Dear John, 
 

Today, February 1st, marks National Freedom Day – the commemoration of Abraham Lincoln signing the 13th Amendment. The 13th Amendment is the amendment which outlawed slavery, and although it was not ratified by states until a later date, today we celebrate freedom for all Americans and the kick-off to Black History Month.

However, there is an immense loophole within the 13th amendment. It ended involuntary servitude except as a punishment for conviction of a crime. Through this exception, mass incarceration has served as an extension of slavery. Our justice system is impacted by our country’s deep history of racial injustice, and perpetuates the unequal treatment of Black people.

Black people represent 13% of the U.S. population but make up 34% of the population in American prisons. Black people are incarcerated at five times the rate of white people, and Black people are arrested and sentenced for drug crimes at a much higher rate than white people, despite drug use being similar across both groups.

It is undeniable that Black people are disproportionately targeted by the criminal justice system. Further, incarcerated people are paid pennies on the dollar for their work, and when they return home face innumerable barriers to reintegrating into free society. This is one of the ways where we come in.

At ARC we work to end mass incarceration in California and reduce recidivism rates. We work to pass policies that make our criminal justice system more equitable, and we work directly with our members once they are released to guide them in enrolling in education and/or securing employment to build experience, accountability, and self-sufficiency.

• Most recently, despite hardships that the COVID-19 pandemic brought on, we continued on with the graduation of the 9th and 10th cohorts of our Second Chance Pre-Apprenticeship program. We’re proud to announce that out of these two cohorts, we had 60 Members graduate, 32 Members placed in union jobs, and 5 Members placed at LAX.

• In 2018, in partnership with CALFIRE, CDCR, and the California Conservation Corps, we opened the Ventura Training Center (VTC), which provides participants who are on parole with training for careers as firefighters after program completion. VTC is dedicated to providing advanced firefighter training, certifications, and job readiness support to create a pathway for former offenders to compete for entry-level firefighting jobs with state, federal and local agencies. This is a huge milestone, as some incarcerated people do fire work when they are incarcerated, and are often ineligible to become firefighters once they are released. 

• Additionally, since 2013, through the passage of 26 new pieces of legislation, our advocacy efforts have led to numerous reforms to California’s justice system that have impacted more than 56,000 individuals. This work includes bills that focus on extreme sentencing, the treatment of young people in the justice system, and bringing people home from prison to their families.

John, will you consider making a gift today to help us continue these essential programs and keep fighting for freedom for all Americans?

While today is a day of celebration for those who are free, it is also a day of remembrance. Today we remember and honor all those who were enslaved and all those who are still incarcerated. To quote the civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer, “nobody’s free until everybody’s free.”

Sincerely,

Sam Lewis
Executive Director