DC Social Justice Transformations Network

About the DC Social Justice Transformations Network

Why Are We Here?

Accessing legal help in the District of Columbia can be challenging. Far too many people do not get the help they need because of barriers to accessing legal help or a lack of resources to find it. Someone’s ability to have help in court should not be determined by wealth or power, but we understand that in our current system, wealth and power have a clear advantage in civil court.

In response to this, in June 2021, the DC Bar Foundation convened nearly 60 legal aid providers, funders, community activists, social services providers, government actors, technology experts, and other stakeholders to reimagine and work towards a more equitable civil justice system in the District of Columbia. The DC Social Justice Transformations Network (DCSJTN) emerged from this initial convening.

Registration for DC Social Justice Transformations Network's June Convening is Open

Click Here to Register to Join us on June 10th

Get Involved in the DCSJTN!

The DC Social Justice Transformations Network is participant driven. Our members engage in specialized Project Work Groups to collaborate on identified challenges facing people in need, build important skills, develop community resources and shape the future of the Network.

There is a space for everyone, whether you want to join an existing Project Work Group, Community of Practice, or initiate and launch something new.

Participants work together toward a specific outcome, a recommendation, or a change. Once the goal is reached, the group may conclude or evolve.

Time commitment: ~3-5 hours/month

Project Work Groups

Participants with shared roles or interests gather regularly to exchange knowledge, reflect on practice, and support one another's work over time.

Time Commitment: Once Monthly Meetings

Communities of Practice

Project Work Groups

Project Work Groups are where the network takes focused action. Each group is Network participant-led, organized around a specific challenge or opportunity, and works toward a defined outcome, whether it is an outcome, developing a recommendation, working to implement a change in practices. Project Work Groups meet monthly and share their progress at each DCSJTN convening.

Learn more about the current project workgroups below:

Orientation & Training

Ensuring that legal services and social services professionals across DC have access to the knowledge, context, and connections they need to do their work effectively.

Focus: Building a shared orientation and training infrastructure for the DC legal and social services ecosystem

Co-Chairs: Chris Marin, Washington Council of Lawyers and Ashley Graham-Wantanabe, Neighborhood Legal Services Program

Schedule: Meets Monthly on the 4th Monday of each Month at 2 pm

Status: Active

What this group does

Develops orientation resources for new legal services professionals navigating DC's courts, systems, and service landscape
Hosts panels and orientations, including an upcoming Bridging the Gap panel on legal aid and social service organizations
Surveys participant organizations to identify training gaps and opportunities for resource-sharing
Explores how to make training materials accessible

Why join? This group is actively shaping what it means to onboard into DC's legal and social services community. If you have expertise to share or gaps you want addressed, this is the place.

Building Relationships: Building Better Bridges

Dedicated on making collaboration between social service and legal aid providers easier and more effective to help ensure that clients do not fall through the cracks.

Focus: Strengthening cross-sector collaboration between legal services and social services providers

Co-Chairs: Paige Jordan, Ayuda, and open opening

Schedule: Meets Monthly on the 1st Wednesday of the Month at 11:00 am

What this group does

Host spotlights on participant organizations, resources, and field insights
Co-creates small, practical products like resource lists and snapshots from the field to support daily work
Builds relationships across sectors through roundtable conversations and informal gatherings

Current Impact: Over 20 organizations have participated in this work group, with consistent representation from partners including CSOSA, Whitman-Walker Health, Tzedek DC, Ayuda, and others. Attendance is generally around 17 participants per-meeting, and what began as a meeting has evolved into a collaborative, energetic, and practice-informed community of people committed to improving the delivery of services across the District of Colombia. working group that people return to and genuinely look forward to.

Communities of Practice

Communities of Practice are the relational foundation of the network. Unlike project work groups, they are not time-limited and don't have a defined endpoint. They exist because sustained change requires sustained relationships and because the people doing this work need spaces to think together, not just produce together.

These groups continue to build. They grow stronger the longer they meet, and they evolve with the needs of their participants.

Executive Director/CEO Meet-Up

A peer space for executive directors and CEOs across the network to think together about organizational leadership, sector-wide challenges, and opportunities for collective action. This group recognizes that leading mission-driven organizations in DC's current environment is complex and that leaders benefit from honest conversations with peers.

