Since our founding in 1972 – and incorporation as the ECDO in 1981 – the James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy has been a champion for thousands of disinvested youth in need of an advocate. As the challenges and needs of our clients have evolved over time, so have our programs and services.
Read more about how the Moran Center has responded to the needs of our clients and of our community, and our progress in building a more just, equitable, and restorative community.
TW: racial violence, suicide, injustice
The Evanston community was no exception in the U.S.’s growing racial tension surrounding school integration and injustices perpetuated by law enforcement. A community-based legal aid office was not available for young people of color disinvested from by their community, facing challenges to their education disparately from their white classmates.
John E. Cox, a 19 year-old Black man in Evanston, was arrested related to the death of his two-year-old son on October 24, 1970. In his local jail cell, Cox attempted suicide. Cox was then transported to three different hospitals, while in a coma, not receiving care. Without receiving medical…
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In November 1970, the untimely death of John E. Cox prompted the Evanston City Council to call for a local study, which revealed the inadequate legal representation of low-income residents in Evanston.
In 1972, the study’s findings compelled Alderman James B. Moran to establish the Evanston Defender Project. Under the leadership of William Parks, the Project’s goal was to provide high-quality, community-based legal representation to youth who came into contact with the criminal justice system. In 1976, the Evanston Defender Project became…
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In 1976, the Evanston landmark was recognized for preservation as a site of historic significance. The lighthouse was built to keep the community safe from maritime collisions, following the growth of Chicago, and of Evanston following the Great Chicago Fire. The Lighthouse continues to be a symbol of hope, safety,…
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In 1981, continuing to see the value of the Evanston Defender Project, Judge Moran along with Edward Beis, William Parks, Nancy Goldberg, Charles A. Brady, and Roosevelt “Bru” Alexander formally incorporated the agency as the Evanston Community Defender Office, Inc. (“ECDO”). Led by Rob Roy, the ECDO’s goal was to…
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Around 1995, the Evanston Community Defender Office filled a gap in resources for young people by focusing on representing low-income youth and young adults up to age 21 in criminal and civil legal matters.
In 2009, ECDO established the Expungement & Sealing Help Desk at the Skokie Courthouse to address an unmet legal need by our clients’ families – criminal record relief. ECDO started the Help Desk to increase educational, employment, and housing opportunities for adults, thereby creating more stable homes for children in…
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To stem the “School-to-Prison Pipeline,’ the Special Education Legal Advocacy (SELA) Project was launched with the goal of further stemming the school-to-prison pipeline. Today, the SELA Project, renamed the Education Advocacy Program, serves all low-income families in Evanston struggling to access educational services – supporting children transitioning from preschool to…
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