Dear John, After his conviction at the age of 18, transfers to numerous jails and federal prisons, and decades of imprisonment, Joel Castón was finally able to cast a vote in November 2020 thanks to the passage of DC’s Restore the Vote Amendment. Then in June 2021, he won an unprecedented election for a seat on the Washington DC Ward 7 Advisory Neighborhood Commission. After the Amendment passed, Joel was proud to participate in the electoral process—it was his chance to have a seat at the table. He encourages other justice-involved individuals to do the same, asserting that voting can promote public safety among returning citizens, a connection that’s supported by research. “If you can have individuals thinking and behaving like citizens on the inside, that same mindset will follow them on the outside,” he says. |
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This past year, The Sentencing Project provided critical support for the passage of the Restore the Vote Amendment in Washington D.C., restoring voting rights to 4,000 incarcerated citizens. But our work does not end here. With your support, we can bring our research and advocacy to more local, state, and national advocates fighting to expand voting rights for all justice-involved citizens across the country. Today is the last day to help us reach our $50,000 goal in support of our Voting Rights research and advocacy. We are close - but we need your help to get across the finish line. Will you make a gift today to help us meet this important goal? Since his election, Joel has received an overwhelming outpouring of support from the community and seen its ripple effects. As he recounted a story about how his leadership inspired a friend to run for office, he said, with a huge grin, “That’s what it’s all about! Inspiring others to participate in civic engagement matters.” Joel’s story is a reminder of why it is so critical to invest in expanding voting rights to all Americans today. Today is the last day of National Voting Rights Month. Let’s finish strong and make it count! |
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