Who it's for: Executive Directors and CEOs

Facilitated by:

Indira Henard, DC Rape Crisis Cente
Monte Pollard, Changing Perceptions
Chijioke Akamigbo, Rising for Justice

Intake Staff Network

A collaborative space for intake coordinators and staff who are the first point of contact for people seeking services to share best practices, their experiences, troubleshoot challenges, and strengthen the relationships across organizations that make referrals and provide wrap-around services.

Who it's for: Intake staff and those who work with intake staff at participant organizations

Facilitated by:

Philip Scholz, Neighborhood Legal Services Program
Noah Leonard, DC Bar Foundation

Want to Start a New Group or Community of Practice?

Network participants can propose and launch new project work groups. If you see a gap or an opportunity the network should be working on, we want to hear from you.

What to expect:

Initiating a new group starts with a short written proposal, a working document that helps the network understand the problem you want to address and how you'd approach it. You don't need a perfect plan; a first draft is welcome.

Your proposal should cover:

What problem needs to be addressed?
What would success look like? What would be a win?
What are a few goals and possible outcomes?
What best practices or research are relevant? (links welcome)
Who needs to be involved, and who may already be working on it?
What steps would need to be taken?
What capacity or resources would the network need?
Estimated timeline and work effort

One requirement: Your initiating team should include at least one participant from the legal services community and one from the social services community, to ensure a balance of perspectives.

Need help finding the right people? Reach out to Michanda Myles, Network Manager, at myles@dcbarfoundation.org.

What happens next:

Once submitted, your proposal will be shared with the DC Bar Foundation, the Interaction Institute for Social Change, and the Network Action Team. After review, the network will vote on whether to adopt the new work group or community of practice as an active project.

Please submit all proposal to: innovation@dcbarfoundation.org

DC Social Justice Transformations Network Public Data Dashboard

This Public Data Dashboard Portal will provide a bird’s eye view of the DC Social Justice Transformations Network and how we are connected. Over a two-year span, in June 2021 and Fall 2022 we conducted two network surveys to gain insight about how the network is doing, the progress we’ve made, and about the existing ecosystem of organizations and community stakeholders that currently support access to legal aid for District residents.

ACCESS PUBLIC PORTAL

SEE SOME OF OUR HISTORY

On June 15, 2021, 57 legal aid providers, funders, community activists, social service providers, and other stakeholders met for the first time to build a network that would help to ensure that every DC resident has a fair and equitable experience with civil legal aid. It was facilitated by Kelly Bates and Curtis Ogden of the Interaction Institute for Social Change (IISC), which works to build collaborative capacity in individuals, organizations, and networks working for social justice and racial equity.

The goals of this first convening were to generate:

Greater understanding of the value of network building for civil legal aid;
A common analysis of the challenges and opportunities for civil legal aid;
Movement toward a shared vision of what is possible as a network to address these challenges and harness opportunities; and
Next steps, including actionable ways to collaborate moving forward.

We exceeded these goals, officially established the DC Legal Aid Transformations Network, and invited attendees to participate in the first network survey by Visible Network Labs. The purpose of the survey is to generate data on the connections and trust between participants and provide guidance on targeting network support moving forward.

You can learn more about the network by reading the following articles from DCBF's newsletter:

The second convening was held on September 14, 2021. With three months under our belt as the DC Legal Aid Transformations Network, attendees were eager to come together and regain traction from the June meeting. During this convening, Visible Network Labs conducted an in-depth presentation on “How You Can Use Network Science and Network Survey Results.” This presentation helped set up network members for success when reviewing their data from the network survey they completed in late June.

During this two-hour session, conveners deemed that having desired outcomes were needed and beneficial for each convening. Going forward, we will establish desired outcomes prior to each meeting to help us focus and hit our targets.

The desired outcomes for this convening were to have:

A greater sense of connection, trust, and familiarity with one another and our work;
A greater understanding of the value of network building for civil legal aid;
A shared understanding of the results of the Visible Network Lab survey and its implications for this network;
A list of the next steps and an evaluation of this meeting.

