Pursuing Justice Podcast Episode 5: A single mother is raising four sons when her newborn stops gaining weight. She brings the child to the hospital for a diagnosis, but someone makes a call to the child abuse hotline. Later that night, she answers her door – and the nightmare begins.
Having to send your child away while the authorities investigate you is a mother’s worst nightmare. In this case, it was just the beginning, as the mother later discovered that she had been placed on a child abuse list which would restrict how she could earn a living or even participate in her sons’ activities. It took dedication and special experience to resolve these multiple issues.
This podcast provides a behind-the-scenes exploration of pro bono and public interest legal work. These heartening stories are told from both clients’ and lawyers’ perspectives to showcase intimate portraits of lawyers helping those with limited access to justice.
Please note: CLE is not offered for listening to this podcast, and the views and opinions expressed within represent those of the speakers and not necessarily those of PLI.
FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE
Chrystal Knight
Rachel O’Konis Ruttenberg
Rachel O’Konis Ruttenberg is currently the Director of Policy at Heartland Alliance for Human Needs and Human Rights, based in Chicago.
Previously, she was the Executive Director of a nonprofit called the Family Defense Center, a legal services and policy advocacy organization that serves families in the Illinois child welfare system. During her tenure, she built a collaborative approach to reform the child welfare system, at the same time maintaining the organization’s historic strength and expertise in litigation. In 2018, with the support of the Board of Directors, Rachel negotiated a merger for the organization with another local nonprofit organization. The combined organization, Ascend Justice, empowers individuals and families impacted by gender-based violence and the child welfare system to achieve safety and stability through holistic legal advocacy and systemic reform.
Before joining the Family Defense Center, Rachel was the Chicago Director of the Marilyn G. Rabb Foundation, an organization that provided after-school programs to high school students living in Chicago’s northwest and west side neighborhoods. She also previously served as Assistant Counsel to the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, staffing the education committees, and spent six years in various roles at Chicago Public Schools, including as Special Assistant to the Chief Administrative Officer.
