advocacy, clients at the General research and analysis Legal Services programs in North Carolina Assembly, of budget, tax, and were able to fundamentally change the way and serving as economic issues. that public and private entities dealt with the substantive experts Working closely poor. Legal representation of the poor served for legal services together, the to change the way courts operated, simplifying advocates across federally-funded Rob Schofield and Greg Malhoit take part procedures and rules to make them more the state. The legal services in an outreach session in Warren County accessible and to provide education and self- Client Center, in 1998. programs in North help to clients. also part of Legal Carolina engaged Carlene McNulty Services of North In 1982, Legal Services of North Carolina in effective advocacy consolidated its state-level advocacy into at the legislature, Carolina, engaged in advocacy to a new program, the North Carolina Legal in the courts, and in increase public and private sector Services Resource Center, one of the Justice communities across the resources available to support state. However, such community-based economic programs remained at development, and research on the center of political the barriers faced by community controversy as Congress economic development repeatedly attempted to practitioners. reduce funding and limit By 1992, the Resource Center the types of activities had established the Education undertaken by LSC and Law Project to focus on Sorien Schmidt program staff. In the improving the state’s public 1980s, despite efforts education system so that it would better to curtail LSC, the legal services programs serve low-income children and children of in North Carolina continued to be a strong color. In 1994, a national effort led by the Ford and effective voice for poor people in North An early gathering of parent advocates coordinated by the Foundation, C.S. Mott Foundation, and Annie Carolina. Education and Law Project. 6 North Carolina Justice Center

Welfare Reform and the Origins Legal Services of North Justice, Justice Shalt Thou Pursue of the North Carolina Justice Center Carolina had already initiated an internal The North Carolina Justice and 1996 marked both the founding of the North strategic planning process Community Development Center Carolina Justice Center and the passage of the in response to the potential entered into this new era with a strong Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity restrictions a year before, foundation in litigation and policy Act, which would ultimately leading to the advocacy and substantive expertise substantially cut welfare creation of the North across a range of issues. However, it funding and dramatically Carolina Justice and became increasingly clear resources reduce access to services, Community Development would be needed to effect change on thus limiting the ability of Center, joining the the range of systems that were blocking these public programs to Resource Center with pathways out of poverty for too many move people into greater the North Carolina Long-time Deputy Director Debra North Carolinians. Tyler-Horton with Greg Malhoit. economic security. Client and Community The North Carolina State Bar stepped As a result of the welfare Development Center. in to provide critical financial assistance Adam Searing “reform” legislation, Both organizations had with its Interest on Lawyers’ Trust funding to poor families elected to stop receiving funds from Legal Accounts (IOLTA) plan. IOLTA both in North Carolina and across the country Services so that they would not be bound by funds helped the Center gain collapsed. While welfare reform aimed to help the new restrictions placed on Legal Services its footing, retain a small staff, the poor work their way out of poverty, people programs by Congress. The organizations took and start working on some of in low-wage jobs with little or no benefits could this dramatic step to pioneer a “community- its earliest cases. The support of not improve their livelihood and were left centered” model of anti-poverty advocacy that philanthropic organizations with without a critical lifeline, as were those unable was better able to respond to the challenges deep roots in the fight against to work. faced by low-income people in our state. poverty—Z. Smith Reynolds The new organization’s attachment to both Foundation, notably—was also In that same year, Congress also limited the instrumental in supporting the kinds of legal work that LSC-funded programs legal and policy advocacy set the stage for Nicole Dozier, Al early years of Ripley could undertake on behalf of eligible clients, the work ahead. They continued work they had been historically doing, and took on the work at the including class action litigation, welfare reform Justice Center. advocacy, and most affirmative lobbying and work that could not be done by local legal rulemaking activities. In addition, LSC programs services organizations, including class action By the mid-2000s, the NC were prohibited from claiming or collecting litigation and representation of immigrants. Justice Center had established attorneys’ fees and would no longer be able In the statement announcing the Center’s a unique model that to represent most categories of immigrants. creation, Board of Directors co-chair Ken Schorr incorporated multiple issues Congress also eliminated LSC funding for stated that the merger was an “important and and strategies—litigation, national and state support centers such as the affirmative step” that ensured low-income strategic communication, North Carolina Resource Center. families the protections they received under the policy advocacy, research, and former organizations. Attracta Kelly community engagement. 20 YEARS OF DEFENDING JUSTICE 7

Recession, Reaction and Planning for a The Great and supported by the NC Justice More Prosperous State Recession, while Center and UNC Center for devastating to Poverty, Work and Opportunity, The past decade has seen a mix of success many North sought to shed light on the failure and challenges for the NC Justice Center, Carolinians, of the recovery to make change in which officially adopted its new, more compact would have regions struggling with persistent name in 2006. The Justice Center, like other been worse and concentrated poverty. The organizations oriented towards progress, without the faces of poverty could be seen at helped conceive and shepherd several unemployment each tour stop, from the North important new laws designed to advance a insurance Melinda Lawrence, Executive Director from 2008-2015, East to the Foothills, and the North more prosperous and inclusive state in the early system speaking at a 2012 school voucher press conference. Carolina Justice Center committed 2000s only to see many of them undone during established once again to changing the the last several years. as part of the New Deal in the 1930s and systems that allowed such economic challenges Before the start of the Great Recession, North improved upon in North Carolina throughout to persist in our state and country. the 1990s and early 2000s – often as the direct Carolina had established a series of nationally 2013 was result of advocacy conducted by the Justice recognized laws that served to protect wealth, a year of Center. Similarly, poor North Carolinians and boost incomes, and insure workers and their backlash when, communities would have been harder hit families against economic downturns. The emboldened by without the pursuit of a balanced approach North Carolina Justice Center was, alternatively, supermajorities to the revenue losses that was advocated by behind the scenes, at the forefront or working in the House the Justice Center’s Budget & Tax Center and side by side with numerous partners on many of and Senate resulted in fewer cuts than otherwise would these items, including: and Governor’s have been necessary. • Helping to ban predatory mansion, the “payday” lending The passage of the Affordable Care state pursued throughout the state Act gave further support to a wide a dismantling • Establishing a state swath of North Carolinians who did not of the systems Affordable Housing Trust have access to health care coverage. that afforded Fund The Justice Center’s Health Advocacy pathways out Project was at the forefront of efforts of poverty: Current and former staff of the Budget & Tax Center • Creating a state Earned gathered for its 20th anniversary celebration in 2014. Income Tax Credit not just to advocate for Medicaid tax cuts for Expansion but to make sure that North the wealthy while becoming the only state to • Expanding children’s Carolinians could sign up and access eliminate an existing state EITC; reduction in health insurance health insurance, many for the first state investments in workforce development • Establishing funding time. while gutting unemployment insurance; and mechanisms to deliver a privatization of public education while reducing The Truth & Hope Poverty Tour in sound, basic education per capita commitments to public education. n for every child 2012, led by Rev. Dr. William Barber

