Friend,

Last week, President Joe Biden commuted sentences for 1,500 people and
pardoned 39 more -- the largest single act of clemency in the history of
the United States.(1)

It was a huge step forward for justice and against mass incarceration, in
a society in which one in two adults have a family member in prison.(2)

But there’s so much more for Biden to do when it comes to using his pardon
power for justice, and as the clock counts down on his presidency, we’re
demanding he do just that.

[ [link removed] ]Will you sign our petition to demand Biden pardon the elderly and
chronically ill, people on death row, women punished for crimes of their
abusers, and many, many more victims of our injustice system of mass
incarceration?

[ [link removed] ]SIGN NOW

Our nation has the highest incarceration rate in the world, with nearly 2
million people locked in jails and prisons throughout the country.

People of color are disproportionately put behind bars, along with
individuals from low-income communities, LGBTQ people, and those with
disabilities.

Just as Massachusetts Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and over 60 other
members of Congress told Biden in a recent letter:

“The bloated prison system reflects and emboldens biases that undermine
the ideals of our nation and diminishes trust in the rule of law. Mass
incarceration attacks the most vulnerable Americans, thereby destabilizing
families and inflicting intergenerational trauma.”(3)

Biden’s Dec. 12 decision to commute hundreds of sentences and pardon
dozens more was a huge step toward correcting this injustice.

But in the final days of his presidency, Biden has the opportunity to
deliver meaningful justice for so many more who’ve fallen victim to
racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms of bigotry in our
out-of-control carceral state.

[ [link removed] ]Will you sign our petition demanding Biden use his pardon power for
justice in his final days in office?

Thank you for being with us.

–Irene, along with Annie, Angela, Isidra, Cecilia, Jen, and Lindsay (the
Courage team)

[ [link removed] ]SUPPORT OUR WORK

Footnotes:
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Courage California (formerly Courage Campaign) makes sure our democracy works for ALL of us by fighting corruption in California politics. We believe the solution lies in exposing and solving systemic problems through strategic organizing, enhancing coordination between progressive organizations, and mobilizing civic engagement from our communities, particularly voters of color, young voters, and self-identified progressives.

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