For Immediate Release
Contact: bpacheco@nylag.org | c: 917.771.9845
George Floyd. Breonna Taylor. Ahmaud Arbery. The thousands of black and brown lives disproportionately lost to COVID-19. NYLAG is outraged and saddened by these murders and deaths. Black lives matter, and we join others across the nation to demand policies and practices reflecting the fact that they do matter. In response, NYLAG President & Attorney-in-Charge Beth Goldman offered the following statement:
“NYLAG unequivocally believes in fair and equal access to justice for all. Unfortunately, this is still an aspiration and not yet reality because of the enduring legacy of racism. In doing our work, we cannot ignore how racism is inextricably tied to the structure, institutions, and systems – the legal system, courts, housing, education, immigration, government benefits, consumer debt – we encounter every day. We cannot effectively address the needs of our clients and the community without combating the oppressive systems that keep the status quo in place because racism is a barrier to justice.”
NYLAG will continue to fight to demand justice and systemic change. It is our commitment to learn and evolve, as an institution. Each of us has a responsibility to take deliberate action to disrupt and dismantle racism in our work, our workplace, and beyond.
Together, we can be fierce agents of change and on the right side of history.
About NYLAG
Founded in 1990, the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) is a leading not-for-profit civil legal services organization advocating for adults, children, and families that are experiencing poverty or have low income. We tackle the legal challenges and systematic barriers that threaten our clients’ economic stability, well-being, and safety. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and constantly improving how we respond to systemic issues of racism that affect our clients in their pursuit of justice. We address emerging and urgent needs with comprehensive, free civil legal services, direct representation, impact litigation, policy advocacy, financial counseling, medical-legal partnerships, and community education and partnerships. Last year, we affected the lives of 90,800 people. Learn more at nylag.org.
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