Let Us Work Together

The workers rights group and the entire class met with some amazing people last week. Here are some photos of the workers rights group as we started off the week meeting with Javier Gallardo, an organizer in the latino day-laborer community, and two lawyers with an eye on community organizing: Tracie Washington and Melissa Crowe.

I am happy to have been a part of the workers rights group because of its involvement with community organizers/organizations. It’s often difficult for me as a student attorney in our school’s clinics, and foreseeing my future as a lawyer, to assist clients with individual cases. It’s frustrating because, while I’m helping someone with a discrete problem, their issue is ultimately a systemic problem. That client could face the same problem again, and there will be no end to others experiencing the same issue. Additionally, the power dynamics are uncomfortable – I have unique knowledge, skills, and some level of authority as a law student/lawyer that others need to rely on me for. I enjoy using those skills to help others, but without accompanying empowerment, without mutual assistance and learning, the system is perpetuated so that, again, I will eternally have clients. Boon for us lawyers, huh?

I definitely recognize the strength that having a lawyer or filing a lawsuit gives you. And the courts are essential for enforcement of citizen’s rights and obtaining compensation. But if we want to talk about rebuilding an entire city, not only will individual cases get us nowhere anytime soon, but they can also distract us from addressing larger changes. I enjoyed meeting with lawyers who recognize the comprehensive, holistic change that New Orleans is in need of, and who are working hard to find their place in that.

I believe the work our group did is an example of lawyering as a part of community organizing, or community organizing utilizing lawyering. We provided our knowledge and skills, in the time that we had, on a project that was determined for us by a community group, to provide recommendations, first, but ultimately tools for others to use. Workers will hopefully be able to use those tools to enforce their right to payment – which will also hopefully empower the workers to collectively demand more from employers … and perhaps in the end get more involved with each other and give back to the group. And empower others, and so forth and so on.