A Welcome From Our Executive Director and Board President
In 2023, we were inspired by the growth and impact of our programs in the 46th year of the Justice & Diversity Center (formerly known as the Volunteer Legal Services Program) and our efforts in serving the San Francisco Bay Area community. Our generous supporters have helped us provide extensive services in four broad program areas: Pro Bono Legal Services, the Homeless Advocacy Project, the Immigrant Legal Defense Program, and Diversity Pipeline Educational Programs.
We saw a growth in demand and participation in our services, such as in our Legal Advice and Referral Clinics (LARC), which provide free legal advice monthly in the Civic Center, Mission, and Bayview. We saw 220% growth, with over 1000 consultations with some of the most vulnerable in our community, who were empowered with the information they need to help solve their pressing legal issues.
Our organization’s commitment to legal representation for all San Francisco Bay Area community members is unwavering. People like Ms. R, a nurse who fled violence in El Salvador with her young daughter, received support and full-scope representation and secured asylum. Or Mr. S, who procured essential documents, vital SSI payments, and services to stay in his home thanks to the Homeless Advocacy Project.
In 2023, we were honored with generous gifts from legal luminary Richard Zitrin and the Arthur & Charlotte Zitrin Foundation and game-changing philanthropist MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving. Richard has long supported the Bay Area Minority Law Student Scholarship Program (MLSSP) as a donor and scholar mentor, and his $1.2 million endowment is designed to help the program continue in perpetuity.
In addition, JDC was selected by leading national philanthropic disrupter MacKenzie Scott to receive a $1.4 million grant in recognition of JDC’s track record and impactful work. This is especially important as Ms. Scott’s organization, Yield Giving, follows a “quiet research” approach of reviewing nonprofit organizations without notice and making gifts based on their independent research. To be selected by Yield Giving, among literally thousands of nonprofits, for such a leadership gift, without having applied or even been in contact with them, is amazing recognition of the importance of JDC’s contributions to our community. Yet, even amidst this generous gift, the ongoing support of our community remains crucial. Your continued partnership is essential in augmenting these generous gifts, enabling us to ensure the sustainability of these gifts and expand our transformative initiatives.
We invite you to see how your support is changing lives by reading more below about the programs you support, the innovative solutions driving that impact, and the clients who benefit from your advocacy. While we celebrate our achievements, we're also acutely aware of the increasing need for our services and the challenges that lie ahead. We have accomplished a lot, but there is so much more we can do, with your support. It's clear to us that achieving our mission is not a journey we can embark on alone. We thank everyone who has supported us and invite those who are ready to be a part of our mission to come join us. We ask you to make a gift to the JDC and encourage your friends and family members to support our work.
Looking towards the future, we are enthusiastic about the measurable impact we will make together.
Yolanda Jackson
Executive Director and General Counsel,
BASF & JDC
Teresa Johnson
President, BASF & JDC Board
The Justice & Diversity Center's Programs
We reach these goals through four programs that empower and advocate for thousands of people a year in San Francisco. Meet our Program Directors below.
Homeless
Advocacy Project
Teresa Friend
Director, Managing Attorney
Immigrant Legal
Defense Program
Milli Atkinson
Director
Pro Bono
Legal Services
Antonia More
Director, Managing Attorney
Diversity Pipeline Educational Programs
Kerry Guido
Director
The Homeless Advocacy Project
The Homeless Advocacy Project (HAP) provides legal and supporting social services to individuals and families who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness, focusing on the most vulnerable individuals and families in our local community. We are partners with organizations and agencies across the city to ensure everyone we connect with receives the support they need.
HAP Program Areas
The Homeless Advocacy Project is comprised of five program areas:
HAP's Eviction Defense
In partnership with the Eviction Defense Collaborative (EDC), we provide full-scope representation to clients facing eviction with a priority for disabled clients and clients with severe mental health disabilities.
We connect clients with essential social services resources and assist with eligibility requirements and applications. HAP's Social Services Component supports the legal work of HAP by addressing clients' underlying social services needs.
CARE Court was created by a new state law that allows family members, first responders and others to file petitions seeking services for persons who have schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders. In October of 2023, San Francisco became one of the first counties in the state to implement CARE Court. HAP was awarded funding by the California State Bar to represent Respondents in CARE Court.
HAP provides immigration services for immigrants experiencing or at risk of homelessness, such as applying for citizenship, visas, asylum, or adjustment of status, or renewing work permits.
Below are numbers that were achieved in 2023.