The Justice Center's Melinda Lawrence and Ron Garcia-Fogarty, along with MaryBe McMillan of the AFL-CIO, board the Truth and Hope tour bus in 2012. 8 North Carolina Justice Center

Since its origins in the Legal Aid movement, the Justice Center’s mission has been, quite simply, to reduce and eliminate poverty in North Carolina by helping to ensure every household has access to the resources, services, and fair treatment it needs in order to achieve economic THE MISSION THE security. To make opportunity and prosperity for all a reality, we work toward: • Jobs that are safe, pay a living wage, and provide benefits • Access to quality and affordable health care • Quality public education for every child • Consumer protections from abusive practices • Safe and affordable housing • Public investments that expand opportunities for economic security • A fair and stable revenue system that adequately funds public investments while fairly distributing tax responsibility • Fair treatment for everyone in North Carolina – regardless of race, ethnicity, or country of origin

The Justice Center’s effectiveness in advocating for policies that improve the lives of people throughout communities stems from a unique five-strategy approach that includes litigation, public policy advocacy, research, community engagement, and communications across seven issue-area projects. 20 YEARS OF DEFENDING JUSTICE 9 BUDGET & TAX CENTER

he Budget & Tax Center, North Carolina’s • Advocated for and secured, leading source for information on how fiscal in collaboration with a Tand economic policies shape opportunities broad range of partners, for working families, was established as part of a balanced approach to the Justice Center in 1994. BTC analyzes pressing budget deficits caused by budget, tax, and economic decisions facing the the Great Recession that state and local communities, with an eye to include revenue as well as ensuring economic opportunity is expanded for all. targeted spending cuts. A Over the years BTC has: temporary tax package was allowed to expire before • Documented the connection between the revenues recovered to achievement gap and public school funding, replace the worst of cuts. particularly during Leandro v. North Carolina in 1999. BTC worked to identify and promote • Scrupulously documented financing methods that would boost student the recent damaging impact achievement by ensuring resources were of shifting taxes off the available to deliver quality education in every wealthy and large profitable The BTC team, from left: Tazra Mitchell, Mel Umbarger, Alexandra Sirota (Director), Marion classroom to every child, regardless of wealth. corporations and onto North Johnson, Cedric Johnson, Patrick McHugh, Jonela Rogers, Brian Kennedy. Carolinians living in poverty. • Opposed the establishment of the North • Lobbying against legislation to add other Carolina Lottery on the basis that it would fail • Provided research and analysis of the labor constitutional amendments that would have to provide adequate and stable revenue for market, economic expansion, and economic set arbitrary and low-income tax rate caps – the education and would hit poor North Carolinians hardship to design a roadmap for the public and opposite of the public investment our state the hardest. policymakers to build an economy where there is needs. This legislation ultimately failed. opportunity for all North Carolinians. • Supported repeal of the state tax on groceries • Fighting for SNAP benefits (food assistance) that made it more difficult for poor and low- BTC has faced down a commitment to reducing the that people need to build a productive future. income North Carolinians to afford the basics and state’s tools to addressing poverty and, unabated, BTC worked to improve legislation – which boost their local economies through spending. continues to research, lobby, engage, and inform North eventually stalled in the Senate – that would Carolinians and lawmakers. Thanks to the project’s • Produced the first Living Income Standard, have made it more difficult for SNAP recipients to team of researchers and long-term vision for what is resulting in a Legislative Study Committee that access this critical support. possible in North Carolina to build an economy that led to a successful minimum wage campaign in works for all, the Budget & Tax Center is charting a • Continued tracking economic data and the early 2000s. BTC continues to produce the path that seeks to raise the bar and invest to support policies that impact poverty and workforce Living Income Standard every two years. children, families, and communities. This past year, BTC development, encouraging proposals that • Led a coalition of diverse partners in successfully continued its work to protect low-income families by: support economic growth and statewide equity. achieving the enactment of a state Earned Income • Successfully fighting off efforts to enact • Utilizing the #StoptheCuts campaign to explain Tax Credit. Although the NC EITC was repealed TABOR, a constitutional amendment to our the importance of revenue in our state and the in 2013, BTC continues its efforts to reinstate this state constitution that the state Senate passed harmful impact of a lack of revenue on core public policy for the estimated 1 million working families this year. services. n who struggle to make ends meet. 10 North Carolina Justice Center

