Onward Blog

Some people convicted of felonies can actually vote from prison in Texas — but they may not know it

By JLUSA

October 7, 2024

Jennifer Toon (Leading with Conviction™ 2024 participant) thinks incarcerated people would take advantage of their right to vote if they knew.

DeAnna Hoskins Is the First Formerly Incarcerated Person in U.S. History to Become a White House Fellow

By JLUSA

October 3, 2024

Today the President’s Commission on White House Fellows announced that DeAnna Hoskins has been appointed as one of the program’s next 15 leaders.

October. The month I was sentenced to 10 years as a child. My first (and only) arrest.

By Dieter Cantu

For Youth Justice Action Month, let this be a call to action.

Bard Prison Initiative college graduate tells his story to In These Times

By JLUSA

October 2, 2024

Marcelino Rodriguez had no debt when he was released from prison in 2019 — and no credit. He quickly took on debt in an attempt to build more credit.

Robyn Hasan Simpson speaks at the Atlantic Festival 2024 on pretrial detention and the state of America’s jails

By JLUSA

September 30, 2024

Robyn Hasan Simpson (Leading with Conviction™ 2022) spoke September 19 at the Atlantic Festival 2024 held at The Wharf in Washington, D.C.

Maggie Luna on celebrating people who’ve overcome their addictions and honoring those we’ve lost to overdose

By JLUSA

September 27, 2024

September is Recovery Month, a time to celebrate people who’ve overcome their addictions and honor those we’ve lost to overdose.

Arianna Mellinger shares her story and advocates for the use of Narcan and intervention

By JLUSA

September 26, 2024

Arianna Mellinger (Leading with Conviction™ 2024 participant) spoke Tuesday, during an Opioid Education Seminar and Narcan training in Texarkana, TX.

JLUSA joins Yale to present at the American Heart Association HERN Community-Driven Research Approaches Strategic Network Annual Meeting

By JLUSA

September 25, 2024

Ronald Simpson-Bey presented this week at the American Heart Association HERN Community-Driven Research Approaches Strategic Annual Meeting.

Chicago Beyond announces partnership with three state prison systems to transform correctional practices

By JLUSA

September 24, 2024

Chicago Beyond has announced a partnership with the Arizona, Hawaii, and Vermont Departments of Corrections to introduce Holistic Safety measures.

JLUSA leaders march in D.C. to demand full repeal and replacement of the devastating 1994 Crime Bill

By Paul Rothschild

September 23, 2024

From September 12-14, the People’s Coalition for Safety and Freedom — including JLUSA leaders — took bold action in Washington, D.C.

Country singer Steve Earle contributes song to benefit formerly incarcerated leaders in Tennessee

By JLUSA

September 20, 2024

This track kicks off the Better Than Jail album, uniting top artists to advocate for criminal justice reform.

Washington state officially joins Reentry 2030

By JLUSA

September 19, 2024

Gov. Jay Inslee’s executive order this week enlists Washington in a nationwide initiative known as Reentry 2030.