Dear FAMMily:


This Thanksgiving, I write to you with my gratitude and my story. I was in prison for 30 years, until I received clemency from Gov. J.B. Pritzker in 2020. I am so grateful to this community for your work around criminal justice reform – for your loved ones and so many others. It’s because of you that second chances like mine can happen.


My own story includes memories of how it can be inside prison during the holiday season, when a time for joy, family, and togetherness is a stark contrast to the reality of those confined within prison walls. The twinkling lights, festive gatherings, and joyous laughter that fill the outside world can feel like a distant echo, a painful reminder of what's lost. I understand this all too well. I missed countless holidays, birthdays, and precious moments with loved ones.


But even in the darkest of times, hope endures. It's a flicker, a spark, a tiny flame that can illuminate the bleakest of landscapes. For me, I am hopeful that clemency will happen for others like it did for me, that President Biden and governors will lead with justice and mercy. [link removed]


If you are reading this and you are a family member of someone in prison, you are giving your loved one hope every day. If you are formerly incarcerated, join me in thoughts for the people we left behind. Since I’ve been free, I keep a candle burning in my window every holiday season, a symbol of hope and unwavering support. It's a small gesture, but one that carries the weight of profound love and understanding.


And if you are reading this and you are in this fight for justice and mercy for people like me, thank you. This Thanksgiving, we have much to be grateful for.


In Solidarity,
Anthony “Anaviel” Jones
FAMM member


FAMM
1100 H Street NW
Suite 1000
Washington, DC xxxxxx
United States
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