#legal advocacy

[transformativeworks]

KOSA and Other Bad Internet Bills

Want to know more about KOSA and a whole slew of bad Internet bills? OTW Legal talks you through their implications. Read more at https://otw.news/03cbbf

#kosa bill #organization for transformative works #otw #internet bill #legal advocacy

[reasonsforhope]

“Philadelphia received praise in recent years for its Eviction Prevention Program, which mediates tenant-landlord disputes. Now, another effort to keep people in their homes has proven successful enough for the city to expand it to more neighborhoods: The Right to Counsel initiative gives free legal help to low-income renters facing eviction, on the premise that having an attorney can mean the difference between losing or keeping one’s home.

“Often when tenants are not represented, they’re less likely to show up to court either through a sense of hopelessness or just not understanding the significance of the proceedings. And when they show up to court, they often just enter into whatever agreement feels most expedient or feels like they are going to be able to keep their home,” an attorney told WHYY.

Right to Counsel’s free lawyers often help tenants work out a payment plan for back rent, or just get a little more time before having to move. During the trial phase, 38 percent of participants had representation in court, compared with a citywide rate of about 20 percent.”

-via Reasons to Be Cheerful via WHYY, 2/1/23

#housing #homelessness #eviction #philadephia #pennsylvania #united states #us politics #rent #legal advocacy #housing justice #good news #hope

[risingsun-charities-org]

To make a significant change in Biafra and its people, we offer services dedicated to the Biafra referendum, including legal services. Part of our mission is to solicit and negotiate legal assistance to the Biafran people who are suffering from unjust and inhuman treatment, especially under the Jihadist Government of Nigeria in the Biafra land.

#Biafra Legal Aid #Legal Advocacy #Social Protection

[blanket-burrito-protocol]

The 50th anniversary of AIMs (American Indian Movement's) occupation at Wounded Knee is coming up, so the Lakota People's Law Project is leading another push to free an AIM activist who was wrongly convicted of killing two federal agents in 1975- Leonard Peltier. He was convicted on false evidence and false testimony and sentenced to two life sentences. He is now 78.

LPL has a formatted email up on their website now which you can personalize and send to Biden to ask for clemency. (Please personalize emails like this so it doesn't get filtered as spam. Just move some words around, add some, take some, you don't have to write a whole email.) Please pass this around.

#leonard peltier #aim #american indian movement #leonard peltier defense committee #wounded knee #protest #occupation #political prisoners #petition #president biden #clemency #action #lakota #ojibwe #advocacy #native rights #indigenous people #legal action #federal prison #indian boarding schools #boarding school #history #bishop desmond tutu #nelson mandela #dalai lama #chase iron eyes #legal defense #activists

[schar-aac]

"legal advice"

image: a pair of bronze scales on top of a book, with a speech bubble above them.

#law #legal #self advocacy #aac symbol #communication symbol #communication image #aac image #aac emoji #custom emoji

[revginapond]

Confronting Transgender Genocide: A Priest's Struggle to Advocate for Justice

I could tell you the story about me, a cisgender woman, and my transgender wife. I could tell you that we both feel that we’ve lost our home countries because transgender people are no longer welcome there. I could tell you our story, and you’d sympathize, maybe comment on how we had the privilege of leaving but that less-fortunate others did not, then scroll on by. Some people who read this will…

View On WordPress

#activism #advocacy #Essays #genocide #historical context #human rights #legal issues #lgbtq+ issues #lgbtqa #personal struggle #Politics #priestly duty #religion #social justice #Thoughts #transgender #transgender genocide #transgender rights #Writing

[dreamingofbabylon]

Listen, if you work in the US please just listen for a second.

