This chapter was created with selected essays by three student authors: Alexis Castenada-Perez, Christopher Byers, and Carla Medel. The balance of the book consists of either collaborative writing among student authors and myself or my individual writing based on substantive brainstorming and research conducted by the research librarian, Michaela Willi-Hooper, the student authors, and myself.  But when it comes to justice, I wanted you to read directly the words of students and what matters to them. Going forward, I will add to this chapter with additions by other students. You will read my introduction and then each of the individual students will speak to a meaningful aspect of justice, their experience writing the text, and their developing understanding of social justice.

–Elizabeth B. Pearce

Preview Questions

1. How is justice typically defined? How does it apply to families in the United States?
2. How do race, ethnicity, gender, immigration, and socioeconomic status intersect to create differing experiences with justice?
3. What do the founding documents of our country tell us about justice?
4. In what ways has your family experienced justice and injustice?  What topics would you add to this chapter?