Criminal Justice Task Force
Statement of Purpose: To positively enhance the ability of Thurgood Marshall School of Law students to seamlessly enter into the practice of law by facilitating opportunities for them to gain valuable experience and insight into criminal proceedings.
Projects:
1. Develop a proposal for the creation of a Criminal Justice Center wherein the Innocence Project and Juvenile Justice Projects are centralized and under the leadership of a seasoned criminal defense attorney.

2. Continue to work with State Senator Rodney Ellis on matters involving Indigent Defense.

3. Work with ECI administration and student researchers to produce publications on matters of criminal justice that affect the urban community. 
Works In Progress include: Juvenile Justice: Who’s the Client?, Prison Rape, Innocence Exonorees: Where Are They Now?, Is Jail Overcrowding a Violation of the 8th Amendment?

Education Task Force
Statement of Purpose: To focus on examining the American public school system, laws that affect it and the policies that impacts it.
Projects:
1. Work with ECI administration and student researchers to produce publications on legal and social issues that impact education in the urban community.  Works in Progress include: an update of the Institute’s 2003 position paper Proposal to Reduce Recidivism Rates in Texas and HBCUs:  Reframing the Debate. 

2. Development of a pilot project that proposes the use of distance education as a method to increase university enrollment and reduce recidivism rates in Texas.

3. Proposal to reinstate Street Law course at TMSL as a method to increase the University’s exposure in the community and provide law students with the opportunity to interact with the community while increasing their ability to learn the practical applications of legal concepts and practice important lawyering skills.

Family Relations and Gender Task Force
Statement of Purpose: To educate the general community about issues that affect the success of family relations and issues that affect gender rights.
Projects: 
1. Identify compelling family relation issues to determine what issues might be most relevant to the urban population, and therefore should be more extensively analyzed by the task force.

2. Work with ECI administration and student researchers to produce publications on family relations and gender matters that are impacting the urban community.  Works In Progress Include: History of Domestic Violence Laws in Texas and Same Sex Marriage.

3. Form a collaboration with the the University’s women’s studies program to host an annual symposium during Women’s History Month.

Fundraising Task Force
Statement of Purpose: To identify resources to provide funding and other support for the institute.
Projects:
1. Identify potential donors and target for requests.

2. Work closely with the Thurgood Marshall School of Law Development Office to raise money.

3. Identify and apply for grant funding to enhance existing projects or create new projects. 

Housing and Environment Task Force
Statement of Purpose: To identify barriers to and solutions for providing safe, decent, sanitary housing to urban populations.
Projects:  
1. Hold a symposium to inform the community about climate change issues and green jobs.

2. Produce a white paper on the attitudes of minorities in regards to the issue of Climate change and any existing attempts at education and outreach to minority communities likely to be impacted by any climate change initiatives.

Legislative Task Force
Statement of Purpose: To collaborate with external experts to educate the general community on legislative issues important to specifically targeted communities through symposia, conferences and otherwise.
Projects:
1.  The legislative task force will produce a periodic State of Black Houston publication beginning in the spring 2010.

2. The legislative task force will publish one research paper each year on issues of legislative and public policy.

3. Production of a legislative update after each state legislative session that summarizes new laws that impact the urban community.

4. Production of a State of Black Houston Symposium to introduce the publication and host a series of subsequent State of Black Houston Brain Trusts that are solutions oriented. 

Student Development Task Force
Statement of Purpose: To positively impact the law school experience for Thurgood Marshall School of Law students
Projects: 
1. Publish and maintain the student resource guide annually.

2. Assist in educating and mentoring students about diverse career opportunities alternative legal careers.

3. Produce a publication on alternative legal career opportunities.

4. Conduct a brown bag lunch series with ECI student researchers  that will cover topics such as effective resume writing, what is expected of law clerks and the importance of developing strong writing samples.

5. Maintain a strong internet presence on the law school/institute’s web site promoting student services an incorporate the use of social media such as Facebook and Twitter.

Wealth and Taxation Task Force
Statement of Purpose: To help reduce the loss of property and to enhance wealth by providing education to minority communities
Projects:
1. Production of at least three more property preservation brochures, with two of the brochures focusing on insurance issues and one focusing on tax issues.

2. Participation in orientation yearly with the Green Power Initiative.