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Algunas partes de esta página se generan automáticamente y podrían contener errores menores. Se recomienda usar el juicio crítico al interactuar con ella.
April marked a defining moment for the movement.
For years, the field has centered “Second Chance Month.” This year, JustLeadershipUSA and the JustUS Coordinating Council (JCC) advanced a necessary shift reframing the conversation from whether individuals deserve a second chance to whether systems are designed to provide a fair one.
That distinction matters. And it is gaining traction.
Nineteen states and Puerto Rico issued official proclamations recognizing Second Chance Month, reflecting growing national alignment. As momentum builds, we remain focused on advancing the language, policy, and practice of Fair Chance as the standard not the exception.
We began the month at the National Returning Citizens Conference in Jacksonville, Florida, where directly impacted leaders from across the country gathered to connect, lead, and shape the future of this work. JLUSA President and CEO DeAnna Hoskins joined national voices on stage, and we convened a dedicated gathering of justice-impacted leaders to deepen relationships and strengthen collective leadership.
On April 11, Deanna delivered the keynote address at the FailSafe-ERA Annual Second Chance Gala in Fredericksburg, Virginia, alongside International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee Michael “Second To” Nunn, reinforcing the power of transformation and leadership rooted in lived experience.
Our national media partnership reached a major milestone with the airing of In Their Hands on PBS WORLD on April 15. The documentary, supported by discussion tools developed through our coalition, continues to spark critical conversations nationwide about accountability, reform, and the future of our criminal legal system.
Policy and advocacy remained central throughout the month.
On April 16, the JCC convened a bipartisan Congressional briefing on Capitol Hill in collaboration with the Congressional Second Chance Taskforce and the Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery Caucus. Directly impacted leaders engaged policymakers on housing, employment, and health care elevating real solutions to real barriers.
We also hosted a Fair Chances networking reception for Congressional staff and partners, centered on the theme “Justice & The Next 250.” Participants contributed forward-looking perspectives on what must change to ensure meaningful access and opportunity over the next decade and beyond.
Leadership development continues to be a cornerstone of this work.
April marked the graduation of the inaugural cohort of Leading with Conviction+™, a program designed to equip justice-impacted leaders with the skills and strategy required to lead at the highest levels. Graduates will continue contributing to a national dialogue through our upcoming “Justice & The Next 250” blog series.
The JCC Federal Speakers Series also reached new levels of engagement, with one of our largest audiences to date for “State Advocacy: Understanding the Harms of the Big Bad Bill.” This series will continue in May as we deepen our focus on state-level impact.
This month also marked the third anniversary of the JustUS Coordinating Council. What began as a bold idea has become a growing national table centering directly impacted voices and driving coordinated action across sectors.
We closed the month at the City Club of Cleveland, where JLUSA CEO Deanna Hoskins joined a distinguished panel on the power of directly impacted leadership in shaping stronger communities. The message was clear: those closest to the problem are leading the solutions.
Fair Chance is not a rebrand. It is a recalibration of expectations of systems, of leadership, and of what equity actually requires.
Thank you to our partners and supporters, including Langeloth Foundation and Just Trust, for investing in this work and helping expand access to opportunity and economic mobility for people impacted by the criminal legal system.
The work continues. And the standard is rising.
Thank you so much for supporting our mission here at JLUSA! Your donation helps to support our network of leaders working to dismantle oppressive systems and uplift people and families impacted by mass incarceration across the country.
All charitable donations made to JLUSA are fully tax deductible, as allowable by the IRS.
