Building Connections, Expanding Our Mission: Crossroads in the Community
Building Connections, Expanding Our Mission: Crossroads in the Community
This fall, Crossroads connected with hundreds of legal professionals, law students, and community partners who share our commitment to youth justice. These events strengthen the army of advocates standing beside Hillsborough County’s most vulnerable children.
Strengthening Support for Our Mission
October 7 – Hillsborough County Bar Association (HCBA) Bench Bar Conference, Membership Luncheon, and Judicial Reception. At the Luncheon, Crossroads was honored with a $20,000 award from the Hillsborough County Bar Foundation’s Outreach Grant Project. It is deeply meaningful to have the support of our local bar foundation in our shared commitment to youth justice, strengthening our ability to serve vulnerable children.
Engaging Future Advocates
September 27 – HCBA Student Networking & Career Fair at the Chester H. Ferguson Law Center, co-hosted by the HCBA’s DEI Committee and Criminal Law Section. We met passionate law students and lawyers eager to explore public interest work and learn how Crossroads impacts youth in our community.
October 22 & 23 – Pro Bono Week events at Cooley Law School’s Annual Pro Bono Q&A Panel and Stetson College of Law’s Pro Bono Fair. We connected with a pipeline of future pro bono attorneys committed to defending the defenseless and embracing the privilege of practicing law.
Connecting with the Bar
October 10 – George Edgecomb Bar Association (GEBA) Judicial Reception at The Centre Club–Tampa, bringing together the bench and bar for an evening of meaningful conversation and connection.
October 29 – HCBA Young Lawyers Division Pro Bono Luncheon, where we shared our mission alongside other outstanding pro bono organizations. The commitment of these young leaders reaffirms why our circuit leads the state in pro bono service.
November 12 – Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers (HAWL) Thankful for Pro Bono Luncheon, where we joined Pro Bono “Speed Dating” with members, moving around the room to share our mission, volunteer opportunities, and impact.
Recruiting Advocates
October 10 – Hillsborough County Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (HCACDL) Presentation, highlighting the urgent need for skilled criminal defense attorneys in our volunteer ranks. Sobering statistics show that by age 17, over 50% of foster youth have experienced arrest, conviction, or detention, and within two years of leaving care, 25% face the adult criminal legal system. Crossroads steps in early to change the trajectory of the lives of these young people.
Making a Direct Impact
October 25 – Hillsborough County Criminal Expungement Forms Clinic, where volunteer attorneys Kellie O’Connell and Daniela Mendez, along with paralegal Cady, helped community members remove barriers to employment, housing, and education. One bad day shouldn’t define the rest of someone’s life.
Thank you to every organization that welcomed us and every attorney who asked how they could help. Together, we will build a stronger safety net for disadvantaged youth in our community.
