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Hard News

This has been a year of hard news.

Early this spring, we shared that we would need to narrow the focus of our work due to the increasingly daunting funding landscape. To cut expenses, we ended two beloved, groundbreaking programs: our Death Penalty Program and Trauma to Trust.

Weeks later, the Trump administration illegally revoked more than $800 million in grants to hundreds of organizations preventing violence throughout the nation. EJUSA lost more than $3 million, a substantial portion of our budget. Many of our community partners also suffered because of our loss.

This was a ruthless attack on life-saving work — and on public safety.

After dozens of meetings and hours of analysis and deliberations, the leadership of this organization, on our staff and the board, came to the difficult decision to wind down EJUSA’s operations. We are doing so with the same dignity, grace, and care with which we have carried out this mission for more than 30 years.

Our last day of active operations will be August 15.

We are not alone. Our Linkedin feeds have been a continuous stream of layoff announcements and postings by brilliant people now looking for work, all in or adjacent to EJUSA’s field of work. Just the other day, we received notice from another organization doing racial justice work that they were shutting their doors.

This is an incredibly painful decision. When we started this year, EJUSA’s staff was nearly 50 strong. While this chapter is ending, the work we have dedicated our professional lives to and the vision you’ve helped build is far from over.

Across more than 30 years, we have much to be proud of:

  • As a partner to local state groups, we helped end the death penalty in 11 states while working with dozens of other states to advance their campaigns.
  • We secured more than $4 million of federal funds for community organizations supporting crime victims.
  • We advocated for dozens of pieces of legislation that moved $500 million to create mental health crisis response programs, establish a first-in-the-nation, California tax on firearms and ammunition, set up one of the first city offices of violence prevention, and much more.
  • More than 1,000 community members and police officers have participated in Trauma to Trust, building relationships and creating understanding of trauma caused by police interactions.
  • We built and grew Conservatives Concerned and the Evangelical Network to create conversations and bridge gaps in thinking about the death penalty, violence, and harm — and ultimately drive change.
  • We documented and amplified one of the nation’s most effective community-led public safety ecosystems through The Future of Public Safety report, which garnered nationwide attention.
  • We spotlighted the need for the same ecosystem model in Bogalusa, Louisiana, one of countless rural communities that struggle with violence and don’t get the support to address it.
  • We built and supported a network of violence survivors who became grassroots leaders, so that we could strengthen them and their difficult work.
  • We created learning materials and an online grant-seeking resource for the start-up community organizations leading the charge on building safety.
  • We brought on the Restorative Justice Project and supported 14 communities across the country to build alternatives to policing, prosecutions, and prisons.
  • We were a key organization in the effort to advocate for then-president Joe Biden to commute the sentences of individuals on federal death row.

And that’s only a fraction of the work that you made possible.

While the work is ending prematurely, it is not the end of the movement we’ve built together. There is still so much more to do to move this country away from its reliance on a punishment framework that is racist and harmful to a system that is rooted in healing and true justice.

When we embarked on the process of assessing our sustainability and future, we identified two values that would act as our guiding lights.

We would mitigate as best we could any damage to our mission.

We would center our staff, who have always fostered the relationships that power our work.

Our team members will take their expertise into new spaces, joining allies in this movement and carrying forward our collective passion to build a new justice system while reducing the harm of the one that exists today. The relationships and knowledge they hold will ripple outward in powerful ways.

We urge you to carry forward our vision. In the coming weeks, we will be in touch with specific ways you can continue to support the vision we’ve shared and this movement. Our people will carry it forward and you must do so, too.

Jamila Hodge
CEO

Lenny Noisette
Board Chair

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Still Fighting Forward

A few days ago, millions of people across the country flooded the streets in protest on No Kings Day. They held signs, locked arms, and raised their voices to remind those in power that the people still hold power too. It was a moment of clarity and a reminder that we’re not alone in this fight, and that even as regressive policy and political attacks roll back many important gains, we are not standing still. We are still fighting forward.

That’s what came to mind as I thought about Juneteenth this year.

