By: Shelly Feldman, Associate Editor, Vol. 27 One of the most pressing global challenges is human trafficking. Human trafficking is defined as “a crime whereby traffickers exploit and profit at the expense of adults and children by compelling them to perform labor or commercial sex.”[i] Former President of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo described human trafficking as […]
From Our Editors
Missing White Woman Syndrome: How Gabby Petito Reminded Us that Women of Color’s Disappearances are Largely Ignored
By Alexis Franks Associate Editor, Vol. 27 When Brian Laundrie pulled his white van into his family’s driveway on September 1st, 2021, friends and family all began asking the same question: where was Gabby? Brian and his fiancé, Gabby Petitio, had set out on a cross-country road trip one month before Brian’s unexpected return.[1] Their […]
The MMIP Crisis: We Must Not Be Silent[1]
November is Native American Heritage Month (also known as American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month). In honor of this American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month, I will be writing about an issue affecting Native communities across the country: the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous peoples (MMIP). This is a crisis “centuries in the making that will take a focused effort and time” to unravel. Recent legislation and policy initiatives to address the crisis mark a turning point in terms of the government’s priority in tackling the crisis.
Racist at its Core: The Continual Push for Work Requirements in Public Assistance Programs
By: Liza DavisExecutive Editor, Vol. 27 In March of 2014, now-retired congressional leader Paul Ryan appeared on a radio talk show to discuss the causes of “the economic conditions…plagu[ing] much of the country.”[1] At one point, Ryan said, “We’ve got this tailspin of culture, in our inner cities in particular, of men not working and […]
Impossible to Erase: the Disparate Impact of Zero Tolerance Policies on Black Girls with and without Disabilities
By: Liza DavisAssociate Editor, Vol. 26 On January 29, 2021 and in the middle of a mental health crisis, a 9-year-old Black girl was handcuffed, forced into a squad car, and pepper sprayed by Rochester, NY police officers who then told her, “‘You did it to yourself, hun.’”[1] In May 2020, a 15-year-old Black girl […]
White Liberals – Stop Demanding More Police, It Won’t Help
By Clara ButlerAssociate Editor, Vol. 26 After a national tragedy, within the thoughts and prayers usually offered to the affected community is a deep thread of pro-carceral sentiment. This response to instances of hate crimes and “domestic terrorism” is increasingly concerning, especially as most of the response comes from people who identify as liberal. […]
ON MOVEMENT LAWYERING: AN INTERVIEW WITH AZADEH SHAHSHAHANI
By Aashna RaoAssociate Editor, Vol. 26 In the past several years, a model of legal advocacy known as movement lawyering has gained increased attention. In reality, movement lawyering is nothing new—those who do this kind of work aim to provide legal support by following the lead of directly impacted communities and organizers on the ground. […]
Implicit Bias Exposed: the Michigan Juvenile Justice System
By Lexi WungAssociate Editor, Vol. 26 I joined the Juvenile Justice Clinic as a student attorney during my fourth semester of law school. Immediately I dove into the intricacies of the juvenile justice system in Michigan, my client’s individual cases, and the realities of converting law school doctrinal classes into usable skills. Many aspects of […]
Why Some Black Americans are Skeptical of the COVID-19 Vaccine
By: Karly JungAssociate Editor, Vol. 26 COVID-19 has had a disproportionate impact on communities of color.[1] Black, Hispanic, and Native American people are roughly three times more likely to die of COVID-19 compared to white people.[2] In some areas, these differences are further exacerbated. For example, in Washington, D.C., “Black residents make up roughly 46% […]
Legalization is Not the Endpoint: Observations from Nine Years of Marijuana Legalization
By Nathan BennettAssociate Editor, Vol. 26 In February, New Jersey became the 14th state to legalize adult recreational use of marijuana, followed days after by the Virginia legislature approving a similar measure.[1] When Colorado became the first state to legalize the drug in 2012, then-Governor John Hickenlooper cautioned: “don’t break out the Cheetos or goldfish […]
Michigan Journal of Race & Law 