JLUSA staff and leaders rally in D.C. for FreeHer 10th Anniversary

Last month, JustLeadershipUSA staff and leaders participated in the FreeHer Campaign’s 10th anniversary march and rally in Washington, D.C., to call for “federal and state clemency now; end the incarceration of women and girls and shift resources into communities.”

According to a 2016 Vera Institute/Safety and Justice Challenge report, 80% of women in jails and 56% of women in prison are mothers to children under the age of 18. Most of these women are the primary caretakers of their families, women of color, and most of the mothers in jail are awaiting trial simply because they can’t afford bail.

According to the FreeHer campaign, “This Mother’s Day, 150,000 incarcerated mothers will spend their day separated from their children unless the Biden Administration and state governors take immediate action.”

Watch Kemba Smith (Leading with Conviction™ 2019) speak at the FreeHer 10th Anniversary rally:

Several days before the FreeHer rally, JLUSA honored Andrea James — the Founder and Executive Director of The National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, the organization which runs the FreeHer campaign — at its second annual Second Chance Freedom Ball in D.C.

Watch Andrea James’ acceptance speech at the 2nd Annual Second Chance Freedom Ball: