Armin Salek headshot
Ashoka Fellow since 2022   |   United States

Armin Salek

Youth Justice Alliance
Everyone across all socio-economic groups should have access to legal knowledge and services. Armin makes this possible by harnessing the untapped power of young people, reimagining high school legal…
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Our legal system can seem inaccessible, perhaps especially to young people. But it impacts us all - and learning to use the law in a supported way and at an early age leads to strong citizenship, new career pathways for young people, and a future legal profession that will be tapped into the issues diverse communities face.

This description of Armin Salek's work was prepared when Armin Salek was elected to the Ashoka Fellowship in 2022.

Introduction

Everyone across all socio-economic groups should have access to legal knowledge and services. Armin makes this possible by harnessing the untapped power of young people, reimagining high school legal education, establishing legal aid clinics at community schools, and transforming the pathways into the legal profession.

The New Idea

During his third year at the University of Houston Law Center, Armin Salek served as a volunteer law instructor at two high schools serving predominantly minority and low-income communities. He also volunteered at the Lone Star Legal Aid clinic supporting tenants in housing matters and at theRead more

The Problem

Despite the fact that law shapes much of our lives, the legal landscape is hard for many to navigate and widespread legal literacy is low. In terms of formal education, most people will experience no more than the occasional “Know Your Rights” campaign. Even when secondary schools do provide lawRead more

The Strategy

Early on Armin realized that, when our legal aid offices are overburdened and ill-equipped to serve diverse communities, we must at least empower people to stand up for themselves. In his capacity as the law teacher in a high school and the coach for a Mock Trial team, he saw many untappedRead more

The Person

Since the central thrust of Armin’s work is tapping into the power and potential of young people, it’s no surprise that he’s spent some considerable time reflecting on his own early years. Two points in his life stand out. First was when he, as a five-year-old, moved to the US from Iran with hisRead more

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