Office of the Ohio Public Defender Celebrates Public Defense Week 2019!
Throughout the week, various OPD staff will share their stories and discuss their experiences in public defense and why they chose a career working in indigent defense.
The Office of the Ohio Public Defender will be celebrating National Public Defense Week throughout the work week of March 18-22. State employees and the public are invited to follow our celebrations on Facebook@OhioPublicDefender or Twitter @OH_PubDefend, and join our office in thanking public defense professionals throughout Ohio for their dedication and commitment to public service.
To kick off our week of celebrations, our Director, Tim Young and Assistant Director, Elizabeth Miller, sent an e-mail expressing their appreciation for the dedication of everyone at The Office of the Ohio Public Defender (OPD) and their commitment to our mission of “Fighting. Advocating. Helping.” Our focus this week will be to celebrate public defense, our clients, our work, and each other.
Several offices plan to view documentaries on public defense, social justice, and racial issues such as “Gideon’s Army” and “The Hate You Give” to continue our learning and affirm our commitment to pubic defense. Other plans involve a tribute wall to a colleague (who was a fierce advocate for her clients and who has since passed away), and a display of written “appreciation” boards for all staff to see.
Throughout the week, various OPD staff will share their stories and discuss their experiences in public defense and why they chose a career working in indigent defense. On Thursday, staff will wear OPD T-shirts or T-shirts focused on defense and social justice for a group photo that will be shared with all offices to show our unity and our belief in public defense, as well as our spirit.
OPD will close out public defense week by delivering items collected throughout the week to various charitable programs, including a local homeless person, a local mission, and the YWCA Family shelter. One office began gathering donations before Public Defense Week for a juvenile client who needed clothing and shoes. Within 24 hours, that office had gathered enough donations to fill a garbage bag.
Of course, a week of celebration would not be complete without food and conversation. The various offices will have potluck lunches, pizza, popcorn, hotdogs, and even a breakfast bar. I can’t imagine a better way for OPD family to share stories and support each other than with food and conversation.
#teamOPD