by Joseline Jean-Louis Hardrick, Esquire
"I am a human being, nothing human can be alien to me," said Maya Angelou quoting Terence, a Roman philosopher. That is the message I shared with my audience at the first screening of my new documentary, Love, Law, Legacy. It was recently selected for The New Black Film Collective's TNB XPO 2025.
As a law professor, specifically teaching Criminal Procedure, I spend a lot of time in the maze of the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 14th Amendments—the rights and protections that shape how the accused navigate the justice system. Each class is an exercise in balancing rights and learning myriad exceptions. How do I keep it straight, and more importantly, how do I help my students keep it all straight?
One stormy afternoon, with a predicted Category 5 hurricane barreling its way toward Tampa Bay, I found myself anxious, needing a solid distraction. I dove back into the world of Supreme Court cases, focusing on a story that always grounds me: Mapp v. Ohio. Now, let me tell you, Dollree “Dolly” Mapp was no ordinary woman. Here was a Black woman, strong and unyielding, fed up with the harassment and disrespect.
Imagine this: the police barge into her house, supposedly with a warrant, but really without any legal basis whatsoever. Dolly wasn’t having it. She took that “warrant,” snatched it right out of their hands, stuffed it down her shirt, and fought to keep them out of her home. I mean, this woman was a total badass! Why isn’t she celebrated? She didn’t just stand up for herself; she stood up for the rights of every single one of us to feel safe and secure in our homes. Her actions led to a decision that protects our privacy against unlawful searches.
As I read about her courage, I could see her story unfold like a scene on stage. Not just hers, though. I saw Clarence Gideon standing alone in court, demanding a fair chance with a lawyer. I saw Ernesto Miranda, bewildered, confused, and unaware of his rights. And there was John Terry, stopped and searched on a street corner because of a hunch. Each of them, just regular people facing an extraordinary fight. They are the Davids of the legal world, standing up to the Goliath, which is the Supreme Court, backed by lawyers who crafted arguments strong enough to be the less than 1% that reach the nation’s highest court.
Imagine the courage it takes to be one of the extremely rare few whose case is considered by the Supreme Court. It’s exhausting, a tremendous toll that few would choose. But these individuals did, and because of them, we have Miranda rights, the guarantee of a lawyer if we’re facing jail, and protections for the sanctity of our homes.
Their stories are powerful, and I knew they needed a platform that was just as powerful to tell them. That’s why I began work on Justice & Liberty: The Musical. Imagine Hamilton, but pick up over 100 years later, where those fighting for justice bring the promises of the Founding Fathers to life for all of us. This musical celebrates the bravery of ordinary people whose actions have safeguarded our rights today.
Interested in joining us for this journey? We’re looking for volunteers to bring this show to life through voice acting, animation, production, and other means. To learn more information or join the cast and crew, click here. There’s also a picture book for elementary school-aged children.
Joseline Jean-Louis Hardrick, Esquire, is the founder and president of Diversity Access Pipeline. Inc., doing business as Journey to Esquire® which runs a scholarship and leadership program, podcast, and blog.
Hardrick received The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division 2019 Diversity Award for her work with JTE. She is also a graduate of the Hillsborough County Bar Association Bar Leadership Institute.
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