Dear John xxxxxx, 

On Friday night, the award-winning artist Common performed in front of 2,700 incarcerated men at California Rehabilitation Center (CRC) – Norco.  

The Common concert was a show of love and care to the men inside. For some, it may have been the first concert in their lives—for others, the first in many, many years.  

So much of incarceration is about feeling disconnected from our communities and normal living spaces. To share in exuberance of booming, uplifting music is truly a gift and reminder that all people deserve to feel joy and community.  

Before the show, about 25 incarcerated men sat with ARC staff (all formerly incarcerated, some at Norco), impacted people from Represent Justice, Common, Scott Budnick, and others to discuss their lives, dreams, and futures. The circle was energizing for the visitors and an opportunity for all participants to feel seen and heard.  

The concert was presented by REPRESENT JUSTICE and made possible in partnership with Imagine Justice, Common's social impact nonprofit, and the California Rehabilitation Center. REPRESENT JUSTICE engages audiences and sparks collective action that creates public demand for a fair legal system, dignity for system impacted communities, and an end to extreme sentences. The concert took place in anticipation of the release of the Warner Bros. film, Just Mercy, co-financed by One Community, founded by Scott Budnick. The film is scheduled for release on Christmas Day. 

For more photos and details about this incredible experience, please see the LA Times coverage and The Press-Enterprise article.

Your support makes opportunities like this possible. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Sam Lewis
Executive Director