t the core of the Consumer and Housing • Protecting manufactured Project’s work are some of the foundational home buyers from Aissues of the Justice Center, dating back to abusive lending and sales the creation of the North Carolina Legal Resource tactics. Center in 1982. The team focuses on unfair and deceptive practices targeting North Carolina • Protecting consumers consumers, fair landlord/tenant laws, affordable from unfair collection housing, and lending abuses. practices. Center staff have successfully advocated for The Consumer & Housing landmark laws protecting against predatory Project continues to work lending, mortgage servicing abuses, and through litigation and other debt buyer abuses, to name a few. They have non-legislative efforts engaged in successful class action litigation on behalf of consumers, against unscrupulous mortgage brokers and tenants, homeowners, and payday lenders, and have coordinated statewide low-income families by: foreclosure defense work. Some of these hard • Co-leading the Fair fought victories were accomplished through the Housing Project Center’s effective relationships with policymakers, with Legal Aid of NC, allied attorneys, and organizations from across which fights housing the state working in coalition. Over the years, the discrimination, creates Consumer and Housing staff, from left: Al Ripley (Director), Jason Pikler, Seonaid Rijo, Bill project’s attorneys and lobbyists have advanced Rowe, Carlene McNulty, Jack Holtzman. safe and affordable work on numerous legislative issues including: housing, and enforces • Creating affordable access to utilities and • Stopping predatory lending practices and protections and rights for tenants. transportation, including increasing public defeating legislation that would let lenders transit options, ensuring transit and housing raise interests on consumer loans. • Working to reduce the loss of homes to foreclosures based on predatory mortgage plans to serve all families, and striving to make • Improving protections of tenants in the state servicing practices, foreclosure rescue scams, sure utilities are accessible and affordable even landlord/tenant law, including protections and HOA abuses, and helping lead statewide in remote or impoverished areas. for victims of domestic violence and increased foreclosure defense work. • Working with partners to promote a Clean rights for tenants in foreclosed properties • Representing students who have fallen prey Power Plan (CPP) for NC that complies with • Improving North Carolina’s Fair Housing to predatory practices of for-profit schools carbon reduction goals required by the EPA Act by making it a fair housing violation for through the Predatory For-Profit Schools and takes advantage of incorporating energy

CONSUMER PROTECTION AND HOUSING AND PROTECTION CONSUMER local governments to refuse to allow housing Project, which educates students and the efficiency to benefit North Carolina households development because it is “affordable.” general public on this abusive practice. struggling to pay high energy bills.

• Obtaining increased funding for NC’s Housing • Keeping payday and car-title lending out of • Working with partners to increase Trust Fund and establishing a state housing tax our state by working with allies to fight efforts opportunities for community-supported credit to provide deeper subsidies for housing to lower regulations and increase fees for housing for individuals with severe mental developed for North Carolina’s poorest citizens. companies seeking to make predatory loans. illness. n 20 YEARS OF DEFENDING JUSTICE 11 EDUCATION AND LAW

he Justice Center’s Education and Law Project’s including difficulty in registering students, program is educating North Carolina’s students. work began in 1992 as part of the North Carolina accessing educational supports tailored to TLegal Resource Center to improve the state’s individual students, overcoming language • Supporting increased spending in K-12 public public education system and ensure that all students barriers, discriminatory admissions processes, schools to keep up with enrollment growth, – regardless of the color of their skin, disability, and discriminatory application of school and pushing for increased funding for digital national origin, or socio-economic class – have equal discipline rules. resources, school connectivity, and professional and fair access to high-quality education. development for teachers to use technology in Today, the Education and Law Project engages in innovative ways in the classroom. n As part of its efforts to advocate for expanded efforts to improve and reform public education opportunities and educational outcomes for through tireless policy advocacy at the General historically underserved communities, the Education Assembly, community outreach, communications and Law Project has: and media, and litigation, as well as: • Led successful efforts to prevent passage of • Continuing to lobby for expanded early learning school discipline laws that would have resulted opportunities at the state level and the creation in more students being excluded from public of innovative early childhood programs in local schools. communities that serve low-income, at-risk or underserved students. • Helped pass legislation requiring special services for at-risk students in public schools • Lobbying against unlimited charter school and improved legislation that would have held expansion and unfair school funding formulas back large numbers of students due to a single that would divert millions of dollars of revenue test score. from local public school districts at a time when North Carolina’s schools are among the lowest- • Led successful efforts to appropriate new funds funded in the nation. for local schools so that they are able to offer education programs for non-English speaking • Opposing virtual charter schools and working students. to hold existing schools accountable given their use of public funds, lack of oversight, and • Secured passage of a state law that put an end unprecedented poor results for students. to the “zero tolerance” disciplinary policies that disproportionately excluded many minority • Successfully fighting off changes to integrated students from the opportunity to get an math courses of study that would have education. disrupted teaching and learning by requiring schools to offer two distinct courses of study • Fought harmful resegregation through Office for math and subjecting students to outdated of Civil Rights complaints with the Department Education and Law staff: Matt Ellinwood (Director) and Kris learning models in the process. of Education after the loss of Wake County’s Nordstrom. nationally-recognized diversity policy for school • Fighting for improved accountability for the assignment. Opportunity Scholarship voucher program, which diverts public funding to private schools • Provided legal assistance to families that despite the lack of any meaningful financial encounter barriers to accessing public schools, oversight or information on how well the 12 North Carolina Justice Center

