Today, we stand arm-in-arm with those who are pursuing justice following the heartbreaking losses of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and far too many other people of color who, generation after generation, have lost their lives to racism, marginalization, bigotry, and injustice. The tragic loss of their lives and the ongoing lack of liberty and equality for people of color are painful reminders that we must do more to achieve justice for all. We are all God’s children and black lives matter.

Makenzie Winger was spending Valentine’s Day 2019 with her then fiancé when she received an email from her department head at Taylor University. The email described something called a Justice Fellowship at a nonprofit legal organization in Indianapolis. “I stopped everything we were doing to read my fiancé the job description,” Makenzie recalls. “It was an opportunity to continue to learn more about justice issues, to step into the legal field for the first time, and to do work that felt meaningful. I also wouldn’t have to worry about finding housing. It just sounded like the perfect job for this phase of my life.”

Several times a day I find myself saying, “We’ve all made mistakes; it just looks a little different from one person to another and doesn’t always become public knowledge.” So many people are burdened by poor decisions from years ago, decisions often driven by addiction, poor examples, generational poverty, or being “young and dumb.” They enter the doors for our Expungement Help Desk in the basement of the City County Building expecting to be judged yet again, to be told they don’t qualify for expungement, or to be told that, if they do, it’s going to be costly to make it happen. It is such a joy to dispel the misconception that getting an expungement is too good to be true. Oftentimes, I even get to help these visitors make the “second chance” espoused by the statute become a reality. That reality means a better job, housing in a safer neighborhood, professional certification, going on a field trip with their children, and so much more.

Creative Engagement Coordinator Ashley Caveda recently had the opportunity to interview our brand-new executive director, Amy Horton.

Before Stephanie Kilpatrick became a staff attorney at the Clinic, she worked in many different fields, including behind the scenes in broadcasting, as the frontwoman of a big band, and in various church leadership positions. Her legal career has likewise taken many twists and turns. Most recently, after 18 years as a real estate attorney, she felt the Lord pulling her in a new direction. She wanted to use her legal skills to serve the Lord.

While INHP works to keep families safely and affordably housed, ultimately their efforts are about more than just putting a roof over someone’s head. “Being a homeowner is a lifelong dream for so many of the families that come to INHP,” says Rob. “So often, they are first-generation homeowners, meaning nobody else in their family has been able to achieve that before. And it represents a place to call their own.”

On April 11th, we celebrated the 51st anniversary of the Fair Housing Act. The Act was passed in 1968, just seven days following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and guaranteeing, as a matter of law, equal access to housing opportunities for all Americans, regardless of race, color, creed, or national origin.

This March, we highlighted our Low Income Taxpayer Clinic. We featured stories of our clients, volunteers, and staff; shared information on where to get free help with completing your taxes; and gave you important tips and updates on how to avoid common scams.

“It has been my experience that the Internal Revenue Code is extremely complex and not everyone can afford counsel when they have an issue,” he says. He began looking at alternatives for those who could not afford their own counsel and learned about the history of Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITC) through the IRS website. Dave was intrigued. He immediately searched for the nearest LITC, which just happened to be part of Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic.

After much careful and prayerful consideration, it is our great pleasure to announce the appointment of our new executive director: Amy Horton! Last autumn, our board of directors formed a search committee tasked with finding an experienced leader familiar with legal systems and possessing strong nonprofit management skills to advance the work of Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic. Amy Horton is that leader.

Having spent my adult life engaged in various public safety roles that always included adult training and education, some years ago I decided I wanted a change. I took some time off to determine my next steps – not realizing that doors were already open.

This February, we celebrated the work of our many volunteers. Your service is a blessing to us and to our neighbors. Thank you for your kindness!

On the blog, we introduced you to two of our volunteer attorneys: Jerry Kelly, who helps take on various types of immigration cases, and James Skill, a cancer researcher who went to law school so that he could volunteer for the Clinic! We also shared a special message from Community Partnerships Manager Ben Hayes.

Long before he volunteered with Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic, Jerry Kelly had a relationship with Exodus Refugee, even serving on their Board for a period of seven years. After stepping down from the Board, he continued to serve as a regular volunteer in their offices. “In doing that, I got exposed to some of the immigration services that Exodus provides, like green card applications.” Soon, through this work, Jerry was introduced to the Legal Clinic.

Flexibility is a hallmark of the Clinic and my role has evolved as Clinic needs have changed. Because of this, two years ago, I began serving as the Community Partnerships Manager. This role primarily focused on the Clinic’s robust relationships with organizations all over the state of Indiana, and particularly here in Indianapolis. But, a few months ago, I also took over the duties of volunteer coordinator. Now, I build and maintain relationships with both community partners and individual volunteers. And both of these groups are absolutely essential to the Clinic’s work.

In case you missed it, this January, we said farewell to our 25th anniversary year and we set our sights ahead. In 2020, we will continue to explore and share our vision for the future of the Clinic. We have faith that the Lord will guide us through this time of new beginnings. Thank you for walking alongside us. We wish you the most beautiful and blessed new year!

Dr. James Skill spends most of his day staring at a petri dish waiting to see what cells grow. An oncologic biochemist employed by IU, James researches recurrence rates and effects of immunosuppression on cancer.

Long before becoming our Fort Wayne Office Coordinator, Sarah Doak was interested in helping others. “Hip hop music exposed me to a lot of injustice that I had been sheltered from,” she says. Sarah decided to get her degree in social work and attended IUPUI for her freshman year. During this time, she started volunteering with our partners at Outreach, Inc., a non-profit organization that walks alongside homeless youth, equipping and empowering them to achieve stability and transformation in their lives.

The Clinic is approaching this new year as an opportunity to refocus our vision for the future. As such, during the first staff meeting of 2020, we took time to review and reflect upon our Clinic values, which include: Jesus, Humility, Love, Gratitude, Daring, Wisdom, Flexibility, and Flourishing. While there are many important qualities that we hope to emulate in our actions and through our work, these eight are meant to be the driving force behind what we do. And first and foremost among these is Jesus.

In case you missed it, this December, we celebrated exciting victories, both big and small, from the past year!

Deyanira originally fled to the United States to escape abuse at the hands of her children’s father. She dreamed of a better life for her family, trying multiple times to bring her three boys—Jose, Luis, and Alexis—to the U.S. with her. But by the time she was successful in reuniting with them, Deyanira was living with a new man who also became physically and emotionally abusive.