We assist disabled and low-income applicants with the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) advocacy process, including initial applications, and appeals. Without an attorney the chances of acceptance are low and cases can take years.
Immigrant Legal Defense Program
The Immigrant Legal Defense Program (ILDP) increases access to justice and protects the due process rights of low-income and unrepresented immigrants facing deportation.
San Francisco Immigrant Legal Defense Collaborative
ILDP helps build legal capacity as the legal lead of The San Francisco Immigrant Legal Defense Collaborative (SFILDC), a collective of 16 San Francisco organizations that provide free, high-quality, culturally competent legal services to adults, children, and families in removal proceedings. This means Northern California agencies are better coordinated and equipped to defend individuals in deportation proceedings in the San Francisco Immigration Court.
ILDP helps build legal capacity as the legal lead of The San Francisco Immigrant Legal Defense Collaborative (SFILDC), a collective of 16 San Francisco organizations that provide free, high-quality, culturally competent legal services to adults, children, and families in removal proceedings. This means Northern California agencies are better coordinated and equipped to defend individuals in deportation proceedings in the San Francisco Immigration Court.
Attorneys of the Day (AODs) are experienced immigration lawyers who appear at the San Francisco Immigration Court to assist unrepresented respondents in their initial deportation proceedings. The AOD Program has partnered with Salesforce, PG&E, and Canal Alliance to hold two asylum clinics in 2023. These clinics have proven critical to ensuring that asylum seekers receive adequate time to secure full scope legal representation and qualify for employment authorization – serving 39 total respondents, of whom three have secured asylum, two have obtained employment authorization, and six received AOD assistance in filing their work permit applications.
Pro Bono Legal Services
Each year, our staff and more than 2,000 volunteers assist 6,000 clients with legal consultation and representation in nearly every area of civil law.
In 2023, 1,156 volunteers donated 52,120 hours to support all of JDC's pro bono legal services programs. This represents about $43,448,012 in attorneys’ fees.
Pro Bono Legal Services Areas
Our staff and volunteer-based projects include:
Community Organization Representation Project
Since 1996, the Community Organization Representation Project (CORP) has provided pro bono assistance to Northern California nonprofit organizations, and those seeking to acquire nonprofit status, that provide direct services to low-income and underserved people. We assist these organizations, which do not have sufficient funds to pay attorneys, in the following areas: employment law, corporate governance and structuring, commercial leases, reinstatement with IRS, risk management, intellectual property and business contract issues.
Tenant Advocacy Project
The Tenant Advocacy Project (TAP) assists low-income tenants in San Francisco to avoid eviction by negotiating with landlords, rent boards, master tenants, and property managers.
The Family Law Project (FLP) assists low-income individuals and families with family law and related probate matters including divorce, legal separation, nullity, parentage, domestic abuse, guardianship, and conservatorship cases. JDC collaborates with CROC, WOMAN Inc, and the Superior Court of San Francisco to form a continuum of trauma-informed care, from restraining order advocacy to personal safety planning to holistic legal representation.
Federal Pro Bono Project
The Federal Pro Bono Project (FPBP) provides information and advice to pro se civil litigants in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. This is done via Legal Help Centers in the San Francisco and Oakland federal courthouses. The Project also facilitates placement of civil cases with pro bono attorneys for limited or full scope representation when the court appoints counsel.
Legal Advice and Referral Clinic
Legal Advice and Referral Clinic (LARC) provides free legal clinics every month for low-income Bay Area residents in the Mission, Civic Center, and Bayview.
Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic
Our Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) assists low-income taxpayers who have tax issues with the IRS. This includes taxpayers in controversy with the IRS, individuals who have filed a petition with the U.S. Tax Court, and individuals who need help in obtaining other relief for a tax obligation.
Our Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) assists low-income taxpayers who have tax issues with the IRS. This includes taxpayers in controversy with the IRS, individuals who have filed petitions with the U.S. Tax Court, and individuals who need help in obtaining other relief for a tax obligation.
Diversity Pipeline Educational Programs
Our educational programs help students succeed and explore their interest in a career in the law. From high school to law school, our programs break down barriers, build confidence, and show that the legal profession is for everyone.
Diversity Programs
Diversity Programs offer opportunities to students of all ages and inclusive networks to foster belonging. Our programs include students that range from middle school all the way to law school.
