V.I. Justice Initiative to Host Third Annual Donor Reception

The Virgin Islands Justice Initiative will host its third Annual Champions of Advocacy Donor Reception on Thursday, Jan. 30, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Bluebeard’s Castle on St. Thomas. The reception is expected to be an evening full of live music and mingling and will highlight the organization’s prior accomplishments and plans for the future.

What is the Virgin Islands Justice Initiative?

Formed in June of 2022 by attorneys Alex Golubitisky and Casey Payton, the V.I. Justice Initiative is a 501(c) (3) legal education and defense fund. They are a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free legal representation and education to underprivileged individuals in the territory with a distinct focus on economic justice, according to their website. “We have this wonderful base of supporters here in the Virgin Islands, and over the past two years we have really been growing and at a very fast pace,” cofounder Payton told The Source when describing how the organization has flourished since its formation.

V.I. Justice Initiative’s 2024 Accomplishments

To achieve continued growth, the organization began applying for funding and, per their 2024 Annual Report, were awarded “$7,000 from the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts; $100,000 appropriation from the Government of the Virgin Islands; $92,972.34 from the U.S. Department of Justice Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant and $20,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice Project Safe Neighborhoods through the Virgin Islands Law Enforcement Planning Commission.”