Race, Equity, and Justice Initiative (REJI)

Race Equity and Justice Commitments 

The Washington State Office of Civil Legal Aid (OCLA) is an initial member of the Washington Race Equity and Justice Initiative (REJI). REJI is a network of people, communities, and organizations working together for racial fairness and justice in the law, legal profession, and justice systems. 

OCLA has engaged in dedicated planning efforts to ensure we are best fulfilling our commitment to underwrite, support, and oversee the effective pro-equity delivery of civil legal services to low-income people throughout the State of Washington. 

OCLA’s REJI work is guided and informed by our beliefs and commitments to: 

  • Equity + Inclusion: We seek to cultivate equity and inclusion by creating an environment where everyone with whom and on whose behalf we engage experiences a sense of belonging and value and has fair access and opportunity to the law and justice systems with which we are engaged.   

  • Leadership: We seek to be visionary leaders who use OCLA’s authority, influence, and institutional credibility to help cultivate a civil justice system that delivers justice and serves the commitments outlined in the Supreme Court’s June 4, 2020, Open Letter and the agency’s commitment to racial equity and justice. We strive to nurture an internal environment of inclusive, independent, and interdependent thinking, professional growth, and collaboration. 

  • Transparency + Accountability: We are committed to developing authentic relationships with the communities we serve and support grounded in accountability, transparency, and clear communication. 

  • Change + Innovation:  We will actively embrace change by being flexible, inclusive, and future-focused, challenging the status quo (not accepting the system as a given), forging empowered community partnerships and providing resources to support and sustain innovation in effective, community-directed legal aid delivery. 

We are currently reviewing OCLA’s completed REJI work, refreshing our planning efforts, and developing an updated multi-year implementation plan.