William Jeffries' Journey Through Law School and Advocacy (Continues)
William Jeffries, a recipient of the 2023 JDC’s Bay Area Minority Law Student Scholarship Program (MLSSP), is pursuing his degree at the University of San Francisco School of Law. In his application, Jeffries shared the pivotal experiences that fueled his aspiration for a legal career. He recounted his childhood struggle with T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, which resulted in the loss of his vision at the age of 12, as a driving force behind his motivation. Viewing law as a means to aid others during challenging times and enact enduring change, William outlined three principles he intends to integrate into his legal practice: seeking understanding from diverse perspectives, communicating with empathy, and remaining adaptable.
Alejandra Beristain's Path to Success with JDC's School-to-College Program (Continues)
At the 2023 JDC Gala, several inspiring speakers took to the stage and spoke eloquently about JDC’s work and the impact in the community and in their own lives. One such speaker was Alejandra Beristain, a remarkable student enrolled in the JDC School-to-College program. Born and raised in San Francisco, Alejandra’s upbringing was shaped by her single mother, a resilient woman from El Salvador who emphasized the importance of perseverance and education.
Supported by a strong female community, Alejandra is on the verge of graduating from The Academy @macateer High School. At the gala, she shared her heartfelt gratitude for the School-to-College program, which has been instrumental in guiding her through the daunting college preparation process. She spoke about her deep passion for physiology to better understand humans’ health and wellness and her hopes to incorporate that passion into future studies.
At the 2023 JDC Gala, several inspiring speakers took to the stage and spoke eloquently about JDC’s work and the impact in the community and in their own lives. One such speaker was Alejandra Beristain, a remarkable student enrolled in the JDC School-to-College program. Born and raised in San Francisco, Alejandra’s upbringing was shaped by her single mother, a resilient woman from El Salvador who emphasized the importance of perseverance and education.
Supported by a strong female community, Alejandra is on the verge of graduating from The Academy @macateer High School. At the gala, she shared her heartfelt gratitude for the School-to-College program, which has been instrumental in guiding her through the daunting college preparation process. She spoke about her deep passion for physiology to better understand humans’ health and wellness and her hopes to incorporate that passion into future studies.
Honored to Receive Two Major Gifts
In 2023, the Justice & Diversity Center received two major gifts in recognition of past success and to spark greater giving to JDC's extensive and impactful programs. We are grateful for the support of local legal luminary Richard Zitrin and philanthropy disrupter MacKenzie Scott.
Richard Zitrin Creates Pathway to Diverse Legal Futures
Richard Zitrin has been a staunch supporter of diversity in the legal profession for decades and a financial supporter of the Minority Law Student Scholarship Program (MLSSP). He also mentors and connects the scholars with to an extensive legal network.
A Friend, Mentor, and Advocate
Richard Zitrin's contributions extend beyond financial support. Hear what it meant to have Richard's personal support and advocacy from MLSSP Alumni.
“He took me under his wing providing meaningful mentorship and was always happy to connect me with his network. He is an endearing and caring person.”
- Gabrielle Parris-Ramfjord, Adjudications Officer, Refugee, Asylum, and International Operations, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, MLSSP Alum
"Words cannot describe the impact Richard Zitrin has had on the legal profession, the Minority Law School Scholarship Program, and me - a Black man who grew up in generational poverty. From the very first day I met him, I knew he had my back far beyond a law school scholarship. In fact, he went to war for me when no one else would. He will go down in history as the epitome of service, the epitome of honor, and the epitome of legal brilliance. When he is no more, the spirit of Richard Zitrin, undoubtedly, will live on through me."
- Chris Ballard, Co-Executive Director, Coleman Advocates, MLSSP Alum
Zitrin Honors Memory of Past Scholar
Students funded by the endowment will be known as "Shanna Bradford Scholars" (pictured left with Zitrin center in 2005), a tribute to a past recipient, who unfortunately passed away at a young age. Mr. Zitrin's $1.2 million endowment from the Arthur and Charlotte Zitrin Foundation will ensure the scholarships will be accessible for Bay Area law students in perpetuity.
The Justice & Diversity Center received an email that seemed too good to be true. JDC was thrilled to learn that MacKenzie Scott's Yield Giving was awarding a one-time $1.4 million gift.
Through their quiet research approach, Yield Giving evaluated JDC's work through a series of criteria, including its multi-year track record, high potential for sustained positive impact, evaluation standards, and leadership team.
We Need Your Support
We are honored by all the gifts our donors in 2023 generously provided to the Justice & Diversity Center. We take pride in the recognition of the impact these gifts represent, and we know there is much more work to be done as there is an increase in demand for our services. Please join us this year with a gift to meet this growing need from some of the most vulnerable members of our community. Thank you for your support.