Guest Speaker, Francis Adewale, Public Defender, Spokane Community Court
Francis Adewale was born in Nigeria and obtained a law degree from the law school in Lagos. He eventually made his way to the United States where he is the primary public defender for the Spokane Community Court. The court is a therapeutic court and works to provide services for clients in lieu of jail time. Francis often states that the Declaration of Independence inspired him to work on behalf on the poor and marginalized. He provides a free legal clinic at The Spokane Dream Center clinic and is on the Board of Directors for Refugee connections. His work and vision fits with our church’s concerns about mass incarceration, the marginalization of people caught in our criminal justice system, and institutional racism.