ACCESS TO JUSTICE |
COMMISSIONER PROFILE
Dr. Khalilah Harris: A Profile in Justice and Leadership Photo courtesy of Travis Marshall Photography
Harris sees PJC's 40th anniversary as a unique opportunity to engage in a strategic visioning process that will not only continue its work in providing high-quality legal services, particularly in housing, workplace, and education justice, but also strengthen its advocacy and legislative platforms.
DR. KHALILAH HARRIS'S JOURNEY is a testament to the power of unwavering purpose. From her early work as an education justice advocate to her leadership roles within the Obama and Biden administrations, and now as the Executive Director of the Public Justice Center (PJC) and a newly appointed commissioner on the Maryland Access to Justice Commission, her career has been defined by a singular mission: to ensure that "the law can work for everyone." Her perspective on how to achieve this goal and the key access to justice challenges facing Maryland are central to her vision for both the PJC and her role on the Commission. A Brooklyn native who has called Baltimore home for over 30 years, Harris began her career at Community Law in Action. There, she honed her passion for education justice, helping to establish the Baltimore Freedom Academy, a high school focused on law-related education, youth justice, and community voice. She spent a decade at the Freedom Academy, where she not only taught students about their constitutional rights, but also advocated to help them understand "how they are a part of society and not outside of society." She led advocacy efforts that contributed to the creation of Baltimore's 21st Century Schools initiative, securing critical funding for new school buildings.
MARYLAND BAR JOURNAL | VOLUME 7 ISSUE 2
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