November news: Honoring Steve Clay, message of gratitude, ways to give back, and more!

November 2019

Honoring Georgia Appleseed Founder Steve Clay & Appleseed Network

This week we are thrilled to welcome the Appleseed Network and fellow state Appleseed centers to Atlanta for a conference to discuss our work, collaborate on projects, and build skills.

In addition to two days of work groups and meetings at the State Bar of Georgia, we celebrated on Tuesday night at the Urban Tree Cidery by honoring Georgia Appleseed founder Steve Clay, who was joined by his family. Sharon Hill, founding Georgia Appleseed Executive Director, was on hand to introduce Steve and share stories of his accomplishments. The evening's program also included a short interview on the state of foster care with special guest Director of the State Division of Family and Children Services Tom Rawlings. Director Rawlings spoke about strategies to keep foster care children in school. Georgia Appleseed and DFCS continue to work together to increase the representation of foster children facing long-term suspensions and expulsions.

Pictured left: Tom Rawlings and Michael Waller. Top left: Jessica Clay, Helen Clay, Alex Clay, Avery Clay, Asher Clay, and Steve Clay. Bottom left: Sharon Hill, Steve Clay, and Talley Wells.

Fun & Impactful Ways to Give Back: 11/21 ACYL Deadline & 12/3 GA Gives Day

We're proud to be part of these two fall giving campaigns. If you've been meaning to donate to the ACYL campaign, the deadline is today, November 21! GAgives focuses on Giving Tuesday on December 3. If you follow us on Facebook or Twitter, you'll be seeing us post more in the days ahead. We hope you get inspired to give!

Atlanta Council of Younger Lawyers Campaign : This campaign , led by the ACYL section of the Atlanta Bar, was started as a grassroots effort by local attorneys to promote pro bono awareness and participation. Give by the end of today, November 21 to participate in this campaign and help them reach their goal of raising $35,000.

GAgives : GAgives i s the state affiliate of the national #GivingTuesday movement, which encourages people to give back on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, this year December 3. This year we're happy to report that a generous donor has agreed to match gifts made on Dec. 3 up to the first $2,500 . After a week of family, food, and holiday shopping, there's nothing like showing some love to the organizations that work hard to make our communities better places . Give on December 3 to participate.

Thank you for your generosity!

Thank you from the Georgia Appleseed Staff & Board

November kicks off the busyness of the holiday season--from celebrating with friends and family to giving back to our communities to fundraising for the future. In the midst of all this, we want to take a breath and express gratitude for all we have--even as we continue to recognize the critical systemic changes that Georgia needs to keep its most vulnerable children in healthy homes and schools and out of the criminal justice system.

The Georgia Appleseed staff and board are grateful that you care about justice in our state and that you put that conviction to work--as volunteers, as donors, and as advocates. We truly could not do what we do without your support.

Thank you!

March Madness: Tribunal Hearing Representation Training (3 CLE) on 3/17

Back by popular demand, the Georgia Appleseed Young Professionals Council (YPC) will be leading a March Madness training on representing children in foster care at student tribunal hearings.

After you are trained, you can sign up to offer pro bono representation to children in foster care who are facing long-term suspension or expulsion as part of our Student Tribunal Project. More details and a registration page for the training will be available closer to the date.

Tenant Rights Education in Clayton County

Earlier this month, Georgia Appleseed's Director of Projects Michael Waller partnered with Hearts to Nourish Hope and Atlanta legal Aid Society to provide information about tenant housing rights as part of our Healthy Housing Project.

Announcements: Upcoming Events

November 21—The Atlanta Council of Younger Lawyers Campaign wraps up.

December 3 — GAgives kicks off! Give by December 3 (the Tuesday after Thanksgiving) to participate.

March 17, 2020—Save the date for Tribunal Representation training by the Young Professionals Council.

April 22, 2020—Save the date for Good Apple 2020!

Additional Resources

Want to learn more about some of the ideas and issues we've been thinking and talking about? We got you covered!

Read about a recent report, co-authored by Black high school students, that looks at how school dress codes affect Black girls: "Inside the Black Girl-led Movement Against Racist School Dress Codes"
This recent opinion piece rejects the idea that restorative justice is "anti-discipline": "Restorative Justice Isn't Anti-Discipline, Or a Panacea, But It's A Start"
Savannah's Deep Center has published a youth-powered, family-centered policy brief on the occasion of its 10th anniversary: "Our Stories Are the Evidence: Youth-Powered Policy Recommendations for a more Equitable Savannah."
The Georgia Budget and Policy Institute Education recently released this report on how communities within the Black Belt were and are systematically disadvantaged and what it might look like to support those affected by systemic discrimination and exclusion: "Education in Georgia's Black Belt: Policy Solutions to Help Overcome A History of Exclusion from the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute"
Learn more about Georgia Apex (school-based behavioral health) & other programs offered by the state on the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities website.