he Justice Center's North Carolina Health fellow advocates to keep Blue Cross Blue Shield • Expanding and protecting access to health Access Coalition, now the Health Advocacy from conversion to a for-profit entity. services for low- and moderate-income TProject (HAP), was founded in 1993 to educate individuals and families by serving as a voice the public and policymakers about health care The Center took the lead in North Carolina in for health equity and coordinating with partner reform options and enable consumers to become lobbying for the Patient Protection and Affordable groups to organize lobby days and press events. active participants in developing health policy for the Care Act (ACA) to transform the health care system state's residents. by writing research papers, lobbying members of • Providing information to health care Congress, collecting personal stories, and arguing for consumers, community members, and Over the years HAP– first as part of the NC Legal adoption of the law in the media. Today, the Health stakeholders. HAP meets with communities Services Resource Center and now the Justice Center Advocacy Project continues its work to ensure that about enrolling for health coverage and – offered policy proposals for solving the problems of all North Carolinians have meaningful access to high necessary improvements to overall health care health insurance in North Carolina and the country quality, affordable, equitable, and comprehensive experiences. at large, including active involvement in crafting the health care by: state’s Children Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and advocating for more mental health coverage • Advocating for the funding. The Justice Center’s health team: expansion of NC Medicaid so that 500,000 North • Led efforts to provide health insurance Carolinians in the Coverage coverage for 100,000 uninsured children of Gap have access to quality the working poor through the establishment, health care, and for further expansion, and improvement of North improvements to the ACA. Carolina's Health Choice program. Nearly 95 The health team utilizes percent of children have health coverage in the research and analysis to document the economic and HEALTH ADVOCACY PROJECT ADVOCACY HEALTH state. health impact of Medicaid • Led efforts to improve dental care for children expansion, public forums, on NC's Medicaid program. The effort, and social media to push for accompanied by a class action lawsuit filed legislation at the General by the Justice Center and other groups, led to Assembly that would expand an increased dental reimbursement rate and Medicaid eligibility. annual budget. • Providing analysis on • Led consumer health advocates in calling state efforts to reform Health Advocacy Project staff: Ciara Zachary, Nicole Dozier (Director), and Brendan Riley. for establishment of a health trust fund, North Carolina Medicaid by resulting in a projected $1 billion health trust highlighting how Medicaid • Promoting the consumer perspective on state (over 25 years) to improve the health of North expansion supports and strengthens the aims and federal health care policy in the press, on Carolinians. and initiatives in reform. statewide committees, and at public forums. n • Led efforts to build one of the largest, diverse • Leading community educational events to coalitions of health advocates in the state to promote the use of the ACA Marketplace. North inform and mobilize stakeholders on health Carolina consistently ranks in the top five states reform. The health team also worked with for enrollment. 20 YEARS OF DEFENDING JUSTICE 13 IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE RIGHTS

he North Carolina Justice and Community • Assisting clients and their family Development Center’s Immigrant Legal members seeking to obtain, extend TAssistance Project began in 1996 and evolved or retain lawful immigration status into the Justice Center’s current Immigrant & Refugee or citizenship in the United States. Rights Project (IRRP). The project provides high-quality representation in a wide-range of IRRP works to ensure low-income immigrants have immigration matters including U visas legal representation, to advance public policies that for victims of crime; asylum for those improve the well-being of immigrant families, and to escaping persecution; women and children promote acceptance and understanding of immigrants who suffered neglect or abuse; and family and refugee communities in North Carolina. IRRP: members seeking reunification. • Created and sustained the Eastern Carolina Immigrants’ Rights Project in 2007, a joint effort • Advocating for an administrative relief program that would change removal of Legal Services of North Carolina and the North Immigrant and Refugee Rights staff: Mindy Lemus, Juan Calderon, Dani Carolina Justice Center, to serve immigrants in Moore (Director), Raul Pinto, Kate Woomer-Deters. priorities, expand Deferred Action for Eastern NC who are not eligible for federally- Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and create funded legal assistance. Pursuing these goals on a wide range of issues, including anti-immigrant a new work permit for parents of U.S. continues today in the efforts of IRRP and the legislation, in-state tuition for immigrant students, the citizens and legal permanent residents. IRRP Workers’ Rights Project. unjust federal immigration system, language access, personally assisted more than 2,000 young policies that promote integration and economic people with their DACA applications and played • Worked on behalf of low-income immigrants opportunity, and strategies for community organizing. a leading role in the state for other nonprofit to collect wages owed for violation of minimum IRRP also provides individual representation in the organizations implementing DACA programming. wage and overtime laws, to protect their rights areas of immigration law, workers’ rights, housing and • Representing immigrants who are victims of to safe housing, and to protect them from unfair consumer law, and public benefits. Highlights of the consumer transactions. fraud and working to stop businesses from staff’s work include: engaging in predatory and illegal practices, such • Represented thousands of low-income • Comprehensive anti-immigrant legislation as notarios, or unauthorized practitioners of law immigrants in obtaining the legal status they response and coordination, including efforts who prey on the immigrant community. need to be able to live and work in North Carolina. to limit use of local and organizational IDs to • determine a person’s identity or residency Providing critical research about the positive • Fought for immigrants to have fair access to and attempts to limit refugee resettlement in impact of immigrants on North Carolina’s and the economic benefits that could public benefits, educational opportunities, North Carolina. IRRP created and provides staff economy, be gained from licensing all qualified drivers or drivers’ licenses, and government offices, while support to the Movement to End Racism and enabling more immigrant students to enroll in our opposing discriminatory bills that would seek Islamophobia. to limit immigrants’ ability to fully interact with state’s universities and community colleges. government and integrate into society. • Improving immigrant access to health care • through education and advocacy efforts that Expanding access to interpreters for all people by collaborating Today, the Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project inform the public about immigrant eligibility for who access the court system with the state and federal government, lawyers, provides support to immigrant organizations public benefits such as Medicaid, Social Security, interpreters, court staff, judges, and community throughout the state. The project leads workgroups and the ACA, and assisting individuals to obtain advocates to push for additional improvements to and coalitions of advocates and community leaders to needed benefits. coordinate education, advocacy, and strategic action interpreter access in court. n 14 North Carolina Justice Center

riginally founded in 2004, NC Policy Watch most recently, House Bill 2, North Carolina’s joined the Justice Center as its “front page” sweeping anti-LGBT legislation. Onews and commentary project in 2007. Since the outset, the overarching objective of NC Policy • All-purpose investigative reporting, including Watch has remained straightforward: To inform general topics such as corruption, waste, and and elevate public policy debates and, ultimately, fraud – a 2012 investigation led to a conviction to ensure that progressive policy solutions win the and prison sentence for a powerful state “battle of ideas.” The project operates under the legislator – and specific areas like the state guiding premise that the progressive movement can lottery, turmoil at the Department of Health and only succeed through a sustained, relentless, long- Human Services, the UNC system, and Medicaid haul commitment to producing compelling news privatization. stories, commentary, research, and analysis in order • Daily news commentary, in which experts

