Being part of the Race and Justice Clinic has bolstered my self-confidence in my abilities as a future lawyer and has enabled me to make meaningful contributions towards ensuring that the most marginalized members of communities, such as incarcerated individuals, have a chance at justice.
The Race and Justice Clinic works to disrupt the systemic over-representation of youth of color in the juvenile and adult criminal justice systems through direct representation and systemic advocacy. Clinic students advocate for young people who are pushed out of school, given extreme sentences and stigmatized by juvenile criminal history records. The Race and Justice Clinic strives to center the voices and stories of youth and their communities to seek innovative solutions.
Clinic students have represented youth before the Clemency and Pardons Board, in first appearance hearings, records sealing motions, motions to modify legal financial obligations, school discipline hearings and early release hearings before the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board. Recently, the clinic has focused on individuals who are serving extreme adult sentences for crimes they committed when they were adolescents by filing requests for resentencing hearings in the trial and appellate courts.
Examples include conducting workshops for youth in detention, collaborating with incarcerated youth to train public defenders, presenting youth voices to the Washington Supreme Court and educating community members about the harms of jailing youth.
Examples include partnering with a youth organization to draft Police in Schools: Student Perceptions of School Resource Officers and drafting an amicus brief filed in the Washington Supreme Court, partnering with the Washington Supreme Court Minority and Justice Commission’s Youth Justice Committee to draft a report on youth diversion programs around the state and partnering with high school students to advocate for curriculum that addresses their cultural history.
"'Baby, you're home.' Anthony returns to his childhood home for the first time in 20 years, as the extended Covert family gathers to celebrate Christmas and reminisce." (Source: Concrete Mama)
Students in the Race and Justice Clinic reversed a de facto life sentence by advocating for the mitigating factors of their client’s youthfulness.
A long-time client of the Tools for Social Change Clinic was granted clemency and freed from incarceration in June 2024.
Young detainees report concerns with drinking-water quality, long periods without visitors, lack of substance-abuse treatment and staffing shortages. Professor Kim Ambrose, director of the Race and Justice Clinic, is quoted. (Source: Cascade PBS)
Recognized among the Husky 100, Ayla Kadah sees a future with more lawyers supporting healing and transformation.