Disclaimer – Auto-generated content in Spanish: 

Algunas partes de esta página se generan automáticamente y podrían contener errores menores. Se recomienda usar el juicio crítico al interactuar con ella.

Formerly incarcerated leaders ban slavery in Tennessee

November 9, 2022

On November 8, formerly incarcerated leaders succeeded in banning slavery in Tennessee with the passage of Constitutional Amendment 3.

Leading with Conviction 2017 graduate Dawn Harrington is Executive Director of Free Hearts, which successfully led the “Vote Yes on 3” campaign mobilizing voters to ban slavery and involuntary servitude once and for all. 2022 graduate Keeda Haynes also serves as Senior Legal Counsel at Free Hearts.

Amendment 3 will remove language allowing slavery from the Tennessee Constitution and replace it with the statement, “Slavery and involuntary servitude are forever prohibited.” Tennessee is one of four states—including Alabama, Oregon, and Vermont—where criminal justice reform advocates and directly impacted leaders successfully organized to ban slavery in the midterm elections. Louisiana voted against a constitutional amendment to ban slavery.

Free Hearts is an organization led by formerly incarcerated women that provides support, education, and advocacy in organizing families impacted by incarceration, with the ultimate goals of reuniting families and keeping families together.

(Photo by Free Hearts)

Dear JLUSA.org Blog Reader, 

In our 10th anniversary year, JustLeadershipUSA’s work of educating, elevating, and empowering justice-impacted leaders continues and is growing even stronger!

This is going to be a very special time to look back on the past decade of JLUSA’s important work, the 1,600+ leaders we have helped get to the next level in their work, and even more importantly, we will look ahead to the next 10 years and beyond!

We can’t do this without you. We need your support to help us continue to do this work now and into the future. By making a donation in honor of JLUSA’s 10th anniversary year, you are saying to the amazing leaders in our network who represent the 70+ million Americans who have been directly impacted by the criminal legal system, “I see you, and I support you!”

Please give a one-time $100 gift or set up a recurring $10 monthly donation to celebrate JLUSA’s 10th anniversary year, and together we will build a fair and just U.S. Thank you!

Donate Today