The last convening for 2021 was held on December 15. It was a full-day event for network members, who discussed various topics, including transforming systems from gatekeeping to gateways, learning to move beyond silos, and prioritizing listening to clients’ needs while generating a human-centered approach. The conversation also focused on the upstream dream of dismantling civil legal aid and self-reflecting on advancing racial equity in our organizations, including our leadership.

The desired outcomes for this convening were:

Greater connectivity among network participants
Alignment around the shared purpose of this network
Alignment around some systemic intervention points for this network to organize around, looking through the lens of “justice determinants of wellbeing”

On our March 9, 2022 Quarterly Convening, 40 Network members built community, heard presentations from Network members, and deepened our understanding of how to transform legal services by focusing on "upstream" approaches and centering anti-racism, wellbeing and anti-poverty. Kirra Jarratt shared about the ongoing work of the Design Team, the Network Manager hiring process, and plans for client focus groups in April to improve the intake/referral process.

Members discussed the difference between "upstream" work, which identifies problems at their root cause, and "downstream" work, which addresses immediate needs that are the symptoms of those root causes, and people wrote down their expansive visions of upstream work, as well as the barriers to those visions becoming real.

We held our 1st Anniversary Convening for the DC Legal Aid Transformations Network. We welcomed several first-time conveners making this the largest convening to date. Then, Beth Mellen, Lori Leibowitz, Lauren Taylor, and Maya Brennan presented the Upstream Dream: Eviction Diversion or Building a Unicorn in 3 Acts. We had some thought-provoking small group breakout sessions that have now become subnetworks. If you missed the convening, here are the participant agenda and convening slides that will give you an idea of what we covered.

Lastly, we also launched a subnetwork for intake specialists; if you are interested in joining this community, email innovation@dcbarfoundation.org.

On September 14, 2022, the DC Legal Aid Transformations Network welcomed over 58 new conveners as we held our September Convening. It was a full afternoon! Our agenda included an in-depth update on the progress of the Coordinated Intake and Referral System; a celebration of milestones and accomplishments; and Amanda Beacon from

Visible Network Labs gave us a detailed overview of the upcoming network survey, which will produce our updated network map. Our breakout sessions allowed participants to build new connections or strengthen the ones they previously made, which will help further the work of the subnetworks.

An emerging subnetwork was introduced: Cross-Cutting/Cross-Issues work to help clients with multiple legal needs, and the expertise is at a different organization. If you missed this one, we sure hope you join us for the December Convening.

The final convening for 2022 was held on Wednesday, December 14. Ariel Levinson-Waldman, Founding President, and Director-Counsel at Tzedek DC and Co-Chair of the Consortium, shared on the Coordinated Intake and Referral System (CIR), and Joseph Schieffer, CEO of A2J Tech, provided an update on the technology infrastructure. The subnetworks worked diligently and began planning for 2023 while chipping away at tensions. For the first time, we shared some pre-convening reading material and a special video with information on the 2nd annual DC Legal Aid Transformations Network Survey by Amanda Beacom, Visible Network Labs.

Below are some milestones and accomplishments of the DC LATN and CIR in 2022:

April
- Network Project Manager Hired
- Final focus group interviews with District residents and intake workers
June
- Celebrated 1st Anniversary of DC LATN
- Subnetworks were established
July
- Designing a Coordinated Intake and Referral (CIR) System for Civil Legal Aid in the District of Columbia: Client and Community Member Input Report Released
- Slack After Four Virtual Happy Hours
September
- Designing a Coordinated Intake and Referral (CIR) System for Civil Legal Services in the District of Columbia: Input from Legal Services Providers and Allied Organizations Report Released
- The 2nd Network Survey was conducted
- Coordinated Intake and Referral Database was Launched
December
- Call to Action for User Testers (For DC Residents only. Please share with your clients)

We kicked off 2023 with our first convening of the year on March 8. The DC Legal Transformations Network sought to bring together various stakeholders from various disciplines to reimagine a more equitable civil justice system in DC. Our network provides a platform to address challenges, exchange information and knowledge, and foster collaboration while building connections and finding common ground.

