Pop megastar Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has donated $100,000 to the College of Houston Regulation Heart Prison Justice Clinic by means of her BeyGOOD Basis. The reward will permit the clinic to rent fill-time school to go it, benefiting the scholars who examine there.
“I’m delighted that the BeyGOOD Basis has made this very beneficiant reward to the UH Regulation Heart,” mentioned Leonard Baynes, dean of the UH Regulation Heart. “Not solely will this funding assist set up a full-time prison justice clinic that gives professional bono authorized providers in our neighborhood, however it’s going to additionally supercharge our already wonderful prison legislation and justice programming.”
The clinic is certainly one of 9 at UHLC. It helps college students study to navigate the prison justice system, particularly on behalf of shoppers which might be underserved by expert attorneys. Folks of shade are affected disproportionately by an absence of fine, moral illustration.
Beyoncé, probably the most embellished artist in Grammy historical past and simply the largest musical star native to Houston, has an extended historical past of advocating for prison justice reform. She was a staunch supporter of the police reform following the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, asking legislation enforcement to “cease killing us” in an internet submit. In 2020, she penned an open letter to the Kentucky legal professional basic asking for justice within the dying of Breonna Taylor.
Via her BeyGOOD Basis, established in 2013, Beyoncé has centered totally on increasing the prospects of Black-owned enterprise and providing schooling alternatives to college students. Forwarding the reason for authorized illustration in Texas whereas additionally serving to out marginalized communities compliments her different philanthropic work.
“At UH Regulation, we envision a authorized occupation the place ‘everybody has the chance to prosper,’ as BeyGOOD envisions, and we are going to obtain this imaginative and prescient by offering entry to robust and efficient authorized illustration in prison proceedings,” Baynes mentioned. “And collectively, by means of this reward, the BeyGOOD Basis and UHLC will shepherd the following era of prison justice attorneys within the metropolis of Houston, the state of Texas and the nation.”
