The first morning Jordan Landry woke up in a domestic violence shelter surrounded by the woods, she took a deep breath. She finally felt safe. That safety came after years of surviving severe abuse while living as a military spouse. Her abuser controlled everything—finances, technology, even tracking her location. But she didn't yet have words for financial abuse and coercive control or know how quickly they could escalate into physical violence. And they did. Her husband nearly killed her.
After moving to safety with her son, Jordan faced the daunting task of securing a permanent protection order and navigating a complex, multi-state divorce. "It was a David and Goliath fight," she says. "My husband had very expensive lawyers. I had nothing. No income. Just a few backpacks of our belongings."
Ultimately, Jordan was referred to Northwest Justice Project, and they were able to provide her with full legal representation. As Jordan tells it, the impact was profound. "At that time, I didn't feel like I had a voice," she explains. Facing her abuser in court for the first time with an NJP lawyer beside her changed everything. Over the next three years, NJP helped her secure permanent protection and obtain a divorce. "My lawyers helped me heal enough to give me a voice. They saved us."
From Client To Board member
After her case closed, NJP asked Jordan to join their Board of Directors. She agreed. “I wanted to be a voice on the Board for people who have lived through domestic violence. I wanted to share what it feels like to walk into a shelter, to live in transitional housing, to navigate immense legal challenges all while having no confidence and seeing no future.”
During her three years on the Board, Jordan chaired the Quality of Practice Committee and served on the Fund Development Committee. She spoke at events, made countless donor thank-you calls, and shared her story to help others understand what NJP's work truly means.
She says that it's been inspiring to work with NJP staff and board members who understand that people are equal and everyone deserves representation. “Law students and lawyers can lose perspective. NJP knows what counts," she says.
Her message for those who abuse their power is equally clear: "All of those bullies who think that they can get away with whatever they want because people aren't going to fight back better think again. NJP is the person that fights."
“I am so thankful to have served on the Board,” she says. “And I hope my story helped other Board members understand what a difference NJP makes in our lives.”
While she was on the Board, Jordan earned a BA in Human Relations. She has now moved to a different state and taken on a new job as an advocate for survivors. Saturday, October 25, was her last meeting as a member of the NJP Board of Directors.
“NJP made me an advocate,” Jordan says. “I could have come away from this and been ok, but I would not have had the same direction in my life. Now, every person, every family that I help is because of NJP.”