#justleadershipusa

[unitedjusticecoalition]

Xavier McElrath Bey is a champion for the human rights of incarcerated children. Through his work as the Executive Director of the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth (CFSY) and a Co-Founder of the Incarcerated Children’s Advocacy Network (ICAN), Xavier fights to abolish “life without parole” for children in America. During his earlier years at the Campaign, Xavier played a crucial role in ending this practice in several states—including Nevada, Utah, Arkansas, South Dakota, and North Dakota. 

Xavier’s passion for this work stems from personal experience. At the age of 13, Xavier was “charged as an adult” for a first-degree gang-related murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison. After serving 13 years in prison, Xavier came out with a remorseful heart, a bachelor's degree, and a mission to advocate for poor, disadvantaged, and at-risk youth. 

Soon after his release, Xavier earned a Master of Arts from Roosevelt University’s Counseling and Human Services Program; and, since his graduation and prior to his current position at the CFSY, Xavier worked in gang intervention (CeaseFire), violence prevention (Catholic Charities), youth diversion (Alternatives, Inc.), and clinical research (Northwestern University) - looking at the mental health needs and outcomes of current and former incarcerated youth. 

Currently, Xavier serves as a Safety and Justice Challenge (SJC) Advisory Council Member at MacArthur Foundation, an Advisory Council Member at Eighth Amendment Project, an Ambassador Alumni with Represent Justice, and an Advisory Council Member at Fair Chance Initiative (FCI). Previously, Xavier served as a board member at the Community Justice for Youth Institute (CJYI) and as a member of the Chicago Police Accountability Task Force’s (PATF) working group on Community and Police Relations. 

In recent years, Xavier received the 2018 Justice Roundtable Excellence Award, the 2019 JustLeadershipUSA Leading with Conviction Award, the 2021 Bright Promises Foundation's Champion for Children Award, and the 2023 Juvenile Law Center Leadership Prize award. 

Although Xavier’s life has changed dramatically since he was a child in the justice system, it wasn’t until 2016, when he met Pedro’s family in a restorative justice healing circle, that he truly felt free from his troubled past. That day, Pedro’s family forgave him and forged a relationship that continues until this day - encouraging him to continue his work. 

In his powerful TEDx Talk, titled “No Child is Born Bad”, Xavier reminds all of us that no child should ever receive a “death in prison” sentence; that all children, including those who have made terrible mistakes, have the capacity for positive change. 

Learn more about Xavier McElrath Bey on Dec. 1st at #UJCSummit23!

[abcnewspr]

HIGHLIGHTS FOR ABC NEWS’ ‘GMA3: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW,’ SEPT. 5-9

The following report highlights the programming of ABC’s “GMA3: What You Need to Know” during the week of Sept. 5-9. “GMA3: What You Need to Know” is a one-hour program co-anchored by Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes, with Dr. Jennifer Ashton as chief medical correspondent. The news program airs weekdays at 1:00 p.m. EDT | 12:00 p.m. CDT on ABC, and 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. EDT on ABC News Live.

Highlights of the week include the following:                                               

Monday, Sept. 5 — (pre-taped on Aug. 11) Deals and Steals power hour with ABC e-commerce editor Tory Johnson

Tuesday, Sept. 6 — ABC News political director Rick Klein; podcast hosts Troy Millings and Rashad Bilal (“Earn Your Leisure”); food writer and author Danielle Walker (“Healthy In a Hurry”)

Wednesday, Sept. 7 — JustLeadershipUSA president and CEO DeAnna Hoskins; British Vogue editor-in-chief and author Edward Enninful (“A Visible Man”); Deals and Steals with ABC e-commerce editor Tory Johnson

Thursday, Sept. 8 — Mayor of Richmond, Virginia Levar Stoney; ABC News correspondent Phil Lipof’s interview with O.A.R.; brand-new “Dancing with the Stars” cast members joined by judges Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba with an exclusive announcement about the upcoming season

 Friday, Sept. 9 — First responder and survivor advocate John Feal; GMA3’s trailblazing women series with UPS driver Tiffany Guess; Faith Friday with pastor and author Calvin Roberson (“Marriage Ain’t for Punks”); actor Luke Evans (“Pinocchio”)

 ABC Media Relations

Denise Horn

denise.horn@abc.com

 -- ABC --

[prehistoricmancunt]

Friends, I've made a redbubble account! I have 4 designs up currently.