NC POLICY WATCH POLICY NC to turn the tide and ensure a future built on just and tackle the tough issues, including: poverty and sound policy choices. economic justice, voting rights, tax fairness, Conceived initially as an outlet for progressive legislative accountability and credibility, racial NC Policy Watch staff: Clayton Henkel, Billy Ball, Lisa Sorg, Chris commentary that would help to counter the discrimination, reproductive freedom, LGBT Fitzsimon (Director), Rob Schofield, Joe Killian. network of well-funded conservative “think tanks” equality, the death penalty and criminal justice, dominating the state public policy debate, NC predatory consumer practices, gun violence, and North Carolinians. This fact has been rendered all Policy Watch has since grown into a fully-fledged myriad others. the more important over the last half-decade as multimedia operation that features a team of eight various policymakers set about repealing decades of full-time professionals who produce thousands of • Serving as a resource and media outlet to progress in an array of critical areas. Policy Watch’s words in original news and opinion. Top priority areas the broader Justice Center and the state’s efforts were highlighted in December 2015 with the of work include: progressive advocacy community, including release of a seminal report, “Altered State: How five providing the state’s mainstream news reporters years of conservative rule have redefined North • Education reporting on the impact of state with a weekly “tip sheet” of recommended Carolina.” budget cuts on the K-12 system and higher news stories; co-sponsoring monthly “Crucial education, vouchers and the expansion of Conversation” luncheons at which nonprofit The reach and impact of NC Policy Watch’s work is charter schools, and slashed funding for teacher leaders address timely subjects; coordinating a reflected in the consistent and impressive growth assistants, textbooks, and services, even as per- progressive op-ed service (“Progressive Voices”) of its audience. Policy Watch now measures annual pupil spending plummets across the state. that distributes free opinion pieces each week pageviews in the millions and has hundreds of to news outlets throughout the state; and thousands of “unique visitors.” NC Policy Watch • Environmental reporting on regular producing a statewide syndicated radio show commentaries, news stories, and original radio examinations of how pro-business agendas “News and Views” that features dozens of the content appeared in more than 50 newspapers and have trumped environmental concerns, North state’s nonprofit advocacy leaders every year. stations, and combined social media followers on Carolina’s disastrous 2014 coal ash spill, fracking, Facebook and Twitter shot past 35,000. and climate change’s impact on our state. As the size and capabilities of the traditional, As it enters its 13th year, NC Policy Watch is bigger, mainstream news media have ebbed in recent years, better and more impactful than it has ever been. Its • Courts and law reporting on voting restrictions Policy Watch reporters and commentators have staff members look forward to redoubling efforts and voter suppression, how the state Supreme often represented the only news outlet documenting to promote a fairer, healthier, and more prosperous Court advanced the conservative agenda, the and critiquing many of the important shifts in state North Carolina in the years ahead. n impact of federal decisions on our state and, policy and reporting on the stories that most affect 20 YEARS OFANNUAL DEFENDING REPORT JUSTICE 2014 15 WORKERS' RIGHTS PROJECT

he Workers’ Rights Project works to enforce regulations expanding protections for migrant legislation that expands eligibility for unpaid, and expand policies that ensure safe workers in the areas of pesticide exposure and job-protected leave under the Family Medical Tworkplaces, a living wage, and a strong safety migrant housing. Leave Act, allows working North Carolinians net in times of hardship. The team empowers to earn more paid sick days, and prevents workers to advocate for their rights in the workplace, The Workers’ Rights Project carries on that work to discrimination against pregnant people. secures public policies that improve economic this day by fighting to change policies that prevent security for working families, and ensures workers people with criminal convictions from finding • Raising the minimum wage. The team works get the training they need for quality jobs. Over the employment and housing, advocating for laws with partners to support legislative proposals years, attorneys, lobbyists, and analysts have: and workplace policies that improve conditions for and lead campaigns (such as #WageWeek) that migrant workers and caregivers, and providing legal would increase the minimum wage in North • Filed class actions on behalf of H2A farmworkers representation to farmworkers and other low-wage Carolina, allowing working families to better and H2B workers in North Carolina to ensure workers, as well as: meet the needs of their families. they were fairly paid their transportation and visa costs and the promised wage. • Improving the state’s Unemployment Insurance • Combating wage theft. Justice Center Program and restoring benefits cut in 2013. advocates demand that the NC Labor • Supported passage of legislation increasing the The project works to educate lawmakers and Commissioner upholds the law and makes state’s minimum wage to the federal minimum the public on how the state's unemployment companies pay their workers, and have filed wage level, increasing wages for over 30,000 insurance now provides too little for too short class action litigation to uphold workers’ rights workers. a period to too few of North Carolina’s jobless to be paid for their work. workers. • Supported passage of legislation that expands • Supporting Second Chances, including eligibility for unemployment benefit payments • Fighting for pro-family policies, including expanding certificates of relief and expunction, to thousands of jobless workers. and legislation that would require judges • Played a key role in securing worker protection setting aside a wrongful reforms after the Hamlet fire tragedy, including conviction to issue an order adoption of protections against retaliation in expunging the crime from the workplace and more OSHA inspectors. all official records. • Helped establish an enhanced system to • Battling House Bill combat “misclassification” of workers as 2 and its indoctrination independent contractors which leads to workers of employment being denied protections and benefits. discrimination. The • Led efforts to reduce barriers to reentry for Justice Center worked individuals with criminal records by improving with partners to fight the expunction laws, creating certificates of harmful bill that empowers relief, establishing reentry councils, and businesses to discriminate prohibiting occupational licensing boards from and weakens the ability of automatically disqualifying individuals with local governments to raise criminal records. wages. n

