“What are you doing for others?”: Equal Justice Works Fellows Honor the Spirit of Martin Luther King Jr.

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, we celebrate the work of our Fellows who are bringing us closer to Dr. King’s vision of equality and justice for all. 

In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” At Equal Justice Works, we facilitate opportunities for lawyers to transform their passion for equal justice into a lifelong commitment to public service. Our Fellows spend each day of their projects strengthening communities, bridging barriers, and creating sustainable solutions.  

Over the past year, Fellows have shared stories with us about their work advocating for voting rights, LGBTQ+ rights, environmental justice, immigrant rights, racial justice and more in communities across the country.  

Learn about these impactful projects from our Fellows, in their own words, below:  

• Protecting Equal Access to Education: 2023 Fellows Makiah Lyons, Vanessa Aceves, Breanna Bollig, and Rachel Niegelberg share their work on education access, educational rights, and special education issues. 

• Enforcing Tenant Protections Under the Fair Housing Act: 2022 Fellow Holly Webster shares her experience and lessons learned advocating for fair housing. 

• Closing the Access to Justice Gap for Trans People in Rural Areas: 2018 Fellow alum Dusty Weber LaMay shares his work creating legal resources for trans people trying to attain name changes, gender changes for records, and more. 

• Protecting Access to the Polls: 2022 Fellow Kevin Muench and 2023 Fellows, Grace Thomas and Conner Kozisek share their work protecting voting rights, including operating voter registration and absentee ballot programs, during an election year. 

• Fostering Inclusion for Persons with Disabilities: 2023 Fellows Charla Boley and Courtney Bergan share their work advocating for people with disabilities as they navigate complex systems for social services. 

• Building Connections to Meet the Needs of Human Trafficking Survivors: 2019 Fellow Victoria Marie Sexton and 2023 Fellow  Shawntel Williams discuss their work providing survivor-led legal representation and identifying areas of support for victims of human and labor trafficking. 

• Advocating for Survivors of Crime: 2023 Fellows Holly T. Bird, Eugenia Kim, and Claudia V. Torres Patino share their experiences and lessons learned through the Crime Victims Advocacy Program.

• Assisting People Fleeing Political Persecution: 2022 Fellow Sophia Genovese writes about her work as an immigrant attorney serving immigrant communities in New Mexico. 

• Representing Immigrants Affected by Natural Disasters:  2022 Fellow Remi Gavlick shares assisting clients with U-visa and T-visa applications in Missouri for immigrants to have access to aid in the event of a disaster. 

We are proud of all our Fellows for living up to Dr. King’s promise of equal justice for all by bringing lasting change to their communities. Learn more about their commitment to service here.