All the profits will again be donated, and the orgs they'll be donated to are listed in each product description. While I get less of the money this way per purchase, it's more accessible to share and I'm hoping that that will mean more people will buy them than my more minimal reach. The orgs are: #FreeBlackMamas, Divest/Invest, and JustLeadershipUSA which works on decarceration efforts.

You can buy stickers of all of them, pins of a couple of them, and shirts of the floral design. If there are other products you want available for a certain design lmk and I can activate it.

https://www.redbubble.com/people/bitterfeminist/shop?asc=u

all designs my own.

Receipts will be posted at the end of each month on my instagram @/bitter_feminist 

[k-born-rivers]

Everybody In This Picture Is A Ex-Con And Combined We've Done Over 100 Years In Prison But At The Sametime Everybody In This Picture Also Has College Degrees,Some Have Masters,P.H.D. Candidates, Have Non Profit Organizations and All Have Made A Change For The Better In LIFE. #lovepeople #Neverbecaged #neighborhoodbenches #Justleadershipusa #jlusa #Peacedecember #cpsp #TBSNewDirection #Thelordkborn #Theclassicaltwo #Iammycommunityinc https://www.instagram.com/p/B6PeHtylIzE/?igshid=fyjpfcyic6i2

[memecucker]

LONDON — With the U.S. and U.K. rolling out national vaccination programs to curb the spread of the coronavirus, health experts and advocates alike are deeply concerned about the notable absence of prison populations in inoculation plans.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not yet made any decisions about prisoners when it comes to vaccine access, though it is thought prison staff may be included in the second phase of allocation.

In the U.K., the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has said the top priority for the Covid-19 vaccination program should be to prevent death and support the maintenance of health and social care systems.

There is no specific mention of prisons in the committee’s guidance, but it is understood the allocation plans will be applied similarly to those incarcerated.

Both countries have administered the first shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine outside of trial conditions in recent days, boosting hopes that a mass rollout of safe and effective vaccines could soon bring an end to the pandemic.

However, as coronavirus cases and related deaths continue to surge, experts are questioning the ethics of how governments plan to distribute the first vaccines.

“We are facing a real big dilemma here,” said DeAnna Hoskins, president and CEO of JustLeadershipUSA, a national justice reform organization that seeks to cut the U.S. correctional population in half.

Speaking at a Chatham House webinar earlier this month, Hoskins said incarcerated individuals were “still considered less than human … and we are responding in that way as well when we start talking about access to vaccines.”

[iphyslitterator]

Movie Thoughts: Attica

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attica_(2021_film)

A well-done and informative documentary about the 1971 Attica Prison Rebellion, which I knew nothing about. There's an "upsetting" content warning at the beginning with no further details: It's for violence, dead bodies, and prisoners being stripped and humiliated in the last half hour. It was indeed upsetting.

All the former inmates interviewed were forthright and engaging, and the movie was clear about how race fit into the story. For a while I was struck by how there were no easy answers -- so many things should have been fixed before we got to this point -- until the retaking of the prison, when I was like, okay, well, this part is evil. I do wish they'd interviewed a former guard or police officer to round out the story; the discussion of the town demographics was fascinating.

For me the biggest gap was that I wished someone would game out what would have happened if they'd reached a settlement. Once things deteriorate, the film implies that if only the inmates' demands had been met, things would have worked out all right. But would they? You still have a bunch of furious guards in charge of the inmates, and given the close connection between the prison and the town, that would have been hard to change. What would have been the ripple effects throughout the prison system? I'm sure opponents would claim that a settlement would have emboldened prisoners to riot across the country -- is there any merit to that? What would it have meant for the War on Drugs?

Call to Action: The end credits link to JustLeadershipUSA, which "amplif[ies] the power of people who have been directly impacted by the criminal legal system to self-organize and empower their communities to dismantle racist and oppressive systems in their communities to build a just U.S."

The Nomination

Documentary Feature: Not as good as Summer of Soul, but a worthy nomination.

