Center for
Social Justice & Education
Empowering Communities. Changing Lives.
What is
the Center for Social Justice & Education?
The Center for Social Justice Education and Advocacy examines racial inequities and the political, economic, and social issues that impact the Houston community. Its mission is to strengthen civic engagement through education and empower the local, underserved community to address systemic challenges.
Focus Area:
- Legislative Review
- Elections Protection Reform
- Education Reform
- Fair Housing
- Health & Wellness
- Environmental Equity
- Higher Education
- Access to Resources
- Programmatic Community Outreach
The Center for Social Justice and Education’s sole purpose is to create more conscious advocates. We welcome you to join us and see how you can be a catalyst for change in the community. Contact us to become the advocate your community needs today.
The Urban League
of Texas (ULoT) Affiliates for the 2025 Legislative Session
The Urban Leagues of Texas (ULoT) affiliates for the 2025 Legislative session have formed a nonpartisan alliance with policy makers, advocates, and constituents to address complex legislation that adversely impacts communities across our state. Our legislative focus offers a multifaceted response to invasive legislative policies that diminish state representation, Quality of Life, and safeguards meant to protect citizens often disenfranchised across Texas.
89th Texas Legislative
Session: Executive Priorities
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE Act) will force citizens to provide documentation of citizenship by requesting Passports or Birth Certificates, making access difficult for America citizens to exercise their fundamental right to vote. The Act overhauls the National Voting Rights Act of 1993 allowing residents to vote when applying for an official ID or Drivers License. To combat restrictions, we propose state policy makers enforce responsible regulatory reforms to protect Texas communities in accordance with the John R. Lewis Voter Advancement Act. By ensuring eligible voters are not impaired, prohibited through barriers, intimidated or left behind, comprehensive procedures must deter discriminatory practices impacting social and economic outcomes to defend democracy in Texas.
Democracy Day: Texas Legislation Edition
20
25
2025 CSJE
ADVOCACY U Fall COHORT
Declaration of Independence and the American Constitution
Speaker: Dr. Ronald Goodwin, Professor at Prairie View A&M University
Declaration of Independence and the American Constitution: New Freedoms or Status Quo – Virtual 2/11/2025
The CSJE is honored to feature Dr. Goodwin Prairie View Professor of American History who will discuss Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence, it’s structure, justification behind the revolution and how the impact through our struggle for freedom relates to current political freedoms today.
Civil Liberties vs. Civil Rights
Speakers: Dr. Coliette Gaston, Professor at Prairie View A&M University
Civil Liberties vs. Civil Rights – Virtual 2/18/2025
Civil Liberties are freedoms guaranteed through the US Constitution to protect everyone from oppression (ex. freedom of speech), while civil rights are legal rights that protect individuals from discrimination (ex. employment discrimination). This virtual activation will explore the differences between civil liberties and civil rights, the laws that govern them and characteristics designed to protect the laws interpreted through the federal legislature established by the federal government.
Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment: Illusions of Freedom
Speakers: Dr. Alex Goodwin, Professor at Southwestern University
Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment: Illusions of Freedom –
Virtual 2/25/2025
In 1863, The Emancipation proclamation freed enslaved peoples in the Americas only in confederate states, but the 13th Amendment was responsible for making it a national policy. This activation will analyze the proclamations limitations – as it did not end slavery but will explore how it transformed the union states and layered levels of execution through terms and conditions that challenged the outcry for freedom as those freedoms are still challenged today.
Party Politics and Redistricting
Speakers: Dr. Alex Goodwin, Professor at Southwestern University
Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment: Illusions of Freedom –
Virtual 2/25/2025
Political loyalty is important to predict election outcomes. Gerrymandering (also known as redistricting) continues to be a vital component in the voting process to disempower democratic leaning voters who live in predominantly urban areas. In this segment, you will learn about what redistricting is, how the process disenfranchises communities, and impacts social determinants within our daily lives.
Federalism Defined: States’ Rights or Authoritarianism
Speakers: Dr. Larry Weeden and Dr. Craig Jackson, Professors at Thurgood Marshall School of Law
Federalism Defined: States’ Rights or Authoritarianism – Virtual 3/11/2025
The distribution of power allows states to share their power with the national government. In principality, each state has their own constitution where each can exercise its power to choose, for example, what kinds of ballots to use or voting procedures foundational to elections decided by our national government. In a time when policies have become weaponized, this virtual will look at how states are utilizing their power, patterns of ideology(beliefs) and how it has centralized/decentralized political power.
Texas History – African American & Latino History
Speakers: Dr. James Douglas, Michael Adams, Merline Pitre, Professors at Thurgood Marshall School of Law
Texas History – African American & Latino History – Virtual 3/25/2025
Within Texas, African American’s and Latino’s made a huge imprint on the economic development of the land. Slavery was the catalyst and Texas plantation owners obtained free labor because of it. After seceding from Mexico, the revolution in 1836 made Texas an independent nation for 9 years until 1845. How did interim sovereignty effect the profitability of the state and to what degree did African Americans who fought during the civil war impact those conditions? This activation will explore the state of independence to further promote economic gains at the expense of human capital.
