Ivy Walls: Local Lawyer's Fight to Help His Community
an article by Carmen Oulahan

It is difficult to find qualified lawyers in low-income neighborhoods that are there to serve the communities. Ivy Walls is a non-profit organization that has set-up offices in the Bronx to help its community and youth, in response to the lack of quality legal representation and lack of educational programs to the Bronx community. This causes a gap in the ability for the community to compete in society based on social/potential legal issues that may have been resolved through legal counseling. These qualified lawyers and employees are willing to give back to the community to help others reach the same level of success.

The founder of Ivy Walls, Esq. Ken Padilla, had a dream. His dream was to become the best person he could be, under the difficult conditions and lack of educational assistance at his disposition. He is now the Dean of Rutgers Universities Law School, the founder of the Organization and a man responsible for the Bronx economic resurgence.

Ken's plight is to help local citizens and businesses learn what their legal rights are to better protect themselves and move forward in a competitive market. The organization has an Educational Counseling Division which provides selected academically successful youth with the necessary resources to attend Ivy League schools. Positive reaction to this project is measured in the interest and assistance that the community has showed towards Ivy Walls. The response by the community in having the opportunity to use Ivy Walls as a stepping stone has been wonderful.

Ivy Walls is currently collaborating with the Art Miles Mural Project through the creation of murals in the Bronx Community.

DISCUSSION

Question(s) related to this article:

How important is community development for a culture of peace?


As a reader, you are invited to join in the discussion of this article based on any of the above question(s): just click on the question, read the previous comments and add a new reply. You may also enter a new discussion topic on this article - see bottom of this page.

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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CULTURE OF PEACE

Latest reader comment:

On Tuesday evening, May 17, I attended a talk by a Franciscan theologian from Boston College speaking at Saint Patrick and Saint Anthony's church in Hartford. He spoke for the need of just development. I think La Paloma is an excellent example of just development in the City of Hartford.
If  CPNN ever gives awards for building the culture of peace, I think La Paloma deserves one.

This report was posted on October 4, 2003. The moderator is David.

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