We are delighted to share highlights from our recent Justice in Bloom event, a special occasion that brought together so many wonderful friends to celebrate our roots and cultivate our future. It felt so good to gather with our community, honor our Equal Justice Heroes for 2024, and express our gratitude to Chris Hastedt as she plans to retire as our Senior Policy Advisor after 54 years of tireless and effective advocacy.
Our event, held at Maine Beer Co. in Freeport, was a fertile ground for our community to connect, share stories, and celebrate the tremendous impact of
our co-founders, Chris Hastedt and Mary Henderson. We were thrilled to present Chris and Mary with the Pro Bono Equal Justice Hero Award.
In 1996, Mary and Chris co-founded Maine Equal Justice Project after their prior employer, Pine Tree Legal Assistance, was restricted from doing systemic legal advocacy on behalf of low-income people. With support from the judiciary, legal community, and broader public, they planted the seeds of Maine Equal Justice to continue advancing the rights of low-income individuals across all three branches of government. Mary served as our first Executive Director, and Chris as our first Public Policy Director.
Mary and Chris infused Maine Equal Justice with the belief that those directly impacted by poverty are experts in their own lives who can identify the best policy solutions to eliminate poverty. Their dedication and innovative thinking have been instrumental in driving our mission forward. It was evident to our staff and board that honoring them with this award was the perfect way to acknowledge their outstanding service and unwavering commitment to justice and equity in Maine.
The Justice in Bloom event was a joyous gathering and we were delighted to see so many supporters, organizational partners, former and current staff and board members, and Equal Justice Partner Circle members come together, deepening our collective bond to our work and to each other. The evening was filled with heartfelt moments, laughter, song, and meaningful connections, leaving us with a renewed sense of purpose and connection to our mission. Most importantly, Chris and Mary felt deeply appreciated and celebrated, and we all came away feeling more connected and inspired.
Thank you to everyone who made Justice in Bloom such a treasured occasion. Your presence and support mean the world to us as we continue striving for justice and equity in Maine.
Moxie fund
Chris may be retiring, but her moxie and creative problem solving will carry forward in Maine Equal Justice's work. We will continue to bring her tenacity, passion, and trust in people to the work every day and we will continue to grow our power and impact with your help!
Chris has been at this work for 54 years. We’d love to have 54 people who appreciate her tireless efforts make a gift to MEJ through the Moxie Fund in Chris’ honor. If you can be one of them, you can give online. Thank you!
Maine Equal Justice focuses its work on many of the issues that affect people’s daily lives – access to adequate health care, housing, transportation and childcare; food and income security; and higher education and training. Maine Equal Justice is a 501 c 3 nonprofit organization. Our EIN is 04-3346273. 