Democracy and War
Speakers: TSU, Dr. Craig Jackson, Professors at Thurgood Marshall School of Law
Democracy and War – Virtual 4/1/2025
Democracy and War affects our political liberation. As democracy takes applied force from the table, war polarizes to establish negative determinants that often dismantle civil rights through political influence. It is diametrically opposed to liberation and serves as an imminent threat to our nation state. We will explore how human rights have been defended throughout history, the significance of its effects and military mobilization that produces negative consequences and conflict in our quest to seek social sovereignty.
Perceptions of Race in the Age of Obama
Speaker: TSU, Dr. James Douglas, Michael Adams, KC Morrison, Carroll Robinson, Professors at Thurgood Marshall School of Law
Perceptions of Race in the Age of Obama – Virtual 4/8/2025
Over the years, race relations have been strenuous particularly during times of political transition. Parallel to the powershifts was an increase of racial tension that spawned aggressive acts throughout our nation. The Obama presidency, through a slow deterioration of antics and efforts to marginalize communities, capsized due to the political environment created by nationalists’ rhetoric to further racial division. During this virtual class, we will examine rapid social change, how the toxic political climate influenced behavior and how it insighted hostility within our current political environment questioning equality today.
Changing the Face of Civil Rights
Speaker: TSU, Dr. James Douglas, Michael Adams, KC Morrison, Carroll Robinson, Professors at Thurgood Marshall School of Law
Perceptions of Race in the Age of Obama – Virtual 4/8/2025
During the virtual, professors will discuss civil rights over the course of U.S. history. In the United States, persons who either did not own property, enslaved or a women could not vote. Only free men or men who owned property could do so. This conversation will unpack information about the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendment, reconstruction, and segregation. What happened to the rights of African American? How did gains from the 50’s and 60’s become marginalized? What happened to the seed(s) of affirmative action having resulted in the regression of our civil rights today?
Key Focuses/Pillars
The Center for Social Justice and Education (CSJE) will focus on key issues that directly impact those that live throughout the city. Below you will find some of the most pressing issues that the CSJE will address.
Key Programs
To empower the community, we have created a combination of workshops and series to ensure community members can understand the importance of social justice through education. Education is vital to spread the word about social inequities and help the community become well aware of current issues that directly impact the lives of many individuals in the city.
Core Programs
Racial Opportunity for All
Racial opportunity is one of the most important pillars that we will uphold. We will provide a formidable foundation for all participants and make sure they understand the importance of working towards a more opportunity-driven, inclusive, and educated society. By acknowledging our differences, we can be closer towards securing a more opportunity-filled environment that makes it possible for all individuals, especially those from underserved communities, to succeed from a personal and professional standpoint.
Racial Opportunity in the Workplace
Talented professionals, particularly those of color, are negatively affected by workplaces that fail to provide a safe and supportive environment, making it much harder for them to succeed. Business leaders must develop effective solutions to remove these obstacles. The corporate leadership workshop/pillar will emphasize the importance of opportunity, advancement, and the need to eliminate bias. Through civic engagement, we will establish a practical framework that business leaders can use to foster a workplace where all employees have the chance to succeed. Key strategies will include identifying and implementing practices that disrupt systemic barriers in professional settings. We will bring together thought leaders, change agents, and industry experts to help organizations create environments where all professionals can thrive, ultimately enhancing business performance and driving organizational growth.
Police Reform
We believe police reform begins at the local level. We want to encourage participants to become educated on the efforts that the HAUL Center is producing to reform the criminal justice system and the way policing is conducted. This is to ensure that community members can trust, build and maintain relationships with law enforcement officials. We will work towards investing in our communities and listen to their concerns regarding the state of policing. Some of the ways in which HAUL is addressing law enforcement issues include advocating for an Independent Police Oversight Board, training, and investigating and learning some of the best practices from across the country to ensure our community members can regain confidence and improve upon relationships with law enforcement officials.
The Power of the Vote
Throughout our nation’s history, there has been a coordinating effort to disenfranchise voters of color, particularly Black Americans, from having access to the voting booth. The most recent election has demonstrated the power of voters in our community, highlighting the importance of voting overall. The Center will encourage community members to understand the voting process through various mechanisms. First, we will encourage community members to understand the importance of our two voting entities, the Harris County Tax Assessor and the Harris County Clerk. We will also help community members understand the role of an Elections Administrator. This recently appointed role oversees the county’s elections operations as well as the administration of local state and federal elections in Harris county. Voting empowers individuals and their communities. Through this pillar, we will empower community members that their voices matter, and the best way to raise such voices is through the power of the vote.
Be a catalyst for change
The Center for Social Justice and Education’s sole purpose is to create more conscious advocates. We welcome you to join us and see how you can be a catalyst for change in the community. Contact us to become the advocate your community needs today.