East Bay Family Defenders (EBFD) is a criminal justice and welfare project of the left-of-center group Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC). 1The group seeks to reunite incarcerated parents with their children by means such as legal counseling, community organizing, civil rights activism, and policy advocacy. 2
East Bay Family Defenders ceased to be an independent charitable organization after it was acquired by Legal Services for Prisoners with Children in 2023. 3
Financials
In 2022, East Bay Family Defenders had a total income of $343,202, total expenses of $406,367, and $462,338 in total assets. 4 It filed its final tax return after being acquired by Legal Services for Prisoners with Children in 2023. 6
Its parent group, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC), received grants from left-of-center foundations, including $1,000,000 from Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA), $500,000 from Crankstart Foundation, and $305,000 from Amalgamated Charitable Foundation in 2022. 7
Background
East Bay Family Defenders was co-founded by Eliza Patten and Zabrina Aleguire in 2017, headquartered in Oakland, California. It aims to combat family separation and related challenges, including housing insecurity, poor educational opportunities, and limited access to physical and mental health services. Its initial approach was based on New York City’s model of multidisciplinary family support. 8
In 2018, EBFD piloted an interdisciplinary family defense model that was effective at reducing the time children spent in foster care. The model relied on legal, advocacy, and social work. 9
In 2019, EBFD was presented the “Community Partner of the Year” award at the State of the 10th Senate District Address and Awards Ceremony of California state Sen. Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont). 10
In 2022, it reformed as a community-based legal clinic in Alameda County, providing services such as legal training and education to families at risk of separation. 8
It was acquired by Legal Services for Prisoners with Children in September 2023. 3
Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC)
Also known as the Network on Women in Prison, LSPC is a left-of-center group focused on criminal justice reform, civil rights, and social justice. 11
It organizes the annual Quest 4 Democracy rally in Sacramento, gathering legislators and community organizers to promote liberal criminal justice policies. It supports left-leaning criminal justice legislation such as The End Slavery Act in California which seeks to prohibit prison labor due to it being “inherently coercive and exploitative.” 12
It leads the LSPC Policy Academy Project, which engages in advocacy and seeks to influence state legislation to reduce the number of incarcerated people in California. The project offers job training to formerly incarcerated individuals. 13
Critical Race Theory
East Bay Family Defenders promotes critical race theory-aligned views such as “anti-racism” and systemic racism due to white people holding positions of power in the institution of child welfare. EBFD is focused on race equity and seeks to readjust the “power dynamics” regarding child welfare policies. 14
In 2020, it organized a panel in which it promoted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as “critical features of representation.” The panel concluded that the child welfare system is “racist,” and that education for race equity should be “mandatory.” 14
The group supports Black Lives Matter (BLM), but has stated the movement did not go far enough in terms of promoting fundamental changes to criminal justice. 14
References
- “East Bay Family Defenders – Legal Services for Prisoners with Children.” Legal Services for Prisoners with Children – Building a Movement, Not Just Another Non-Profit, March 21, 2024. https://prisonerswithchildren.org/eastbayfamilydefenders/ .
- Loudenback, Jeremy. “Parent Defender Firm Loses Contract in California’s East Bay.” The Imprint, October 28, 2021. https://imprintnews.org/top-stories/parent-defender-firm-loses-contract-in-californias-east-bay/59919.
- “LSPC Completes Nonprofit Merger with East Bay Family Defenders.” Cleary Gottlieb. https://www.clearygottlieb.com/news-and-insights/news-listing/lspc-completes-nonprofit-merger-with-east-bay-family-defenders
- “East Bay Family Defenders, Full Filing – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica, May 9, 2013. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/824028390/202323329349301102/full.
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It received a grant of $60,000 from East Bay Children’s Law Offices (EBCLO) in 2020, $31,550 from Root and Rebound in 2021, and $75,000 from Zellerbach Family Foundation in 2022. 5 “East Bay Family Defenders.” East Bay Family Defenders | Oakland, CA | Cause IQ. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/east-bay-family-defenders,824028390/.
- “Legal Services for Prisoners W Children.” Legal Services for Prisoners w Children | Oakland, CA | Cause IQ. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/legal-services-for-prisoners-w-children,943080408/.
- “Innovative Approach to Parent Representation.” Zellerbach Family Foundation. https://zff.org/2020/01/innovative-approach-to-parent-representation/.
- Acgov. http://www.acgov.org/board/bos_calendar/documents/DocsAgendaReg_9_10_20/PUBLIC%20PROTECTION/Regular%20Calendar/EBFD_brochure_PPC_9_10_20.pdf
- Meetadmin. “East Bay Family Defenders Named ‘Community Partner of the Year.’” East Bay Family Defenders, October 30, 2019. https://eastbayfamilydefenders.org/east-bay-family-defenders-named-community-partner-of-the-year/.
- “San Francisco Attorney Advocates Policies for Imprisoned Parents.” CBS News, August 16, 2015. https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/san-francisco-attorney-advocates-policies-for-imprisoned-parents/.
- “Quest 4 Democracy 2024.” Quest 4 Democracy 2024 | Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice. https://www.cjcj.org/news/blog/quest-4-democracy-2024.
- “Policy Advocacy – Legal Services for Prisoners with Children.” Legal Services for Prisoners with Children – Building a Movement, Not Just Another Non-Profit, February 28, 2024. https://prisonerswithchildren.org/policy-advocacy/.
- Meetadmin. “Manifestation of White Supremacy in the Institution of Child Welfare.” East Bay Family Defenders, November 22, 2021. https://eastbayfamilydefenders.org/a-conversation-about-the-manifestation-of-white-supremacy-in-the-institution-of-child-welfare-level/.