During this convening, several stakeholders came together on Zoom; here is a brief overview of what took place:

Haley Bachinski, Senior Project Manager at Visible Network Labs, shared key insights from the Fall Network Mapping Survey, presented the two generated maps, and offered a preview of the new public portal.
Karen Newton Cole, Executive Director of NLSP and Co-chair of the Consortium, shared important updates and milestones. Over the past 90 days, the CIR launched CIR Chats, met with Legal Services Corporation, and initiated network focus groups with the Landlord Tenant Legal Assistance Network, Family Law Assistance Network, and Victim Legal Network of DC.
Sandy Ambrozy, a Fellow at Full Frame Initiative, provided a refresher on the Wellbeing principles and helped us refocus before we split into Subnetworks.
Subnetworks collaboratively selected a priority focus area for 2023 and identified key deliverables.

The DC Legal Aid Transformations Network (DC LATN) hosted its first-ever in-person Convening on June 14, 2024, at The University of the District of Columbia. The event highlighted the power of meeting in person and united a diverse and engaged group of individuals, fostering authentic and vulnerable interactions.

The organizers kept the Convening simple, focusing on activities that allowed for relationship-building. Participants brainstormed ideas and goals for the network, which were captured in real time by graphic illustrator Mark Korsak. This helped illustrate the possibilities of what the DC LATN has the power to accomplish.

The group also explored challenges faced by the network using the fishbowl conversation method. This highlighted network members' shared reality and experiences as they discussed the network's constraints, tensions, opportunities, and polarities.

Overall, the Convening was a testament to the strength and potential of in-person collaboration. It allowed network members to connect and work towards their shared goals.

The September quarterly meeting was a success, with over 34 organizations, four independent advocates, and 15 new conveners in attendance. During the meeting, we asked: “What does this moment demand of us in the realms of legal aid, social services, and the District?” and explored what actions we should take in response.

The Interaction Institute of Social Change team did an excellent job leading the discussions and keeping the network engaged. From our conversations, we identified seven focus areas for future research and initiatives in addition to Coordinated Intake and Referral, including Building Relationships, Mapping Social Services Providers, Client-Centered Approaches, Pay Equity, Advocacy Entity Establishment, App Development, and Legal and Social Service Providers Bootcamp Training.

Initiators stepped forward to take the lead in researching these initiatives, which will help us move forward with more concrete plans for the future. Overall, the meeting helped to provide us with a clear direction for the next steps.

The DC Legal Aid Transformation Network convened on December 14 to discuss the network's priorities for 2024. The attendees discussed various initiatives, such as Building Relationships, Mapping Social Services Providers, Client-Centered Approaches, Pay Equity, Advocacy Entity Establishment, App Development, and Legal and Social Service Providers Bootcamp Training. They also discussed the Coordinated Intake and Referral (CIR) project, sharing that the Pilot will launch in late Spring 2024 and focus on Family Law. The newly hired CIR Project manager, Dina Cruz, was introduced to the network, and she shared more details about the Pilot Launch and what’s to be expected. The CIR technology architect, Joseph Schieffer, CEO of A2J Tech, also attended and presented on the provider directory, which will be a critical component of the CIR.

The network’s leadership officially transitioned from a Design Team to a Network Action to help lead and steward the network. New members of the Network Action Team were introduced, and Design Team members were thanked and honored for their service. Lastly, during this convening, the network voted to change the name to reflect the evolving values of the network. Introducing the DC Social Justice Transformations Network.

On March 13, 2024, the first quarterly convening of the DC Social Justice Transformations Network was held. The attendees were welcomed by Network Action Team Co-Leads, Sheilly Virella of Christian Legal Aid and Indira Henard of DC Rape Crisis Center.

The network structure, member roles, and terminology were explained during the convening to set the meeting level. Several "speed networking" rounds and project workgroup breakout sessions were held, where network members participated. The following project workgroups met: Relationship building, Orientation, Pay Equity research group, and Communications. While CIR was reported on, they didn't meet during the convening as they conduct a standing weekly meeting.

The convening attendees made new connections and deepened existing ones while better understanding the network's direction.

The DC Social Justice Transformations Network held a meeting on June 12, 2024. The meeting aimed to bring together various stakeholders to discuss and promote social justice in the District of Columbia.

Kirra Jarrett, CEO of the DC Bar Foundation, spoke about the evolution of their network and the widespread support from the Access to Justice Initiative to advocate for level-set funding, which the network and other organizations rallied together to achieve.

