People
Legal Fellowship Works to Keep Families Together
By Whitney Rubenstein, Equal Justice Works Fellow Ms. Matthews, a client of the East Bay Community Law Center, is a black, single mother of three living in Oakland public housing. She has worked hard to create a stable life and home for her family despite often lacking resources. However, when Ms. Matthew’s 16-year-old son was arrested, she faced an impossible decision: ban her son from the family home or keep her family intact but risk eviction and homelessness.