Dear John,

At ARC, we celebrate Black history all the time, not just during February. However, it is crucial that we use this month to publicly acknowledge  the racial and ethnic inequities of our nation’s criminal legal system and the inherent racism that lies within this system, from bail to sentencing to probation.  

Black people account for 13 percent of the population of the United States but 38 percent of those who are behind bars.

At ARC we are firm believers that those closest to issues are the closest to the solutions. We are proud that we are a Black-led organization. We have a racially diverse staff and Members.  We cannot separate racial justice from the work we do, because that is the work we do.  

We at ARC are a broad collection of ethnicities that are unified in celebrating Black history and our Black leaders. To commemorate Black History Month, ARC launched a book drive where we are collecting soft-covered books written by Black authors to distribute to youth housed in three Los Angeles-based juvenile halls: Campus Kilpatrick, Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall, and Central Juvenile Hall. You can also learn more about our book drive by clicking here.

As a supporter of ARC's goal to stop mass incarceration for all people, you are helping to create a legacy of leaders and freedom fighters who are constructing a better history for all Americans and are helping to create a fairer and more just world for Black Americans. 

We thank you for your support of our work and your belief in us as an organization and encourage you to make a gift in honor of our Black Members and the Black men and women we serve inside.  

I appreciate you joining us this month for the celebration of Black History. 

Sincerely,

Sam Lewis
Executive Director
Anti Recidivism Coalition