[eastcountytoday]

Harris, Ocasio-Cortez Introduce Bill to Provide People with Criminal Records A Fair Chance at Housing

Harris, Ocasio-Cortez Introduce Bill to Provide People with Criminal Records A Fair Chance at Housing

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) and U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14) on Wednesday introduced the Fair Chance at Housing Act of 2019, legislation to remove barriers to obtaining federal housing assistance for individuals with criminal records and their families. The proposal is a comprehensive reform of the eviction and screening policies so…

[linneawrites]

Up early to protest for #closerikers with #justleadershipusa and #surjnyc

[freelinkslicka]

#tshirt #upstatenewyork #behindbars #bars #free #les #escapingtime #art #artshow #graffitiart #color #fashion #prison #prisonart #brasilsoundsystem #freeamerica #halfby2030 #justleadershipusa #governorsisland #brasil #italy #newyork #haltsolitaryconfinement #newjimcrow #diejimcrow #alphabetcity #loisaida #stopmassincarceration #stop #katal #justice #6thamendment #13thamendment #13th

[dablakstallion]

@Regrann from @k_born_rivers_ - What's Peace ? #Closerikers #IAmMyCommunityInc #neighborhoodbenches #Peacedecember #peacemakersdinner #incarceratednation #citizensnyc #blackpillradio #justleadershipusa #sisterdiaspora @djeclipsersc @djdnice @djself @djclarkkent - #regrann

[227200]

Reentry Talks Radio Show. Meet Shawanna Vaughn, Social Justice Advocate. Learn about her path, purpose, and how you could assist. #radioshow #advocacy #advocate #leadership @silentcryny @erena6687 @justleadershipusa @justwritecommunityproject @freedomagendany @baratellmab @civilrightsorg @boldscholars @nycmayor #senator #socialjustice #reentry #mentalhealth @kevinparkernyc @jewelljonesfanpage https://www.instagram.com/nathanielevans22/p/CYoukKsAO7x/?utm_medium=tumblr

[myweddingsandevents]

Tweet from JustLeadershipUSA (@JustLeadersUSA)

JustLeadershipUSA (@JustLeadersUSA) Tweeted:

Did you know that Black Americans are being jailed at five times the rate of their white counterparts? This incarceration crisis caused by systemic racism must be stopped.

Let's discuss how that can happen in the #RethinkJailsChat on 2/25 at 1:00PM ET. @Jamiles @safety_justice https://t.co/IpgxKj84So https://twitter.com/JustLeadersUSA/status/1364328790197997571?s=20

[k-born-rivers]

As New York pushes to close down Rikers, it is now engulfed in a fresh new controversy. Four Rikers Island guards were suspended this week after they allegedly failed to intervene as an inmate was trying to hang himself. The 18-year-old inmate who tried to commit suicide has been identified as Nicholas Feliciano by the New York Times. He has been placed on a respirator and is in critical condition as of Tuesday at the Elmhurst Hospital Prison Ward, say reports. Three guards and one captain are said to have waited for several minutes while the inmate tried to hang himself in his cell at the George R. Vierno Center on November 28 midnight. "The claims being made here are extremely troubling and we are taking them seriously,” DOC Commissioner Cynthia Brann said in a statement. “Three officers and one captain have already been suspended and if the outcome of the investigation warrants we will take appropriate disciplinary action up to and including termination,” Brann added. He had been arrested for a parole violation on November 19 and was being held at the jail. He had been moved from the general population to a holding cell after he was involved in an altercation the day before the incident. The incident was caught on video and the NYT reported that it showed the teen inmate wrapping a piece of cloth around his neck with the other end on the ceiling pipe of his cell. The video showed that during the attempt, he had tried to find solid ground, attempting to put his feet back on the wall that separated the toilet from the cell that he had jumped off from. He stayed hanging for seven minutes before being rescued. The building where the inmate tried to commit suicide is the same one where an inmate was brutally beaten by five correction officers who were later convicted for the crime in 2012. Jahmal Lightfoot is said to have been beaten by the officers with their fists and boots as he curled on the floor in an effort to save himself. He sustained eye socket fractures and said he threw up blood and had a blurry vision. He had been in jail for stealing a pocketbook in 2010. #Iammycommunityinc #closerikers #Justleadershipusa #citizencommitteny #cpsp #Neverbecaged https://www.instagram.com/p/B5qTRkoFKT7/?igshid=1b5otg76g9v9n

[janepwilliams87]

Civil Rights And Racial Justice Groups Ask Congress To Let Marijuana Industry Access COVID Funds

A coalition of marijuana reform and civil rights groups sent a letter to congressional leaders on Monday, urging them to give cannabis businesses access to the federal coronavirus relief funds that are available to companies in any other industry.

The Marijuana Justice Coalition (MJC)—which consists of 13 organizations, including ACLU, NORML, Drug Policy Alliance and Human Rights Watch—said that future COVID-19 stimulus packages should include provisions enabling the cannabis sector to receive loans and lending services through the federal Small Business Administration (SBA).

