"Justice is relational."
Because we are defined by our connections to one another.
Mwe is a term coined by Dr. Dan Siegel to describe the integration of "me" and "we" — the understanding that our identity is not defined by the boundaries of the self alone, but by the relationships that surround us.
We are relational creatures. We are defined more by our connections to one another than by the confines of our individual experience.
This is why arbitrary detention, unjust imprisonment, and the erosion of constitutional rights do not harm individuals in isolation — they sever the bonds that make us human. They harm all of us.
We are a national nonprofit rooted in the belief that we are defined not only by ourselves, but by our relationships to one another — and that this truth is at the heart of every constitutional protection we hold dear.
Grounded in constitutional protections enshrined to guard against arbitrary government power — the prohibition on excessive bail, the ban on cruel and unusual punishment, due process, equal protection, the right to counsel, and the right to a speedy trial — we believe these rights are not privileges. They are inalienable. They flow from the simple, radical truth that every human being is equal.
We believe United States v. Salerno (1987) marked a dangerous turning point — one that has directly enabled mass incarceration and the government's expanding power to detain people indefinitely without conviction. The consequences have fallen hardest on those with the least power.
We bridge legal organizations, civil rights advocates, public interest groups, and policy organizations nationally — closing the gaps between siloed movements.
Rather than duplicate existing efforts, we amplify them. Our model is built on power with, not power over — coordinating strategy across existing efforts.
We challenge the constitutional violations that have become normalized — using law, policy, and public advocacy to restore the guardrails our founders enshrined.
We pursue transformation where power is shared, not wielded. Rooted in relational identity and shared responsibility, we build justice that lasts.
Our inaugural project addresses one of the most urgent constitutional crises of our time: the detention of families, women, and children by the Department of Homeland Security — a practice we believe constitutes arbitrary and cruel treatment in direct violation of the constitutional protections we exist to defend.
From the Dilley detention center and beyond, families are being held in conditions that violate the prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment, due process protections, and our most basic obligations to one another as human beings.
We are building a coalition of legal advocates, policy experts, and community organizations to challenge this — not in isolation, but together.
Justice is relational. If you are a lawyer, advocate, organizer, researcher, or simply someone who believes every human being is equal — there is a place for you here.