• Worked with partners to pass legislation and Workers' Rights staff: Clermont Ripley, Carol Brooke, Daniel Bowes, Mindy Lemus, Allan Freyer (Director), Ana Pardo, Bill Rowe. 16 North Carolina Justice Center

RIGHT: CORE staff: Megan Glazier, Lucy Martinez, Jan Nichols, Susan Dunn, Suijin Li Snyder, Elise Elliott, Melissa Wiggins. MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT STAFF SUPPORT AND MANAGEMENT

ABOVE: Management staff: Bill Rowe, Susan Dunn, Lucy Martinez, Carlene McNulty, Rick Glazier RIGHT: Communications team: (Executive Director). Julia Hawes, Phyllis Nunn 20 YEARS OF DEFENDING JUSTICE 17 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Dede Carney Lisa Grafstein Richard Dr. Wayne Greg Weeks Greenville Raleigh Moore Riggins Fayetteville Raleigh Fayetteville KELLER WILLIAMS DISABILITY RIGHTS CUMBERLAND NC CEO, FIRST BANCORP CAPE FEAR EYE COUNTY SUPERIOR ASSOCIATES COURT (RET.) BOARD CO-CHAIR BOARD TREASURER

Narendra Dr. Eric Mr. Juvencio Keith Rivers Dr. Jesse Ghosh Mansfield Rocha Peralta Elizabeth City White Chapel Hill Holly Springs Greenville Chapel Hill PRESIDENT, PASQUOTANK NAACP PATTERSON CAPE FEAR ASSOCIATION OF OFFICE OF HARKAVY LLP OTOLARYNGOLOGY MEXICANS IN NORTH ECONOMIC CAROLINA, INC. AND BUSINESS BOARD CO-CHAIR (AMEXCAN) DEVELOPMENT, UNC CHAPEL HILL

Frank Mal Maynard Ray Rapp Rev. Cathy John I. Wilson Goldsmith Wilmington Mars Hill Tamsberg Raleigh Marion Raleigh FINANCIAL FMR. NC HOUSE OF EXECUTIVE GOLDSMITH, PROTECTION LAW REPRESENTATIVES PULLEN MEMORIAL DIRECTOR, GOLDSMITH AND CENTER BAPTIST CHURCH NATIONAL DEWS PA EDUCATION BOARD SECRETARY ASSOCIATION (RET.)

Karen Gottovi Ann McColl Suzanne Cullie Wilmington Raleigh Reynolds Tarleton Winston-Salem Blowing Rock NC DIVISION OF EVERETT GASKINS AGING AND ADULT HANCOCK LLP DEAN, NORTH CAROLINA SERVICES (RET.) WAKE FOREST HOUSE OF UNIVERSITY SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVES OF LAW (RET.) 2015 2015 2015 2015 North Carolina Justice Center Organizational Donors Foundations In Honor Of In Memory Of Advisors Financial Group, Inc. A.J Fletcher Foundation GEORGE BLACK Duane Adkinson

AJ Fletcher Foundation Blueprint NC ANN DODGE June W. Aysse Center for Responsible Lending Brandon Roberts & Associates JULIA FIORE Gary Martin Cone Health Foundation Caring Across Generations/ PATRICIA GAINEY Disability Rights Bend the Arc Myrna Miller RICK GLAZIER Farah & Cammarano Center for Budget and Policy Don Rice Priorities CLAYTON HENKEL Glenn, Mills, Fisher & Mahoney Denny Shaffer Center for Responsible Lending MELINDA LAWRENCE Martin & Jones Community Catalyst GREG MALHOIT Elinor Paul Tetterton McMillan & Smith NC Foundation for Public School Cone Health RANI MARGOLIN Bekah Zask Children Family Values @ Work CHERYL MCGRAW NCAE Ford Foundation TAZRA MITCHELL Hispanics in Philanthropy Network South JASON PIKLER North Carolina Assocation of Impact Fund ART POPE Educators Jobs With Justice Education North State Bank Fund BILL ROWE Patterson Harkavy LLP Kate B Reynolds Foundation ROB SCHOFIELD Richir Outreach Legal Aid of North Carolina ALEXANDRA FORTER SIROTA Romeo Wiggins & Company Mary Reynolds Babcock Salsa Foundation CATHY TAMSBERG Self-Help Mott Foundation LINDSAY WAGNER The Jernigan Law Firm North Carolina IOLTA MICHAEL WATKINS Tin Fulton Walker & Owen Park Foundation BILL WILSON Vaguely Reminiscent Public Interest Projects LESLIE WINNER The Barbara McDowell and THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS DONORS GENEROUS OUR TO YOU THANK Van Kampen Law RHONDA WRIGHT Wallace & Graham, P.A. Gerald S. Hartman Foundation VENABLE FAMILY Winslow Wetsch, PLLC Triangle Community Foundation Warner Foundation ALL THE PUBLIC SCHOOL Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, LLP TEACHERS IN NORTH Womens International League for Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation CAROLINA Peace and Freedom 2015 ANNUAL REPORT 2015 17 Individual Donors

