Poverty is not a crime, but every day thousands of New Yorkers await trial in City jails because they cannot afford bail, which is often as low as $250. In the South Bronx, “innocent until proven guilty” does not apply, and with one of the most backlogged court systems, people can wait over two years before going to trial. Even one night in jail can cause someone to lose their job, their housing, and time with their families.

The Bronx Freedom Fund is a charitable bail organization with a revolving fund to pay bail for people charged with low-level offenses. Their goal is keep people in their jobs, with their families, and out of jail while they await trial.

The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) at the Urban Justice Center organizes law students and lawyers to develop and enforce a set of legal and human rights for refugees and displaced persons. We are the first organization dedicated to providing comprehensive legal aid to refugees seeking resettlement, providing representation for those who have none and helping vulnerable families and refugees navigate the complex rules and processes of the international resettlement system.

IRAP has been organizing legal aid at airports across the country, but they've been in this fight for years and are in it for the long haul.

For more than 20 years, the Center for Reproductive Rights has used the law to advance reproductive freedom as a fundamental human right that all governments are legally obligated to protect, respect, and fulfill. CRR is working for a world where every woman is free to decide whether and when to have children; where every woman has access to the best reproductive healthcare available; where every woman can exercise her choices without coercion or discrimination.

CCR's groundbreaking cases have expanded access to reproductive healthcare, including birth control, safe abortion, prenatal and obstetric care, and unbiased information.