Eviction Defense Coalition to Receive 2025 ECI Marcia Johnson Change Agent Award

Houston, TX (April 9, 2025) — Lone Star Legal Aid is honored to accept the prestigious ECI Marcia Johnson Change Agent Award on Thursday, April 10, 2025 on behalf of the Eviction Defense Coalition (EDC) for its groundbreaking work protecting housing rights and preventing evictions for Houstonians.

The award will be presented by the Earl Carl Institute for Legal and Social Policy at Texas Southern University’s Museum (3100 Cleburne St., Houston, TX 77004) at 5:30 PM. Tickets and event details are available at https://ecilawevents.com.

The EDC is comprised of the tenant rights advocates from the Earl Carl Institute, Lone Star Legal Aid, Houston Volunteer Lawyers, South Texas College of Law Houston, and the University of Houston. For years, the EDC provided coordinated eviction defense services across the Greater Houston and Harris County area. Their work has helped thousands of families remain housed, especially during times like the COVID-19 pandemic and Winter Storm Uri.

“This recognition is not just for our organizations—it’s for every tenant who stood up for their right to remain housed in the face of an ongoing eviction crisis,” said Lone Star Legal Aid Litigation Director Dana Karni, on behalf of the Coalition.

This work was made possible, in part, through grant funding from Harris County, specifically the Harris County Housing & Community Development (HCD), whose leadership in funding eviction defense services has been critical to reaching those most in danger of housing instability.

The Marcia Johnson Change Agent Award is named after the late Professor Marcia Johnson, founder of the Earl Carl Institute and a champion for justice and equality in Texas.

Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income populations by providing free legal education, advice, and representation. LSLA serves millions of people at 125% of federal poverty guidelines, who live in 72 counties in the eastern and Gulf Coast regions of Texas, and 4 counties in Southwest Arkansas. To learn more about Lone Star Legal Aid, visit our website at www.LoneStarLegal.org.

Media contact: media@lonestarlegal.org