Letter from the Editors<\/p>\n
The Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law and Policy published Volume 28 in a period of tremendous grief, political chaos, and general uncertainty. COVID-19 has highlighted the prevalence of extreme poverty and its intersection with every aspect of life.[1]<\/sup><\/a> In the past year the need for a civil right to counsel in housing court and beyond and the expansion of the eviction crisis continues to gain attention.[2]<\/sup><\/a> The interwoven histories of this nation\u2019s founding and American chattel slavery,[3]<\/sup><\/a> as well as the ever present need to secure protect the right to vote[4]<\/sup><\/a> have become even more salient, particularly after the 2020 Presidential Election and subsequent Capitol riot.[5]<\/sup><\/a> The powerful, yet devastating, stories of people across the world[6]<\/sup><\/a> who are living through this moment in history provide an important reality check that may help to inform carefully crafted policies moving forward.<\/p>\n Against this backdrop, Issue II encourages readers to consider important questions and potential solutions. While discussing a civil right to counsel, citizenship, voting rights, and unclaimed tax credits disproportionally impact the lives of people experiencing poverty, Issue II includes a mix of narratives, statistics, and analyses to remind readers of what remains at stake in this work: human lives. Poverty law and\/or policy dictates real-life outcomes, such as a person\u2019s ability to live in safe housing, register to vote, or access federal benefits. It is our hope that this Issue provokes dialogue and directs readers to respond to the fight against poverty in more meaningful ways.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [1]<\/a>. See Brian Root & Lena Simet, United States: Pandemic Impact on People in Poverty: Current System Leaves Needs Unmet; Lasting Reforms Needed, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH (Mar. 2, 2021, 6:00 AM), https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2021\/03\/02\/united-states-pandemic-impact-people-poverty#.<\/p>\n [2]<\/a>. See Emily Benfer, How Tenants\u2019 Right to Counsel Can End Inequality in the Eviction System\u2014And Save Lives, APPEAL (Mar. 10, 2021), https:\/\/theappeal.org\/how-tenants-right-to-counsel-can-end-inequality-in-the-eviction-system-and-save-lives\/; John Pollock & Meghan Steenburgh, The Pursuit of a Civil Right to Counsel, LEGAL TALK NETWORK (Mar. 31, 2021), https:\/\/legaltalknetwork.com\/podcasts\/aba-law-student-podcast\/2021\/03\/the-pursuit-of-a-civil-right-to-counsel\/.<\/p>\n [3]<\/a>. DeNeen L. Brown, \u2018Uncomfortable Truth\u2019: The New Push for a Slavery Reparations Commission in Congress, WASH.POST (Feb. 10, 2021, 5:40 PM EST), https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/history\/2021\/02\/10\/reparations-slavery-congress-hearing-commission\/.<\/p>\n [4]<\/a>. See Ronald Newman, If the Biden Administration Is Serious About Protecting Voting Rights, Here\u2019s What It Should Do Immediately, TIME (Feb. 22, 2021, 1:37 PM EST), https:\/\/time.com\/5941547\/voting-rights-joe-biden\/.<\/p>\n