I think it goes without saying the job market is in utter shambles. If you're working or job hunting please please please take some time to familiarize yourself with the workers rights laws in your state. We will never make headway in advancing our rights if we don't understand and advocate for the ones we have.

there are a lot of things to watch out for, but this is one many people don't seem to know about. I definitely didn't until uh. recently. (I'm not an expert, and this is not professional legal advice, I'm just sharing my experience within my own state and situation. Check your state's Department of Labor website for resources/info)

Please be aware that some jobs may try to hire you as an independent contractor. If you aren't seeking contracted work, this is a RED FLAG.

In very basic terms, and employee is your typical job. You get a W-2 at tax season, and taxes are taken out of your paycheck automatically. Your boss sets your schedule and duties, and provides the training and tools to do your job. You have no ownership of the business, and they set the rules.

If you are an independent contractor, you are essentially a business owner. You can be hired to provide a service, which is done on YOUR terms. You provide your own equipment, hire your own team, prepare your own taxes (probably a 1099), and the person paying you can't train you or tell you how to do your job.

If those criteria are not being met, but you've been hired as a contractor instead of an employee, you may have been illegally misclassified.

Why do employers do this? Basically, employees are promised certain legal rights and protections, which do not necessarily apply to independent contractors. So sometimes businesses will try to (illegally) get the best of both worlds by hiring you under their terms (setting your schedule, duties, etc) without the liability, expenses, or insurance and tax burdens of hiring an employee. Then at tax season, YOU owe the IRS a shit ton of money, and you have no writeoffs because of course you don't. you don't have business expenses for someone else's business

if you think you've been misclassified, or have experienced ANY mistreatment at work, please speak with a professional.

Talking to a lawyer may seem intimidating and expensive. But many employment lawyers offer free consults. They will hear you out for free, and tell you if you have a case.

In my personal experience, my lawyer met with me and reviewed all the evidence and info I had. They contacted my previous "employer" and their legal counsel on my behalf for free. They negotiated a settlement for me, and all I owed them was a percentage of that settlement. If they couldn't get me anything, I wouldn't have owed them anything.

These are just things I wish I had known earlier, so I'm sharing in case it can help even one person not get fucked over. Advocate for yourself. Unionize your workplace. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS.

#this was honestly such an ordeal and really affected my mental health and ability to get another job #workers rights #us law #unionize #advocacy #labor law #legal rights #jobsearch #SORRY i know this is long but knowing any of this would genuinely have altered the course of my life lmaooo #also i think people assume lawyers are always expensive or trying to fuck you over #a free consult doesn’t hurt. even if they can't help they may have other resources #some will even consult over the phone

[gynecologistmsfrizzle]

“what to tell a doctor to get an autism diagnosis” “here’s what i learned from realizing i was autistic at 40″ “i would never want a professional diagnosis” “person first language is so regressive” “autism symptoms are only a problem because of ableism” “we dont need treatment” “no autistic person wants a cure” “four doctors told me i couldn’t be autistic so i found a fifth” “autism is an invisible disability” “dont disclose your neurodivergency to employers” “i/dd and autism have nothing to do with each other” “nt parents/advocates have no place in autism communities” “of course im autistic have you heard me talk about horror movies” babe i have nothing in common with any of you