Michanda Myles, Network Project Manager, highlighted the Network's growth and the challenge of navigating change as it transitions into a more developmental phase after three years. Network Action Team Co-Leaders, Indira Henard, Executive Director of the DC Rape Crisis Center, and Sheily Virella, Pro Bono Manager at Christian Legal Aid, shared stories emphasizing the network's role in uniting diverse stakeholders for a common purpose and challenged attendees to reflect on their motivations.

Joseph Schieffer, CEO of A2J Tech, provided a technical demonstration of the new CIR system, which will launch in late June. Karen Newton-Cole, Executive Director, Neighborhood Legal Services Program, shared more about the upcoming Pilot Launch, including introducing the two new navigators to the Network.

The convening showcased the Network's commitment to fostering community, encouraging strategic collaborations, and creating a more just society through collective action and shared resource understanding.

The DC Social Justice Transformations Network (DCSJTN) held its convening on Thursday, November 7th. The convening brought together a diverse group of advocates, organizers, and service providers from various sectors dedicated to advancing justice and equity in the District.

This convening prioritized strengthening member connections and fostering a sense of community. Attendees enjoyed "Cultural Shares," where network attendees showcased their talent through artistic expression. Team-building activities throughout lunch further emphasized the importance of collaboration and mutual support to deepen relationships.

Insightful presentations on the Network's progress and future goals were also shared. Danielle Varda and Jenny Lawlor from Visible Network Labs presented on network mapping, illuminating the importance of member profiles and the 2024 network mapping survey. Kirra Jarrett, CEO of the DC Bar Foundation, provided updates on the Coordinated Intake and Referral (CIR) pilot system and announced the release of the RFP to host the full CIR.

The convening concluded with a renewed sense of purpose to support the Network as we enter 2025.

On March 12th, members of the DC Social Justice Transformations Network came together for the March convening, a day of reflection, connection, and collaboration. The event was facilitated by Curtis Odgen and Kelly Frances Bates from the International Institute for Social Change (IISC) and opened with words from Michanda Myles, Network Project Manager at DC Bar Foundation, Sheily Virella of Christian Legal Aid and Indira Henard of the DC Rape Crisis Center, setting the tone for an engaging and meaningful gathering.

The event began with a Wellbeing Exercise, where participants took a moment to reflect on their personal wellness and the challenges of social justice work. This set the stage for open and thoughtful discussion throughout the day. Farid Forozi, Director of Evaluation and Innovation, at the DC Bar Foundation, then shared updates on the DC Resource Bridge and the Provider Directory, which sparked conversations about how organizations can better support one another.

In breakout groups, attendees dove into discussions on strengthening relationships, supporting new leaders, and setting shared goals. These conversations drew on real experiences and advice, and generated concrete steps for further collaboration.

The convening wrapped up with knowledge-sharing sessions, where participants highlighted upcoming opportunities and resources. Attendees left feeling more deeply connected, inspired, and ready to take collective action.

On June 10, 2025, the DC Social Justice Transformations Network gathered to examine systems thinking, leadership sustainability, and the evolution of shared infrastructure. The session shifted the focus from traditional networking toward exploring the deep interconnectedness inherent in social justice work.

The morning workshop centered on systems thinking and sensing (a framework designed to help leaders navigate complex social environments). Participants explored the Systems Approach Iceberg, a model illustrating that while events are visible at the surface, the true potential for change lies beneath the surface through patterns, structures, and mindsets. This framework and technical foundation encouraged a shift from reactive problem solving to proactive system design.

Leadership, Sustainability, and Wellbeing

The convening featured several perspectives on the personal and professional requirements of social justice advocacy:

Vulnerability in Leadership: Indira Henard (CEO of the DC Rape Crisis Center) addressed the necessity of mental health. She challenged the stigma of leader invulnerability, urging attendees to identify trusted confidants to prevent burnout and maintain long-term efficacy.
Unity of Purpose: Sheily Virella (Christian Legal Aid) provided a video address emphasizing that community building requires a diverse array of contributors rather than the efforts of a single individual.
The Fireside Chat: Michanda Myles (DC Bar Foundation) hosted a dialogue with Andy Shallal (Founder of Busboys and Poets). Shallal shared insights on the importance of small wins and the role of joy in professional sustainability. He noted that authentic relationships are often best forged through shared meals, highlighting food as a primary tool for human connection.

