Justice Above All
The Legal Defense Fund
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About This Podcast
The Thurgood Marshall Institute at the Legal Defense Fund brings you Justice Above All, a quarterly series about the evolution of, and continued need for, racial justice advocacy. We’ve entered a time where many of the building blocks underpinning our work for racial justice are being questioned or actively undermined. Justice Above All provides an accessible way to help inform the national debate, revive our history, and remember how far we still must go in our quest to realize the ideals for which Thurgood Marshall and the advocates he led fought.
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Recent Episodes
Safety is What We Carry
Black communities hold the intergenerational wisdom to address community violence and deliver safety without relying on punishment. In this episode of Justice Above All, guests explore approaches to…
Segregation Rebranded: All-White Settlements vs. Fair Housing
This episode of Justice Above All investigates one way in which segregation has been rebranded in the twenty-first century: all-white, or “whites-only,” settlements. In recent years, there has been…
S5E1 Toxic Beauty: Racial Disparities in Black Women’s Health
Toxic beauty—the presence of harmful chemicals in common beauty products—is a public health crisis rooted in systemic racism. In this episode of Justice Above All, guests discuss how various beauty…
S4E15 Re-Air: How Does Racism Undermine Scientific Innovation?
In honor of the 100th anniversary of what we now know to be Black History Month in the U.S., we are re-airing a special episode. In the roughly two years since we recorded this episode, public…
S4E14 What Is Originalism, and Who Does It Leave Out?
The United States is at a tipping point, as the anti-truth movement attempts to erase the history of pivotal moments that advanced racial justice. Related to this movement, the legal theory of…
Responsibility and Repair: The Promises of Restorative Justice
Too often, the criminal legal system fails people who experience harm or violence. At the same time, it also often fails the communities that harmed people are members of. In many cases, survivors…
Democracy Disrupted: How Federal Takeovers Target Black Communities
Today, cities such as Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City are under heightened scrutiny, with political narratives around “crime” fueling discussions of potential federal or…
Essential Infrastructure: How Transportation Shapes Our Lives
Every day, transportation is an essential thread woven into the fabric of our lives. Public transportation systems have silently shaped the landscapes of communities, perpetuating disparities and…
Who Controls Our Water?
Local officials have a great deal of power and authority over both our access to water and our water quality. For that reason, water is frequently on the ballot in local elections. Currently, Black…
Gang Policing: The Truth Revealed
Police departments claim that gang policing is a crucial, precise crime prevention strategy. In reality, gang policing operates as a racially discriminatory police practice, targeting thousands of…
Driving While Black
Content Warning: Themes of racism, violence, and police brutality are discussed throughout this episode. Please proceed with caution and care. The U.S. has persistently relied on armed law…
Brown at 70: The Continued Struggle for Education Equity
In 1955, the Supreme Court instructed the states to begin desegregation plans with "all deliberate speed." This episode of Justice Above All highlights the complexities of realizing equal educational…
Brown II at 70: The Fourteenth Amendment and the Myth of Neutrality
This episode of Justice Above All examines how the Supreme Court interpreted the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause in Brown v. Board of Education (1954), and how today’s legal arguments…
Reproductive Justice and the Role of Birthing Centers
This episode of Justice Above All highlights the centrality of birthing centers, which provide historically informed and culturally competent care to Black birthing people, to the realization of…
The Promises and Threats of Algorithms in Housing
Algorithms and predictive technologies are being used to an increasing extent in housing (i.e., tenant screening, lending, appraisals, housing advertising). While algorithms have the potential to…
Who Holds Sheriffs Accountable?
Despite being the only elected law enforcement officials, sheriffs operate with impunity. In fact, many people are not aware of the sweeping power that sheriffs hold over law enforcement, jails, and…
Democracy at a Crossroads: Voter Challenges and Turnout
This episode of Justice Above All discusses voter challenges and voter turnout ahead of the November 5, 2024 election. Our guests explain how voter intimidation and voter suppression tactics…
Real Talk: What Project 2025 Means for Your Life
In 2023, The Heritage Foundation, a think tank focused on promoting conservative public policies, published Project 2025 as a blueprint to consolidate power within the executive, or the office of the…
S2E2 Brown at 70: Tracing the Legacy and History of Brown v. Board of Education
May 2024 marks 70 years since the U.S. Supreme Court issued its landmark ruling in Brown v. Board of Education declaring the “separate but equal” doctrine unconstitutional and marking a new standard…
S3E1 What is the state of felony disenfranchisement?
On the season three opener of Justice Above All, host and Thurgood Marshall Institute Senior Researcher, Dr. Sandhya Kajeepeta explores the state of felony disenfranchisement. Across the country,…
Frequently Asked Questions
Justice Above All has published 41 episodes since February 2020, covering topics in Education, History.
Justice Above All is currently highly active with new episodes monthly. Average episode length is 36m.
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