• Brooke Adams • Dennis Burns • Estelle Dubow • Jane Gray • Sarah Jones • Margaret McCann • Dana Player • James Smith • Timothy Vonderembse • Martha Alexander • Lewise Busch • Michele Dubow • Robert Gray • Treva Jones • Ann McCracken • Megan Polzer • Jane Smith • John Wagner • Robin Allen • Jay Butler • Jim and Joanna Dudley • John Graybeal • Ambassador James • Sara McEwen • Jeis Ponce • Mazie Smith • Margaret Wainwright • David Allred • Pat Butler • Nancy Duncan • Nancy Grebenkemper Joseph and Mary • Ellen McGeorge • Joan Poole • Stephen Smith • Greg Walker Wilson • Patricia Amend • Gregory Camp • Susan Dunn • Gary Greenberg Braxton-Joseph • Jennifer McGovern • Francella Poston • Rabbi Eric Solomon • Stuart Wallace • Natalie Ames • Robert Campbell • Sandra DuPuy • Marena Groll • Art & Carol Kainz • Cheryl McGraw • James Potter • Carol Soroos • Joan Walsh • Gary Ander • Charlotte Caplan • Martin Dyckman • Sharon Grubb • Freya Kamel • Maria McIntyre • Mark Pozefsky • Katherine Sparrow and • Jenny Warburg • Carol Anderson • Susan Carl • Martin Eakes • Priscilla Guild • Lynne Kane • Larry McLean • Marlene Pratto Donald Tyson • Donald and Grace • Shel Anderson • Dede Carney • John Eberhart • Joe Hackney • Patsy Keever • Troy McLean • Jane Preyer • Edwin Speas Washington • William Andrews • Becky Carver • Jennie Eblen • Diana Hales • John Keller • MaryBe McMillan • Homer Edward Price • Lynn B. Spees • Thomas Watson • Bob Jackson and Anne • Jean Cary • Steven Edelstein • Jacquelyn Hall • Martha Kennedy • Robert Hayes McNeill • Lisa Price • Vicki Spira • Walter Weathers Deloria • Matt and Suzanne • Susan Eder • Jim Hammerle • Harriet Kestenbaum • Gabriele McStanislav- • Thomas Price • Adam and Jane Stein • Janice Wedel • Margaret Arbuckle Case • Dan Edwards • Ellis Hankins • David Kiel Cudjoe • James Protzman and • Gerda Stein • Linda Weisel • Linda Ashendorf • Caroline Cate • Mary Ellin Eisele • Beverly Hanly • June Kimmel • Ellen Medearis Jane Brown • Peter Stein • Jennifer Weiss • Ann Ashford • Dick Chady • Teresa Elli • Elizabeth Hansen • Rebecca King • Charles Meeker • Jan Ramquist • Mark Sternlicht • Judith West • William D Austin • Larry Cheek • Robert Elliot and • Laura Hanson • Lee Kirby • Margaret Elaine Mejia • Bryna Rapp • Janice Stratton • Jane Wettach • Elizabeth Axtell • Gail Citron Suzanne Reynolds • Nahomi Harkavy • Larkin Kirkman • Julia Merricks • Alice Ratliff • Paul Suhr • Jesse White • Katherine Baer • Beverley Clark • Sabra Faires • Richard and Lonna • Lynn Klein • Lotte and Seymour • Charles Reece • Brenda Summers • John White • Barbara Bales • Jack Clark • Victor Farah Harkrader • Mary Klenz Meyerson • George and Susan • Geraldine Sumter • Frederick Whiteside • Laura Ballance • Spencer Clark • Sara Farner Budarz • Thomas Harmon • Leo Klohr and Judy • Sally Migliore Reed • Preetha Suresh • Gordon Widenhouse • Daniel Barron • Barbara Clawson • Allen Feezor • Jean Harrison Occhetti-Klohr • Brent Miller • Tom and Ticie Rhodes • Mary Ellen Taft • Jeaneane Williams • Rachel Bearman • Mimi Clayton • Karen Ferguson • Pricey Harrison • Frank Konhaus • Elizabeth Miller • Jody Risacher • Mary Ann Tally • Patty Williams • Hank Becker • Louise Clifford • Theodore Fillette • Steve Harrison • Janet Kowal • Fred Mills • Carol Rist • Cathy Tamsberg and • Polly Williams • Suzanne Begnoche • Annetta Cobb • Thomas Fiore • Alice Hart • Nana Kpekuoma • Carol Minton • Shannon Ritchie Felicia Roper • Bill Wilson • Laura Benedict • Gerry Cobb • Curry First • Richard Hart • Judith Krahmer • Deborah Mintz • Michele Rivest • John Tate • David Wilson • Paul Bennett • Allen Cofiori • Chris Fitzsimon and • Tom Hatch • Sue Krebs • Margaret Misch • Jill Roberts • Dave Tayloe • John I. Wilson • Brenda Berlin • Jeff Cohen Barbara Wiedemann • Jerome Hay • Andria Krewson • Jack Mitchell • Robert Rodriguez • Deborah Teasley • Leslie Winner • Ann Berry • Patrick Conway • Eleanor Fleishman • Richard Hendel • Merry Lake • Richard Moore • William Rohe • Henry Teich • Elisa Wolper • Mary Bethel • Amanda Cook • septina Florimonte • Clayton Henkel • Bill Lamb • Peter Morris • Mayra Romero • Vaneada Terrell • Ann Wood • Fred Beyer • Alan Cormack • Louis Fogleman • Juli Hennessee • Tom Lambeth • Lawrence and Claire • Gayle Ruedi • Evelyn Terry • Faith Wright • Donald Birt • Patricia Cotham • Phil Fonville • David Henson • Anne Landin Morse • Michael Rulison • Glenn Tetterton- • Peggy Wright • Stephanie Biziewski • Dana Courtney • Edith Forkwa • Scott Herman-Giddens • Roberta Lane • Stephanie Moultrie • Kathryn Sabbeth Opheim • Ray Wyche • Jim Blaine • Clark Cramer • Laurie Fox • Pat Hielscher • Henry Lanier • Maria Mozo • Richard Salwitz • Clarke Thacher • Susan Yaggy • Dr. David H. Bland • Betty Craven • Sally Franz • Kathleen Hoffmann • Luke Largess • Connie Mullinix • Donald Saunders • Larry Thompson • Sue and Larry Yarger • Nancy Bledsoe • Gisele Crawford • Donald Frey • John Holland • Mike Leahy • Susan Murty • Helen Savage • Marnie Thompson • Marsha Zaidman • Kenneth and Robin • Katherine Cross • Juana Garces • John Holmes • William Lease • Ami Nagle • Michael Schaul • Miriam Thompson • Ronald Zumstein Boger • Rebecca Crowder • Patricia Garrett • Carmen Hooker Odom • Philip Lehman • Enimia Navarette • Steve Schewel • Amy and Michael • Anonymous Tiemann • Brandee Boggs • Karen Crowell • Roy Gaudette • Lucille Howard • Margaret Leinbach • Gene Nichol • Patricia Schofield • Anonymous • MaryBeth Tobin • Mitchel and Linda • Laura Crumpler • Ellen W. Gerber • Diane Howdeshell • Teme Levbarg • Debra Nickels • David Scott • Anonymous • Kate D Torrey Bollag • Liz Cullington • Thomas Gerig • Michael Hrivnak • Lisa Levenstein • Cathy Nieman • Gabriel Scott • Anonymous • James Townsend • Jack Bookman • Kenneth Dalsheimer • Narendra Ghosh • Christopher Hudson • Georgia Lewis • Marie Novello • Pam Seamans • Anonymous • Rosa Trejo • Dennis Boos • Frank Daniels • John Gilbert • Michelle Hughes • Janice Lewis • Georgina Ocampo • Scottie Seawell • Anonymous Campa • pamela trent • Greg Borom • Rev. J. Mark Davidson • Jennifer Ginsburg • Anne Hummel • Julie Linton • Carolyn Sexton • Anonymous • Melva Okun • Sister Rose Marie • Tom E. Bowers • Bruce Davis • Rick and Lise Glazier • Joyce Ingalls • Marvin Lucas • Leon Shackleford • Anonymous • Michael Okun Tresp • Doris Bowles • Rhoda Davis • Renee Gledhill-Earley • Clyde Ingle • Mary Lucas • Frank Shaw • Anonymous • Karen Ortega Ramos • Paul Tucker • Scott Bradley • Marshall Dietz • Carole Goforth • Deanne and Sandy • Susan Lupton • John Shaw • Anonymous • Jenni Owen • Ann Valentine • Thomas W. • Sharon Dole • Frank Goldsmith Irving • Margaret Anne Mackie • Nancy Shoemaker • Anonymous Bradshaw, Jr. • John Parker and • Sharon Valentine • Lynn Dorfman • Mary Goodkind • Robin and Debbie • Nancy MacLean • Jeffrey Shrewsbury • William Brandon Easter Maynard • Charles van der Horst • John Dornan • Diane Goodwin Jenkins • Roberta Madden • Mark Sills • William Brewer • Katherine Parker and Laura Svetkey • Stephen Dovenitz • Lucy Gorham • Stephen Jenks • Allison Mahaley • Gary Simpson • Carol Brooke • Liliana Parker • Terry Van Duyn • Claudia Dowd • Roger Gorham • Leonard Jernigan • Greg Malhoit and • Karen Sindelar • George Broussard Melinda Lawrence • Emily Paterson • Chris van Hasselt • Tony Dowling • Dan and Karen Gottovi • Kathy Johnson • Jeff Sinn • Harry Payne • Barbara Vandenbergh • Jill Bullitt • Chris and Susan • Pam Johnson • Otilia Martin • Alexandra Sirota • Bertis Downs • Joy Vermillion • Larry Bumgardner Graebe • Robin Johnson • Ramona Mateo • Margaret Peeples • Jenny Doyle • Robert Sirota Heinsohn • Bridgette Burge • Lisa Grafstein • David Jolly Montano • Jeffrey Petrou • Lina Drinkard • Cynthia Slater • Tom Vitaglione • Rebecca Burmester • Mal Maynard • Jane Pinsky • Ilana Dubester • Bobbie Grammer • Christopher Jones • Evelyn Smith 20 North Carolina Justice Center

