Creating a More Just Philadelphia

In 2022, PLA launched our #JustPhilly initiative to create three opportunities for passionate community members to engage with PLA and help create a more just Philadelphia.

Community members can get involved with #JustPhilly by becoming an Emerging Leader, Community Advocate, or Sustainer of Justice. Low-income Americans do not receive any or enough legal help for 92% of their civil legal problems, and as a Community Advocate you can help raise awareness on the availability of civil legal aid by requesting outreach toolkits to help more people access free legal aid. Sustainers of Justice, monthly donors – of any amount – to PLA, help sustain the critical work being done to build a more just Philadelphia.

The Emerging Leaders program, the core component of #JustPhilly, was created to cultivate a generation of collaborative, diverse leaders that have the confidence, will, and ability to drive transformative change in Philadelphia. We recognize that civil legal aid is inherently connected to the larger anti-poverty movement in Philadelphia.

Emerging Leaders creates opportunities for justice-oriented young leaders across fields to meet like-minded peers, develop leadership skills, and collaborate to advance social justice efforts in Philadelphia. In our first year, we hosted four events and engaged more than 100 emerging leaders.