SBA specifically prohibits marijuana companies—and even those that work indirectly with the industry such as accounting and legal firms—from accessing relief appropriated through coronavirus-related legislation. That could have a disproportionate impact on minority-owned marijuana businesses, MJC members wrote.

“Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the marijuana industry already struggled with inclusivity and diversity in ownership and operations, as well as countless barriers to the industry for people directly impacted by marijuana criminalization,” they said, adding that while many states have allowed cannabis shops to operate as essential services during the health crisis, these businesses are still experiencing financial challenges amid social distancing and stay-at-home orders.

The coalition was formed in July 2019 with the aim of working to “frame legalization as an issue of criminal justice reform, equity, racial justice, economic justice, and empowerment, particularly for communities most targeted by over-enforcement of marijuana laws.”

Its other members include the Center for American Progress, Center for Law and Social Policy, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, National Association of Social Workers and JustLeadershipUSA.

Challenges caused by the coronavirus outbreak will “disproportionately hit minority-owned businesses the hardest—jeopardizing efforts to make the industry more reflective of communities directly affected by marijuana prohibition,” the groups wrote in the new letter. “Workers in the state-legal marijuana industry are no different than other sectors of the economy who show up to work every day to provide for their families. If marijuana businesses are unable to survive, the lives of millions of patients registered in state medical marijuana programs and the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of marijuana workers will be under threat.”

“Until broader national reforms can be enacted, it is vital that immediate action is taken to protect small businesses—namely businesses owned and operated by people of color and people directly impacted by the war on drugs—operating in this industry. This will ensure that underrepresented business owners are able to survive this economic hit in an industry in which they are already under-resourced.”

Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) sent a letter to Senate leadership last week, asking for language to be inserted into future coronavirus legislation that would give cannabis companies access to SBA programs. The previous week, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) led a similar letter.

While such language did not make it into the latest round of COVID relief passed by Congress last week, more than a dozen lawmakers filed a new bill that would resolve the problem in the next legislative package.

Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) also recently said he’s working to allow marijuana businesses to access banking services amid the pandemic—a proposal that he said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) supports.

“Now more than ever, if we are to provide pathways of opportunity and ownership for communities that have been historically targeted and marginalized under the senseless and cruel policies of marijuana criminalization, Congress must protect these small businesses in order to ensure a level playing field in these emerging markets,” the groups wrote in the new letter. “Financial relief must be extended to these businesses that a majority of governors and other government officials have deemed “essential” at this moment.”

In a letter to state treasurers that was delivered earlier this month, a coalition of marijuana industry associations urged the officials to pressure their congressional delegations to include SBA access for cannabis firms in future coronavirus legislation. They also want the states to explore providing separate loan and lending programs for the market.

Reps. Joyce Beatty (D-OH) and Joe Kennedy III (D-MA) also asked leadership last week to make it so that business owners with prior convictions, including for simple marijuana possession, aren’t disqualified from SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) recently sent a letter asking a congressman from his state to take up the issue with his colleagues and ensure SBA access for the cannabis industry.

Lawmakers are also making a different kind of COVID-related cannabis push concerning veterans access to marijuana. In a letter led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) last week, members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation urged the head of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to allow its doctors to issue verbal recommendations for medical cannabis amid the pandemic.

Read the Marijuana Justice Coalition letter below:

Civil Rights Groups Want Ma… by Marijuana Moment on Scribd

Lawmakers File Bill To Let Marijuana Businesses Access Federal Coronavirus Relief Funds

Photo courtesy of Mike Latimer.

The post Civil Rights And Racial Justice Groups Ask Congress To Let Marijuana Industry Access COVID Funds appeared first on Marijuana Moment.

from Updates By Jane https://www.marijuanamoment.net/civil-rights-and-racial-justice-groups-ask-congress-to-let-marijuana-industry-access-covid-funds/

[nolefturnsinc]

I’m proud to announce that in 2020 I’ll be Leading with Conviction in @justleadershipusa program. Stay tuned... https://www.instagram.com/p/B4trSdfjaVk/?igshid=6t4av426tvim

[freelinkslicka]

#art #graffiti #graffitiart #medusa #beauty #queenjedi #justice #halfby2030 #stopmassincarceration #justice #system #closerikers #justleadershipusa #kaliefbrowder #corruption #correction #marcy #utica #upstateny #behind #bars🔥 #mural #les #lowereastside #alphabetcity