The People’s Justice Project announces the opening of a new civil rights office at 827 State Street, Ste. 10, in Santa Barbara, on Monday, Jan. 20 — Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

The People’s Justice Project aims to protect Santa Barbara residents from discrimination and other civil rights violations in a broad effort to dismantle systems of oppression and build a more just and equitable society.

The decision for the People’s Justice Project to open its doors on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was made in solidarity with his vision and message that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

The People’s Justice Project is a nonprofit law firm that protects the civil rights, liberties and dignity of all Santa Barbara residents through the provision of high-quality legal and social services, including:

Civil rights litigation assistance; screening for U.S. citizenship eligibility. applying for U.S. citizenship and other immigration law services; and indigent criminal defense litigation assistance and post-conviction services — felony reduction, expungement, early termination of probation, and record sealing.

The People’s Justice Project will promote equal justice under the law and stand up for Santa Barbara residents who face illegal discrimination and harassment based on poverty, race, gender, country of origin, sexual orientation, disability, or other protected classifications.

People’s Justice Project is committed to enforcing civil rights laws and will take action against the government, individuals, and/or businesses if they discriminate against and/or violate the civil rights of our community members.

Immediately, the People’s Justice Project will work to end the criminalization of poverty, including the over-policing and unconstitutional seizure and destruction of property from unhoused people.
 
We at the People’s Justice Project believe the true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.

The People’s Justice Project is founded and operated by attorney Joseph Biko Doherty. Doherty is a graduate of the University of Southern California Gould School of Law and a former Santa Barbara County deputy public defender.

The People’s Justice Project announced it has received a $3,000 grant from the Fund for Santa Barbara, and donations from Peter Marin and the Committee for Social Justice, Glen Mowrer and several anonymous donors.

For more, visit www.peoplesjusticeproject.org.

— Joseph B. Doherty for The People’s Justice Project, Inc.