Court Warriors

– penetrated the court process? What if the same know how that has allowed communities to significantly and measurably improve workplaces, schools, neighborhoods, were applied to the courts? In short, the introduction of a new player into the courtroom – the community – would dramatically change the landscape of power in the criminal justice system. Individuals who are charged with a crime would no longer be alone in the court system, but rather part of a large supportive team that can effectuate a more fair process.

The Albert Cobarrubias Justice Project, housed at Silicon Valley De-Bug, is an example of what is possible. As any community organization across the country, we felt compelled to protect our members from the dangers they faced.

It is arguably the most important of barometers for a grassroots organization – how it responds to the needs of its members. As an organization that was made up of youth and families of color, that meant we had to find ways to matter when our members would face criminal charges. We had no experience, but were duty-bound to learn and act. And as community organizing has always done when faced with problems they must overcome, our group simply drew upon the natural ingenuity of the community and developed a road map. A weekly meeting that began with just a few families is now called the Albert Cobarrubias Justice Project – comprised of dozens of families, being housed at multiple locations. It is named after one of our pioneering members, Albert Cobarrubias, who defined justice and integrity for us, and unfortunately lost his life in 2010. We named the project after him, so he can continue on with us, and so his named is called upon with every step we take for justice, and every victory the commuinty earns.

The ACJP is volunteer-driven, led by families who initially came for their own cases and are now assisting other families based on their own experiences with the system, and illustrates how a community hub can definitively effect the tragectory of a case. And the specific case wins expose policy changes that can impact a broader number of people. At ACJP, we now have policy reform aims in our local criminal justice system that we never would have known about had we not been informed by our experiences in the courtroom. And since this work is a result of the families who are interacting with the system themselves, we have the collective power to enact those policy reforms.

The ACJP is based on the culture and values of De-Bug, but we know even more inventive and effective models will spring up that we can learn from as other organizations give themselves the license to act in the criminal justice system as we have. We are sharing our model, stories, and lessons learned in hopes of initiating that conversation. t 4