We are changing legal aid.
We create community activism-law programs for, by, with, and within our partner communities. Our model of community activism lawyering unites lawyers and activists to help underserved communities access justice and pursue social change.
Ina is a community member that worked with Beyond Legal Aid in 2023 through our partnership with Jane Addams Senior Caucus, but that is not when her story begins. Ina is an Ashkenazi Jewish woman, which puts her at a significantly higher risk of getting breast cancer.
Beyond Legal Aid is thrilled to announce the launch of our newest partnership with Chicago Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee (CIWOC) in this new year! CIWOC is Beyond’s 9th activism partner, bringing an exciting addition to our 22 total partnerships!
There are many barriers to receiving decent legal services, and unfortunately, money is one of them. Community member, Michelle, chose to fight her custody battle without representation for this reason. However, after a few months, she felt the case remained stagnant; that’s when she was referred to Beyond Legal Aid by a friend.
When people think of slumlords, they tend to think of landlords with multiple large properties. However, in Chicago, we’ve seen that there are small landlords that you have to be wary of, as well. Many small landlords don’t know the eviction process, or they prey on tenants that don’t know their rights. Luckily, community member Jorge knew his.
Financial stress is something many people experience in their life, and it frequently puts strain on relationships. Unfortunately, community member, Juan, experienced this first-hand. He came to the legal clinic at our community partner, Centro de Trabajadores Unidos, in 2018 to receive assistance in collecting unpaid wages.
It’s often easy to overlook certain privileges, but community member, Pablo, will always be grateful for the privilege of US citizenship.