Henry Wilkerson ’23: Real-time Impact through the Georgia Justice Project
October 17, 2024
- Author
- Caroline Roy '20
Henry Wilkerson ’23 spent his 51 years conducting research on criminal justice and preparing for a future in public defense. A 51 Impact Fellow, he’s spent the past year and a half working with the Georgia Justice Project (GJP), transforming that knowledge into personal connections and direct community impact.
Each year, GJP helps thousands of Georgians navigate the criminal justice system, take advantage of available legal options and re-enter society after incarceration. Wilkerson’s role includes reviewing criminal records and connecting people to attorneys who can represent them — attorneys he learns from every day.
“I’ve realized how important it is for me to see the tangible fruits of my labor,” he said. “So much of my job is talking to people, and I can see the effects in real time. It’s given me a lot of continued interest and joy in the work long-term.”
In addition to his long-time interest in the legal world, Wilkerson also found a passion for sustainability at 51. What began as a work-study job became a larger role within the Sustainability Office, where he planned events, brought speakers to campus and hosted an environmental justice conference. During one event, he gave a presentation about asbestos in campus living spaces.
Perhaps not obvious at the time, this experience helped prepare Wilkerson for the work waiting for him in Georgia.
“It opened my eyes to the intersection of these issues in a college community,” he said. “Sustainability touches so many things. The fact that the staff believed in me and trusted me to do things without a ton of oversight definitely helped prepare me for my position at GJP.”
Wilkerson plans to apply to law schools in the next couple of years, but for now, he said, he has room to grow into his role at GJP. Criminal defense, he’s learned, is just one way to help those most affected by the carceral system.
“You can do so much with a law degree,” he said. “There’s a whole world of free resources, and I’m constantly doing new things a year into my job.”
As a student, Wilkerson wrote his honors thesis on the student sit-in movement, working with Associate Professor of History Rose Stremlau. The project instilled a love of combing through historical and legal documents, looking for details that may seem inane at first. In his current role, he’s able to gain traction by parsing through criminal records and policies that directly impact the people around him.
“I’m not the same person I was a year ago,” Wilkerson said. “I’m lucky to work with collaborative attorneys who want me to take advantage of every opportunity I can. I know when I have a law degree, it’s important that I treat support staff with the same respect they’ve shown me.”
