Supported by a grant from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation

About NC REN 

The North Carolina Racial Equity Network (NC REN) was a project of the Public Defense Education program at the School of Government. NC REN provided education to a diverse group of over one hundred indigent defense attorneys and others from across the state committed to addressing issues of racial equity in the criminal justice system. Through their participation in a series of intensive trainings based on the manual, Raising Issues of Race in North Carolina Criminal Cases, NC REN members developed the ability to effectively raise meritorious issues of race in criminal cases, and joined an enduring network of peers who encourage, support, and challenge one another to address such issues. In addition to raising issues of race when they arise in their clients’ cases, NC REN attorneys have engaged in collaborative efforts with other court actors to address potential causes of racialized outcomes in the criminal justice system.

NC REN was formed in 2015 and concluded its work in 2021. Educational materials from the trainings and other aspects of the project are available on this website.