#completely insane that i will go on autism twitter and somehow i am ''low functioning'' compared to the rest of the people on there. #what are you TALKING about. dont disclose your ''neurodivergency'' to your doctors?? autism is an invisible disability? #we live on different planets. like i think we live on different planets. #sorry but i am twenty two years old and my mother has a fippa exemption to access all my medical info bc if she did not #i would not be able to access healthcare. #the only reason i can live away from home is because i have a cell phone and internet and can keep in touch w family. #my legal government address is my father's house where i have not lived for seven years #because if an important document gets sent to my apartment i will lose it or forget about it and i know this because it's happened. #like ... yeah ! autism IS a spectrum ! and you are not doing such a good job recognizing and supporting people who are #in very different places on that spectrum than you ! #it is. i mean it's kind of a form of hermeneutical injustice to argue that there is no meaningful difference between various groups #of autistic people #like yeah functioning labels suck ASS. also you DO need to be able to identify that there ARE people who need more support #because if you can't name that then you are going to forget that they exist #and i see that all the time. it's aspie supremacy by another name #by erasing people who did not have the privilege of self-diagnosing #who do not have the privilege not to disclose #who do not have the privilege of independent self-advocacy #you are going to end up achieving the same thing that actively dismissing those people achieves #like. i dunno. like i said it's completely bonkers in yonkers that EYE and the UNIVERSITY DEGREE EYE WILL BE GETTING IN TWO MONTHS #and my LEASE and my RESPECTABLE RESUME and my INCOMING SOCIAL WORK LICENSE #feel alienated by the default presumptions the ''autistic community'' seems to operate from about how autistic people function #like jfc if i feel erased and unwelcome then how are you EVER going to make your community accessible and helpful #to people who need miles more support than i do?? #rhi talks #autie tag

[ivygorgon]

AN OPEN LETTER to THE PRESIDENT & U.S. CONGRESS; STATE GOVERNORS & LEGISLATURES

Support Marijuana Decriminalization for a more Equitable USA

2 so far! Help us get to 5 signers!

I am writing to express my strong support for the decriminalization of marijuana at both the federal and state levels. The current approach to cannabis, rooted in policies dating back to 1971, requires urgent reconsideration given evolving social norms and scientific understanding.

The revelation by President Richard Nixon's domestic policy chief, John Ehrlichman, that the war on drugs was designed to target Black communities underscores the urgent need to rectify the injustices perpetuated by decades of punitive drug policies. The disproportionate impact of these policies on communities of color has fueled systemic inequities in our criminal justice system.

Decriminalization of marijuana would shift our focus from ineffective punitive measures to evidence-based public health strategies, emphasizing harm reduction and regulated use, whether medicinal or recreational. It's crucial to differentiate between decriminalization and unregulated use, prioritizing public health and equitable access.

I urge you to champion legislation that decriminalizes marijuana and addresses the racial disparities entrenched by outdated drug policies. By investing in research and public health initiatives related to cannabis, we can develop policies that protect public health while respecting individual freedoms.

In conclusion, federal and state-level decriminalization of marijuana is imperative to rectify the failures of past policies and promote equitable, evidence-based drug reform. I urge you to seize this opportunity to advance sensible, ethical drug policy reforms that reflect our evolving understanding of cannabis regulation.

Thank you for considering my perspective on this critical matter. I look forward to your leadership in championing meaningful drug policy reform.

📱 Text SIGN PWUITK to 50409

🤯 Liked it? Text FOLLOW IVYPETITIONS to 50409

#IVYPETITIONS #PWUITK #resistbot #petition #anti racism #racial justice #Marijuana Decriminalization #Cannabis Reform #Drug Policy #Social Justice #Equity #Legalize It #Public Health #Criminal Justice Reform #Racial Justice #Civil Rights #Drug Law Reform #Decriminalize Marijuana #Justice Reform #Drug Policy Reform #End Mass Incarceration #Policy Change #Advocacy #Community Health #Health Equity #Legalization #Racial Equality #Social Change #Drug Reform #Human Rights

[transformativeworks]

Tell the Copyright Office About AI

Concerned about AI?  The U.S. Copyright Office is asking for public comments and fans can add their voices. Read more at: https://otw.news/0bd40f

#otw #organization for transformative works #legal advocacy #copyright #copyright law

[reasonsforhope]

Although child marriage remains a largely unseen problem in the United States, very significant progress has been made in the past two decades. The organization Unchained At Last’s landmark 2018 study found that an estimated 300,000 children were married in the United States between 2000 and 2018. That’s a grave statistic, but the situation is improving.

The number of child marriages in the US decreased almost every single year between 2000 and 2018, and over that 18-year period, decreased 30 fold. In 2000, there were 76,396 children married in the US (as documented based on state marriage records).