The session concluded with updates on tangible network advancements, including the continued work of the network's project work groups and communities of practice.

On October 14, 2025, the DC Social Justice Transformations Network gathered for its October convening. With nearly 100 participants, the session focused on professional sustainability, strategic agility, and leadership governance.

The convening addressed the heightened stress within the District nonprofit sector resulting from recent federal layoffs and economic shifts.

Mindfulness and Grounding: Wing Bui (Freedom Healers DC) opened the session with a grounding exercise to establish an intentional collective tone.
Resilience Frameworks: Anika Harden facilitated an Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) session. This module provided participants with practical tools to manage professional setbacks and build confidence through mindful awareness.

Participants engaged in a scenario planning exercise to prepare for fluctuating political and economic environments. The groups analyzed organizational strategies across four quadrants of resource availability and public support.

Strategic Growth: In high-resource environments, the focus remains on expanding cross-sector partnerships and brand visibility.
Collaborative Scarcity: In low-resource environments, the network advocated for radical resource sharing and the use of "abundance mindset" tactics to maximize existing relationships.
Community Trust: For scenarios with abundant funding but low public trust, the group emphasized need-based program design and qualitative data gathering to align services with community needs.

The session highlighted the continued evolution of centralized tools for the District's legal service community.

DC Resource Bridge: David Steib announced the formal launch of the DC Resource Bridge. Attendees received technical instructions for the system, which serves as a centralized point of entry for legal assistance.
Ongoing Communication: Network Project Manager Michanda Myles shared that a newsletter with updated digital resources would be distributed later in October to maintain collaborative momentum.

In March 2026, the DC Social Justice Transformations Network (DCSJTN) marked its fifth anniversary with the theme "Growing the Good Fire." This framework, inspired by indigenous land stewardship, emphasized using collective power to heal systemic inequities through intentional collaboration.

The convening focused on transitioning from organizational "turf" to network "trust." This shift allows for a multisector ecosystem to move beyond simple networking toward coordinated action and shared intelligence.

Panel Discussion: Building Power and Change

Panelists Natasha Bennett (Bread for the City), Farah Fosse (Empower DC), and Susan Jacob (Housing Counseling Services) discussed the necessity of systemic "cleansing" and collective resistance.

Problem vs. Issue: Practitioners were urged to distinguish between individual crises (e.g., a single eviction) and systemic issues (e.g., the erosion of renter rights).
Community Authority: The panel emphasized that those closest to the problems possess the solutions: success requires active listening and prioritizing community participation over top-down service delivery.
Political Engagement: Advocacy remains a core requirement, as staying active in the budget and legislative process prevents others from making decisions on behalf of the community.

Key Infrastructure and Project Updates

The network reported significant progress on tools designed to centralize legal and social assistance.

DC Resource Bridge (DCRB): Since launching in September, the DCRB has completed 1,000 intakes and 700 referrals. Hosted by Legal Aid DC, the system will soon expand to cover employment civil rights, and probate, legal matters.
Community Justice Workers (CJWs): Nancy Drane (ATJ Commission) detailed a new court-approved framework allowing trained non-lawyers to provide specific legal help. This model leverages trusted community members to bridge capacity gaps in civil law cases.
Collaborative Hubs: The Building Better Relationships and Training groups continue to synchronize legal and social services through monthly meetings.

In conclusion, Lul Mohamud (The Person Center) offered a reflection on Ramadan, focusing on the Quranic chapter "The Morning Hours." The session highlighted the importance of emotional control and the belief that light follows darkness. The convening concluded with a reminder to maintain the "embers" of new connections as the network looks toward the June 2026 gathering.

DC SJTN: NETWORK MAPPING UPDATES

In 2021, the Foundation partnered with Visible Network Labs to create a map of DC's civil legal aid network. This mapping displays the existing relationships between organizations within the network and is being used to inform our understanding of how to improve our city's civil legal aid network so that it works for all residents.

Click the links below to read Visible Network Labs' full reports on the DC Social Justice Transformations Network and this network mapping exercise.

READ THE 2021 MAPPING REPORT

READ THE FALL 2022 MAPPING COMPARISON REPORT