Hello John,
⚖️ Welcome back to our 12 Days of Justice series — and today, we’re sharing Reason #2 to believe in justice: When judges reflect the communities they serve, justice is stronger.⚖️
This year, movement lawyers made history — and you helped make it happen. With your support, Alliance for Justice advanced a fairer, more representative judiciary:
- Larkin Walsh was appointed to the Kansas Supreme Court
- Colleen Melody was appointed to the Washington Supreme Court
-
Maria Elena Cruz became the first Black justice and first Hispanic woman on the Arizona Supreme Court
- Derek Vaughn became the first Black justice on the Nebraska Supreme Court
These wins aren’t symbolic. They will shape human and civil rights, worker protections, and access to justice for generations. But the work isn't done.
New judicial openings — and new threats to fair courts — are already on the horizon for 2026. To meet this moment, AFJ is raising $175,000 to support all of our work, and right now every gift is matched dollar for dollar — doubling your impact and strengthening our ability to advance justice nationwide, including our critical state courts efforts.
Together, we’re building a judiciary that reflects all of us. Let’s keep going.
In community and solidarity,
Tish Gotell Faulks
State Courts Director
