The African Nova Scotian Justice Institute (ANSJI) will address issues of systemic racism in the justice system that are negatively impacting African Nova Scotians. The institute was established in 2021 and is the result of generations of work by justice advocates that have fought for the dignity and human rights of African Nova Scotians throughout history.

The issue of street checks, the continued treatment and overrepresentation of African Nova Scotians in the criminal justice system, and moments in history such as the Royal Commission on the Donald Marshall Jr. Prosecution report, have led the ANSJI to take a proactive approach to developing an African Nova Scotian-led justice strategy.

• The ANSJI will create programs and services that adequately address institutional racism faced by African Nova Scotians and their families when dealing with human rights complaints, the criminal justice system, all forms of law enforcement, police and incarceration.
• The ANSJI is the originator of Impact of Race and Culture Assessments (IRCA). The institute is working to create an infrastructure to provide ongoing training and support for counsellors, mental health and social work professionals carrying out IRCAs in Nova Scotia and across Canada.
• The ANSJI will be a place African Nova Scotians can turn to when seeking legal advice, guidance and advocacy that understands African Nova Scotians as a distinct people*.
• The ANSJI will be a regional and national leader in legal research, advocacy and education on justice issues affecting African Nova Scotian communities.