John,

I’m Jordan Carlos, and I make crack-me-up jokes for a living. I also have the pleasure of partnering with this amazing organization called the Innocence Project. But you already know how wonderful they are because you’re on their email list, reading these words on your tiny little incandescent screens right now.

I’m hoping that you’ll join me in supporting them, and maybe even make a donation to help them hit their end-of-year fundraising goals.

Jokes aside, and trying hard to deflect (I can do this!), I had the opportunity to host a 30th anniversary event for the Innocence Project in New York City back in October. I was honored to be joined by a number of Innocence Project clients and exonerees who shared their firsthand experiences of being wrongfully convicted, and just how grateful they are to be part of the Innocence Project community because it’s created a place of belonging like no other.

Listening to Marvin Anderson, Cornelius Dupree, and Eddie Lowery share their powerful stories really hit home for everyone in the room, myself included. As a man of color in America, it’s not lost on me how racism and discriminatory practices are embedded in our criminal legal system and contribute to the racial disparities we see in wrongful conviction.

In fact, I often find myself walking on eggshells in spaces where law enforcement is present, or in spaces where simply my existence could cause a stir or unwarranted trouble. My worry is not uncommon, though. This intentional and practiced way of presenting myself in public places has been a lifelong survival skill — and I’m sure the same is true for many of the clients of color that the Innocence Project works with every day.

That’s why it’s so important to have organizations like the Innocence Project advocating for a more equitable and and truly just legal system.

Without this organization’s tireless work, the inspiring stories of truth and justice that I heard at the 30th anniversary event would not exist. And without support from allies like you and me, this work cannot continue to grow and transform our system.

So please, join me in making a donation to help the Innocence Project reach their end-of-year fundraising goal for 2022, and make sure they kick off the new year right. Every gift makes a real impact, and there’s never been a better time to give.

There are so many more wrongfully convicted people who deserve to be free and to share their stories, in their own voices. I hope you’ll join me in standing side by side with the Innocence Project for many years to come.

Sincerely,

Jordan Carlos
Comedian and Innocence Project Partner