Urban Justice Center
Sarah Stapleton is an experienced professional with a diverse background in community engagement, real estate, and leadership roles. Currently serving as a Development Associate at the Urban Justice Center since October 2021 and as an Advisory Board Member for the Jandon Center for Community Engagement, Sarah also holds a position as a Licensed Real Estate Salesperson at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Blake, REALTORS®. Additionally, Sarah has played a significant role as Chairperson and Polling Inspector for the Board of Elections since November 2020, overseeing polling operations and ensuring election integrity. Previous experience includes serving as a Trustee at Smith College and mentoring alumni at the School for International Training. Sarah's engagement in leadership roles, such as Vice President of the Student Government Association, highlights a commitment to equity and community building. Educationally, Sarah holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Sociology from Smith College.
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Urban Justice Center
True pioneers often set out with limited resources, no clear path and no instructions. Nonetheless, they move boldly forward. In 1984, Douglas Lasdon launched the Urban Justice Center (UJC) in much the same way, from a burned out building in East Harlem, with almost no funding. He took his legal expertise to soup kitchens, jails, and shelters (places others would not go) and set up free legal clinics. Forty years later, in spite of social opposition and division, UJC remains a champion of change. Today, UJC is composed of many longstanding Anchor Projects, who serve tens of thousands of people a year, on critical issues ranging from homelessness, to discrimination, to seeking asylum, to escaping intimate partner violence. Each Project is led by experts in the field, who devise their own strategy for making change, often combining free direct legal services to those in need with impact litigation, social services, community organizing, legislative advocacy, “know your rights” trainings, and more. As well, through our Social Justice Accelerator, we incubate groundbreaking new projects that are fighting new wrongs or bringing new approaches to longstanding issues. By providing them with material support, guidance, and a community of fellow advocates with hundreds of cumulative hours of experience, we help them leap over the early, difficult stages of nonprofits growth, and get directly to affecting change in their issue area. This two-pronged approach allows us to meet the ongoing advocacy needs of our clients, while allowing us to stay nimble and meet new and emerging social justice issues. To find out more, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram; check out our website (www.urbanjustice.org); or sign up for our Justice Elerts newsletter (https://www.urbanjustice.org/newsletter/).