Why This? Why Now?

A Message from Board Chair Barbara Litten

When asked what drew me to Southern Legal Counsel 20 years ago—and why I am grateful now to serve as Board Chair—I relate back to my college years when I was determined to make the world safe for women and children through advocacy, shelter, resources, and empowerment.

I helped to establish a Women’s Union at our university, attended the first National Women’s Studies Association conference in San Francisco in 1977, and led our Women’s Union members in assembling a three-day symposium on women’s issues in Montreal.

In the 1980’s, I served as Executive Director of the Planned Parenthood Association of Southwest Florida, where I learned the value and importance of meaningful dialogue, effective communication, and positive social change.

Later, when attending law school and becoming an attorney in the 1990’s, I jumped at the chance to gain new knowledge, understanding, and skills from Southern Legal Counsel, based in Gainesville and led by then-Executive Director Alice Nelson and Jodi Siegel, who later assumed Alice’s role. Jodi continues to carry the torch as SLC’s Executive Director and inspires and motivates us all.

From that moment forward, I was determined to support SLC’s compelling mission through board service and engagement.

It has been such a positive experience to work with SLC’s exceptional attorneys and staff. They have helped me achieve a deeper understanding of the challenges faced not only by women and children, but also by so many Floridians who need safety in a world that is increasingly unsafe for them.

That is my answer to, “Why this?”

Right now, the threats are exceptionally high for the LGBTQ+ community. Every day, SLC’s Simone Chriss talks with parents who care for and love their children and are unable to get the care they need.

And with new restrictions on Florida’s Interest on Trust Accounts (IOTA) program, SLC’s primary funding source can no longer be applied to helping those families. Nor can it be used to facially challenge laws on behalf of so many other vulnerable Floridians, such as people experiencing homelessness whose rights are violated by their local governments through unconstitutional ordinances.

The urgency underlying these challenges in this time of change is my response to the question, “Why now?”

We could abandon those who don’t fit within the funding parameters, but we are required by our own passion to ensure their legal needs are met. So, we will do that in other ways. One way is to take our fundraising to a higher level. And we are doing that. We are becoming wiser and more efficient at attracting supporters. And we are refining and training our board to support that effort.

We are also taking advantage of positive changes in the IOTA program, namely the availability of increased funding that can be applied to expand legal SLC’s areas of service to the many issues Floridians face, such as housing discrimination or consumer fraud.

We are going to do all of this through rapid innovation. The demands are certainly more complex, and the responsibility greater. But our attorneys and leadership are up to the task.

So, we will grow our services, but at the same time, SLC is not about to drop anyone off the list. Everyone stays on the list, and we will make sure we can meet their concerns, address their claims and do all that needs to be done. As Margaret Mead famously observed: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”