The cruelty of prisons and extreme punishment in the United States has consumed me since a young age. I began advocating against the death penalty in high school. When I ultimately launched my career in the 1990s, the harsh and racist political narrative about crime and the people associated with it dominated news cycles and cemented the United States’ investment in mass incarceration. It was a lonely time for reformers like myself.
But today, I and The Sentencing Project are joined by a much larger, smarter, and more diverse community of criminal legal reform leaders, activists, impacted people and their families, academics, and public officials who share our vision and commitment to racial justice and an end to mass incarceration. That is great news!
I have also learned a lot over the last seven months serving as Acting Executive Director about building community and culture, effective and transparent communication, resilience, and empathy. These lessons for building a stronger organizational foundation, while emphasizing diversity, equity and inclusion, all translate into building a country more committed to justice, fairness, and safe and healthy communities.
