The Center for Social Justice at Western New England University School of Law has partnered with The Hustler Files podcast and radio show to launch the Know Your Rights Minute, a weekly audio feature designed to help listeners better understand their legal rights and available resources.
Hosted by Lisa Reilly, The Hustler Files is dedicated to bringing storytelling with grit, purpose, and possibility to break stigmas, reshape narratives, and amplify the voices of justice-involved individuals, advocates, and changemakers. Through powerful storytelling and candid interviews, the podcast explores issues including the criminal justice system, addiction recovery, domestic violence, human trafficking, fair-chance employment, and prison reform, bringing humanity to topics that are often overlooked. The podcast's home page can be found at The Hustler Files.
The Know Your Rights Minute was introduced during a recent episode of The Hustler Files featuring Zelda Harris, Dean of the School of Law, and Zachary Bleckner, Director of the Center for Social Justice. The initiative delivers concise, 60-second segments providing practical legal information to listeners in Massachusetts that is also relevant to the podcast’s wider audience across the globe.
Since 2019, the Center for Social Justice has connected legal education with community impact, providing direct assistance with issues such as consumer debt defense, criminal record sealing and expungement, and other challenges that can affect everyday life.
The new Know Your Rights Minute series expands those efforts by delivering practical legal information in a format designed for a broad audience.
"We're trying to give listeners some useful information first and foremost, whether for themselves or someone else that they can pass on," said Zachary Bleckner. "I think we're also trying to spark some interest or curiosity that maybe you'll hear what we're talking about and do a little digging and learning of your own."
In the launch episode, Harris and Bleckner discussed the Center's dual mission of serving the community and educating future attorneys. They highlighted programs that support individuals facing barriers related to consumer debt and past criminal records while also providing law students with hands-on opportunities through pro bono service and experiential learning.
"One of the goals of the Center for Social Justice is to make legal information more accessible," said Harris. "This partnership allows us to reach people where they are and provide practical information that can help them better understand their rights and the resources available to them."
By bringing legal education to a podcast audience, the partnership allows the Center to reach people who may never step inside a courtroom, law office, or legal clinic but can still benefit from understanding their rights and available resources.
New episodes of Know Your Rights Minute will be released weekly through The Hustler Files, which airs Saturdays from 9:32 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on WHMP 101.5 FM and 1400 AM. The segment airs during the program's first break, typically around the midpoint of the show. Episodes are also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
For more information about The Hustler Files, visit The Hustler Files podcast page.
