Texas Civil Rights Project merits accolades in seeking justice

Texas Civil Rights Project merits accolades in seeking justice
Ouisa D. Davis / Guest columnist
Article Launched: 06/13/2008 12:00:00 AM MDT


If you ever meet George McAlmon or Jim Harrington, you'll be drawn to their gentle spirits, peace-filled gaze and softness of speech. But they are formidable men, valiant and unwavering in their pursuit of justice for those excluded from the justice system.

McAlmon has done so as a private attorney since 1950, well known for his advocacy and efforts to provide access to legal services and protection of civil rights in our border community.

Harrington is executive director and founder of the Texas Civil Rights Project, a legal aid clinic promoting racial, social, and economic justice and protecting civil rights provided under the U.S. Constitution, state and federal law.

Striving to foster equality, secure justice, ensure diversity and strengthen communities, TCRP was founded in 1990 and now has an established presence in South Texas, Austin, El Paso and Midland/Odessa.

For over 18 years TCRP has tirelessly advocated for racial, social and economic equality in Texas through education and litigation. The Project has worked steadfastly to extend rights to farmworkers and residents of the Rio Grande Valley to improve their living and working conditions.
No area of civil rights is invisible to TCRP's vigilant gaze.

Achieving substantial gains in ensuring justice, TCRP uses education and litigation to create structural change in areas such as voting rights, police and Border Patrol misconduct, sex discrimination, employment bias, privacy, disability rights, grand
jury discrimination, traditional civil liberties, protections under immigration and education law.

Because of TCRP, jails in Hidalgo, El Paso, Henderson, Tom Green, Williamson, Travis, Bexar, Dallas, and Brown Counties do more to prevent inmate suicide, provide interpreters for deaf prisoners, protect vulnerable inmates from sexual assault, administer HIV medications, and make jails accessible for inmates with disabilities.

TCRP now has an El Paso office, the Paso del Norte Civil Rights Project, which, over the past two years, has taken on the task of education and reform, improving access to public and private facilities and programs for the disabled and raising consciousness regarding compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Developing a bilingual consumer rights curriculum targeted at colonia residents, the agency provides education in homeowner rights and responsibilities and protections.

PDNCRP delivers legal services to 17 underserved counties for undocumented domestic violence victims, leadership training and community education in immigration rights and protections under state and federal law.

Addressing police misconduct throughout West Texas and Southern New Mexico, PDNCRP resolved cases of excessive force by law enforcement officers, false arrest, racial profiling and warrantless searches of homes, including negotiating a Taser policy with Odessa police to prevent the use of this weapon against the elderly, children and pregnant women.

PDNCRP vigorously protects First Amendment guarantees of free speech and peaceful assembly, defending a San Elizario storeowner against false charges when El Paso sheriff's deputies retaliated against him for protesting immigration roadblocks and mediating a training program for El Paso Police Department officers after allegations of police assault during a peaceful rally at Montwood High.

Café Mayapan, 2000 Texas Street, will reverberate with the celebration of the Paso del Norte Civil Rights Project Fiesta Fronteriza on June 20 when McAlmon will be honored for his dedication.

Tickets are available online at texascivilrightsproject.org or by calling 532-2799.

Ouisa D. Davis is an attorney at law in El Paso. E-mail: Ouisadavis@yahoo.com
http://www.elpasotimes.com/opinion/ci_9567753