I am interested in participating in the Transform Mid‐Atlantic Civic Fellowship because of its focus on activism and equity through civic engagement. I have studied the results of the criminal justice system as a sociology student, and I work to better comprehend these results through my internships and leadership responsibilities on campus. I was able to acquire insight into how officers interact with citizens and how those encounters ignite the criminal justice system during my internship with the Baltimore County Police Department. My current internship at Baltimore Witness aims to broaden my understanding of the legal system as I am responsible for reporting cases accurately so that the criminal justice system may be held accountable for what is occurring and what must be addressed. My objective in this internship is to produce research‐based articles for the public on cases that may have an impact on victims, victims' families, defendants, and the community. Baltimore Witness maintains a database of over 100 categories pertaining to each part of the justice system, ranging from defendants' arresting officers to the end of their probation. I, along with other reporters, continually request, record, and examine court‐certified papers to ensure the accuracy of our reporting. I’ve learned how to obtain unbiased data from my internships so that when I push for change, I can comprehend the effects on every aspect of the justice system. The chance to work with the Transform Mid‐Atlantic Civic Fellowship motivates me because I will be able to incite change through funding, activism, and education.

Nea James

2023-2024 Transform Mid-Atlantic Civic Fellow