Southern Legal Center for Youth

Announcing a New Grant From the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta

We are proud to announce a $25,000 grant from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta to support our Youth Homelessness Program, which is the only program of its kind in Georgia. This funding will enable us to expand our legal services and outreach efforts for young people experiencing housing instability across metro Atlanta.

The program provides legal guidance, advocacy, and connections to supportive resources for young people aged 12-24 years old who are without their parents and facing eviction, unsafe living conditions, and other housing-related legal issues. Read more...

Now Taking Clients

We are now taking referrals from young people themselves, homeless service providers, school staff, and youth-serving organizations for young people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

If you are a young person aged 12-24 who needs legal assistance or you know of young people who need our help, contact us at hi@slcy.org or call/text 404-436-0873.

Learn more about our amazing attorney Faryn here.

Our Mission

We support the health, safety, stability, and education of young people in the Southern United States by advancing their legal rights. SLCY's ultimate vision is that all young people in the South have their legal needs met so that they can secure housing, education, healthcare, and other benefits and resources they need.

BIPOC and LGBTQ+ young people experience homelessness, incarceration, and family separation at disproportionate rates. We believe that the law can be used as an effective tool in preventing and ending these experiences when young people can assert their voice and rights through person-centered legal representation.

Learn more

ACCESSIBLE

We break down legal barriers between young people and systems by educating them on their rights and increasing access to benefits and resources.

HOLISTIC

Effective legal representation includes ensuring that a young person's basic needs are met so that they can focus on achieving their hopes and dreams.

PARTNERS

Not only do we partner with young people to navigate complex systems, we collaborate across our community to strengthen young people's access to justice.

Our Youth Homelessness Program

"Our Youth Homelessness Program uses the law as a tool to keep young people housed and prevent legal issues from snowballing to the point of causing housing instability. Every young person deserves legal representation that not only meets their immediate needs, but ensures that they can reach their full potential."

Liz Harding Chao, Founder & President, SLCY

Young people need support with resolving civil legal matters, to avoid homelessness and to obtain housing. We have monthly drop-in hours at Hope thru Soap on the Third Thursday at 1-3pm. Want to help out? We are looking for volunteer attorneys and law students who are passionate about serving young people and have experience in civil law.

We are always looking to expand our reach across the community by building relationships with organizations that serve young people experiencing homelessness and housing instability. If you're interested in partnering with us to do teach-ins to help young people learn their rights, or to start drop-in legal clinics, we would love to hear from you.

Get Involved

Southern Kiki Leaders Collective

The Southern Kiki Leaders Collective (SKLC) is a grassroots youth leadership pipeline designed to support Black and LGBTQIA2S+ youth across the Southern U.S. through culturally relevant sexual health advocacy, legal education, workforce development, and systems navigation. Founded by Princess Jauan Durbin, SKLC centers the kiki ballroom community as a site of resilience and resistance for this work.

SKLC's mission is to amplify and champion space for youth leadership and development to advance health and legal equity for BIPOC LGBTQIA2S+ communities in the South through peer-led programs, legal empowerment, and advocacy.

Support Justice for Youth

Funds invested in SLCY improve young people's access to safe housing, education, healthcare and benefits and our collaboration with community partners. Help us reach our goals and serve more young people by donating.

Donate