Onward Blog

I Know Rikers

By Darren Mack

April 11, 2019

I have been with the campaign to #CLOSErikers since the beginning because I know that Rikers is a human rights crisis. I know it must be closed now.

Trump Plans New Barriers for Job Seekers with Records

By DeAnna Hoskins

We need your voice to call on the Trump administration to end a dangerous rule change before it begins.

Until We Are All Free…

By DeAnna Hoskins

April 4, 2019

This week, after years of unwavering and uncompromising advocacy, directly impacted communities won three historic victories in New York State. 

People on Parole Should Serve on Juries

By Vidal Guzman with Megan French-Marcelin

New York State undermines its commitment to civic engagement by barring people on parole and probation from participating in juries.

Demand Your Rights

By Megan French-Marcelin, #WORKINGfuture Campaign Coordinator

March 19, 2019

Over 70,000,000people in the United States have a criminal record. They face an estimated 45,000 barriers and exclusions.

I want to leverage technology to end mass incarceration.

By Marcus Bullock, #LwC2019

March 18, 2019

When I was only fifteen years old, I was sentenced to eight years in prison and sent to a maximum security facility hours away from my home.

ONWARD ALERT: Trump Takes Aim at SNAP

By Megan, Hakim, Lester, and the #WORKINGfuture Team

March 12, 2019

Formerly incarcerated people are organizing to stop dangerous cuts from essential food stamps

A Leap Forward in L.A.

By Eunisses Hernandez, Los Angeles Campaign Coordinator

March 6, 2019

JusticeLA secured a vote to replace a men's jail with mental health facilities and stop plans for the construction of a women's jail in the city.

We are people who were caught up in the system and made it out, and now we get to be the voice for other people.

By Alaina Combs, #LwC2019

I can’t talk about Leading with Conviction without crying because I’m just so grateful to be a part of this cohort.

A Call for People-First Language

By Divine Pryor

January 15, 2019

Since the founding of the United States, language has been central to dehumanizing Black and brown people to justify violence and injustice.

Dispatch from the Field: Organizing Kids and Young People to Build Communities in NYC

By Harvey Murphy

January 9, 2019

I’m JustLeadershipUSA’s NYC Community Organizer, working to #CLOSErikers, build communities, and end mass incarceration.

Open Letter to New York City Correctional Officers

By JustLeadershipUSA

We are a group of formerly incarcerated individuals, and loved ones of people formerly and currently incarcerated, and we are fighting to #CLOSErikers