In 2018, the number of children married was only 2,493. This is 1/30th of the rate just 18 years prior.

In addition, in the four years since Unchained At Last’s initial, groundbreaking 2018 study, seven states and two US territories have banned child marriage completely, in part due to the organization’s determined advocacy. Child marriage is now illegal in the states of Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Rhode Island, New York, and Massachusetts, as well as American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Unchained at Last will not stop working until child marriage is illegal in the entire US, and no more children are subjected to this human rights abuse and its devastating, lifelong repercussions.  -via Unchained At Last, April 2020, updated 2022. Text of post by reasonsforhope.

#united states #us politics #child marriage #child abuse #cw child abuse #cw rape #delaware #new jersey #pennsylvania #minnesota #rhode island #new york #massachusetts #american samoa #us virgin islands #cw csa #good news #hope #legal advocacy #legal reform #great and detailed data at the source article #but also massive content warnings

[usadvlottery]

US Immigrant Legal Aid Policies aim to provide support and resources to immigrants navigating the complex legal system. These policies often encompass a range of services, including legal representation, consultations, and assistance with immigration paperwork and processes. They are designed to ensure that immigrants have access to fair and just treatment under the law, regardless of their socio-economic status or background. These policies may be administered by various governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, or legal clinics, with the goal of promoting equal access to justice and protecting the rights of immigrants within the United States.

#US Immigration legal aid services #US Immigrant legal assistance programs #US immigrant rights organizations #US Immigration legal representation #Legal aid for US immigrants #Legal aid for immigrants #Access to justice for US immigrants #US Immigration legal clinics #Pro bono immigration lawyers #US Immigrant advocacy groups #Affordable immigration legal help #US Immigration

[paradife-loft]

skill issue

#James liveblogs grad school #early zoning advocacy was fucking Wild and also I want to bite all of the people doing it #the (continuing!!!) obsession with the 'civic virtues' of single-family homeownership.... like ok thomas jefferson....... #also the previous paper I was reading was doing a comparison of US vs European zoning code development #and the whole Deal with the US trying to sneakily (not sneakily) legally mandate only letting racial minorities live in certain places #and apparently that not being a major motivating factor or innovation seen in euro countries' zoning at the time #to which I can just say Gee I Wonder If Anyone In Europe Might've Also Invented Mandatory Racial Residential Segregation Ever #Perhaps Even Before the US Got Around To It??? #Hmmm. Hmm I Wonder.

[dancingplague]

Is "gender ideology" actually something that people who don't like feminism/homosexuality say, or is my brother just on weird parts of YouTube

#my sister works for a legal advocacy nonprofit and she was telling us stories when they were both in town this weekend #and he ended up saying that sure [villains in her story] were wrong but at least they were taking a stand against 'gender ideology' #at which point I said 'gender ideology???' because what the hell does that mean. and he was just like. yeah. gender ideology. #as though I was the one who was out of touch #from context I'm getting that it means like academic feminism? but also conflated with a bunch of other stuff including homosexuality? #he wouldn't explain though #EDIT: to be clear I got from context that he was being a dick. This is not news to me unfortunately

[powpowhammer]

It's the advocate system they have in several other countries!

#i first learned about international types of formalized legal advocacy thanks to aa joke tweets by corviids #so i figured i should put this back here. #it seems like the embedded advocates are also acting to improve client material conditions #which. very nice. imagine if americorps had a branch for this

[bellshazes]

Ive known this for a while but after an 11 hour in person day with my team I think I have to start writing that Systems of Care For the Common Man series I keep dreaming of. Because the only way out is through, together.

#I just have to intimately know everything about the legal educational medical economic social racial psychological grassroots advocacy syst #*systems. In all 50 states and compare internationally as well #And write it for the layperson. It will take the rest of my life #But i think i have to do it. I really cant live with myself unless i do it #Work woes