The East Bay Community Law Center (EBCLC) is proud to host a Juneteenth Block Party and Open House on Thursday, June 15, 2023, from 11:00am-4:00pm. In partnership with Berkeley Juneteenth Festival's JUNETEENTH WEEK, EBCLC will provide free in person legal services and community workshops.
“The Juneteenth holiday honors Black liberation and resilience. As an organization committed to racial justice, we are honored to open our doors and welcome our community for celebration and empowerment,” said Executive Director Zoë Polk. “EBCLC is proud to be a part of the South Berkeley neighborhood. We look forward to honoring the Juneteenth holiday through service.”
Centrally located on the Adeline Corridor, during the open house EBCLC will host free in person legal advice and consults, including eviction defense, immigration relief, consumer protection. In addition, our Clean Slate and Education Defense and Youth Justice teams will provide Know Your Rights workshops. EBCLC's Community Economic Justice program will join a roundtable discussion on our collaborative work to advance homeownership and economic agency.
“For our 36TH year of organizing the Berkeley Juneteenth Festival, we have expanded Juneteenth to a weeklong celebration, from Sunday, June 11 to Sunday, June 18. The theme of JUNETEENTH WEEK is ‘Remembering the Hope and the Promise of Emancipation.’ We appreciate the East Bay Community Law Center’s partnership and engagement on this celebration,” said Juneteenth Festival founding Board member and lead organizer, Delores Nochi Cooper.
The East Bay Community Law Center is a Black led women of color centered legal aid organization who envisions a California where Black and Indigenous communities, and those at the intersection of multiple oppressions, are positioned to realize thriving, healthy, and dignified lives.
For more information about the EBCLC Open House, please contact development@ebclc.org
EBCLC Juneteenth Block Party Schedule of Public Events:
11AM-4PM: OPEN HOUSE – Free In-person Legal Services: Housing, Immigration, Education Defense and Youth Justice, Clean Slate, Consumer Justice, Health and Welfare
11:30AM-12:30PM: ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION– "Housing Equity in Berkeley: A Visionary Discussion" hosted by Community Economic Justice & in partnership with Healthy Black Families
- An interactive discussion on the history of gentrification and redlining in Berkeley, our current work to secure Right of Return and Right to Stay for Black Berkeley, and solutions for building power for the houseless and tenants.
1PM-2PM: WORKSHOP – "Know Your Rights on Criminal Background Checks" hosted by Clean Slate
- A workshop on recent changes in state law regarding criminal background and employment. We’ll also hear from our partners at Bay Area Youth EMT about their work with system-intended youth to enter the fire and rescue employment sector.
3PM-4PM: WORKSHOP – “Empowering Youth" hosted by Education Defense and Justice for Youth
- A presentation on the rights of young people facing expulsion from school and/or juvenile delinquency court cases. We will also share information about how to plug into efforts to change the way systems--from local school boards to the California legislature--approach policing, juvenile court involvement, and school discipline.