THE 17TH ANNUAL

DEFENDERS of JUSTICE Awards May 14, 2015 2015 Event Sponsors 2015 Honorees GOLD Gayle Ruedi John I. Wilson

SILVER Ajamu & Rukiya Gladys Robinson Dillahunt Ambassador James Joseph Cathy Tamsberg and Mary Braxton-Joseph and Felicia Roper

Anne and Sam Hummel, Chris Fitzsimon and in honor of Senator Gladys Barbara Wiedemann Robinson Dr. Jesse White

Anonymous John Parker Honorable Susan Fisher and Easter Maynard Bob Orr Anonymous NC Foundation for Public Anonymous School Children Suzanne Reynolds Betty Craven and Hoppy Elliot and Michael Warner Tony Dowling

Tom Vitaglione BRONZE

Advisors Financial Cone Health Foundation Glenn, Mills, Fisher & Matt and Suzanne Case Romeo Wiggins and Vaguely Reminiscent, in Group, Inc Mahoney Company memory of Jinni Majian Daniel and Karen McMillan & Smith Bill Wilson and Carol Gottovi Jane Preyer Self-Help and Center for Van Kampen Law Melinda Lawrence and Teal Responsible Lending Dede Carney Jernigan Law Firm Gregory Malhoit Wallace & Graham, P.A. Billy Brewer Suzanne Begnoche, Disability Rights NC John Dornan and Pat Network South William and Alice Hart Attorney at Law Bob Jackson and Anne Orrange Farah & Cammarano, Richir Outreach Winslow Wetsch, PLLC Deloria Senator Terry Van Duyn P.A. Legal Aid of North

Chris and Susan Graebe Carolina 20 YEARS OF DEFENDING JUSTICE 21 Phone: (919) 856-2570 Fax: (919) 856-2175 [email protected] www.ncjustice.org www.ncpolicywatch.com Physical Address: 224 S. Dawson Street • Raleigh, NC 27601 Mailing Address: PO Box 28068 • Raleigh, NC 27611

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