ArchCity Defenders, a nonprofit civil rights law firm based in St. Louis, is calling on artists and designers to help develop Pro Se STL: A Guide to Protecting & Represent Yourself around Police, in Jail and in Court. In this Call for Entry, ArchCity Defenders invites illustrators and artists to layout Pro Se STL into a user-friendly, powerful tool for people to better advocate for their rights and impact direct and systemic change.
The guide, named Pro Se STL, comes from the Latin term “pro se,” meaning “for oneself,” and is designed to help a person defend, advocate, and represent themself. Individuals arrested and ticketed by the police for low-level crimes often never have an opportunity to see a lawyer. Over 90% of people in municipal court are forced to appear and defend themselves with limited resources. This leads to people pleading guilty to crimes that stem from their poverty, agreeing to pay fines and fees they cannot afford, and often ending up in jail.
Historically, municipalities in St. Louis have generated millions of dollars through racial profiling, revenue based policing, and excessive court fines and fees.
The vast majority of people impacted by these unjust systems are unrepresented and do not know their right or how to navigate the criminal legal system. As a result, thousands of people have lost jobs, vehicles, time with their family, spent nights in jail and fallen into deeper poverty.
This Pro Se STL guide is intended to not only extend basic tools for self-advocacy and self-representation, it is designed to support ArchCity’s ongoing efforts to end systemic oppression of poor people and people of color.
Submissions will be accepted through Monday, May 14th. Those submitting entries need to fill outthis form. A jury panel will choose up to three designs by May 21st. Following the public announcement of finalists, Pro Se STL will be accessible to everyone, distributed for free in public spaces, and available for download and distribution by anyone. For more information on Pro Se STL and the Call for Entry, visit www.prosestl.org.