Juneteenth exists because of a lie. For more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, people in Texas remained enslaved. Families like Horace and Emily Scull’s were kept in bondage by those who knew they were free but refused to give up power. That lie had a cost—years of unpaid labor, violence, and stolen time.

That history feels painfully relevant today. Misinformation and lies are once again being used as tools of control, tools that continue to harm Black communities. We’re told that community-based violence prevention doesn’t work, even when the data, and lived experience, prove otherwise. We’re told that our children are unsafe not because of guns, poverty, or isolation, but because of DEI programs and inclusive education. Funding is being stripped from life-saving programs under the guise of “protecting America’s children,” while the real costs are mounting. 

So yes, we are rolling backward at a dizzying pace. The same tactics, erasure, fearmongering, outright lies, are being deployed again. But we are also pushing back.

Juneteenth is not just about delayed freedom. It’s about the power of truth and the courage of people who, once they learned it, moved toward liberation. That spirit is still alive today, in the protestors, in the organizers, in the communities refusing to be silenced.

We remember Juneteenth not just to look back, but to keep going. To resist the lies. To fight for policies that heal instead of harm. To finish the course.

Because freedom delayed is still worth fighting for.

Toward justice.

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Don’t Forget About Incarcerated Black Trans Women

Although LGBTQ+ people are overrepresented in the prison system, their voices and experiences are deeply underrepresented in conversations about transforming justice. This is especially true for transgender people of color, who are disproportionately targeted at alarmingly high rates by the prison system. Both the opaqueness of prisons and the overlooking of this vulnerable population means that the public is not equipped with the knowledge and resources to advocate properly for incarcerated trans people in the face of horrific abuses and medical neglect, including forced detransition.

Black trans women regularly fight for dignity behind bars—not just for the women in their own community, but for every single marginalized person.

“Black trans women have always been on the frontlines for every other cause. But when it comes to trans issues, no one’s on the frontlines for us,” says Paige Mahogany Parks, CEO of Transgender Awareness Project in Jacksonville, Florida.

In 2018, Jacksonville was the murder capital of transgender killings in the country. To compound the harm, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office deprioritized community concerns about the string of murders while purposefully deadnaming and misgendering the victims. Transgender Awareness Project fights for the dignity of trans people in all aspects of the community, including bringing attention to the safety of trans people—especially Black trans women—engaging in sex work.

“They need to decriminalize sex work so it can be legal. Making it legal also saves trans women’s lives and stops a lot of harassment, a lot of violence towards trans women if they decriminalize sex work,” says Paige.

Both trans rights advocates like Paige and sex workers of all backgrounds are fighting hard to bring attention to the need for decriminalizing sex work.

“Making sex work legal will save trans lives,” she adds. “Because you know, once a trans woman is arrested for sex work, it stops a lot of things. It goes on her record, so she can’t get a job now because she has a felony.”

Under current conditions, sex workers are in greater danger of experiencing physical violence, overcriminalization, and the loss of economic and housing opportunities due to having a record, sexual abuse, and other kinds of violence by police, and even ICE raids. Decriminalization, which is modeled in New Zealand, protects sex workers, promotes safety, and decreases human trafficking and the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

With few allies in their corner, trans people regularly have to rely on themselves to create organizations to provide support for incarcerated people. Some of these include the TS Madison Starter House, a reentry home for Black trans women recently opened by television personality and actress TS Madison. Another organization called Black and Pink provides deep community support for incarcerated LGBTQIA2S+ people and people living with HIV/AIDS in an effort to dismantle the prison industrial complex.

When asked what healing looks like in the face of violence, discrimination, and erasure by laws, Paige invites all to engage in an important call to action:

“Healing means to me that society will accept us more. We need to be more visible than we are because we exist and we have existed for many, many, many years. And healing means bringing us all together, you know? Bringing the community together as one for trans people to thrive.”

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Reflections on the Fifth Anniversary of George Floyd’s Murder

This powerful conversation between EJUSA’s Newark Strategist Zayid Muhammad and EJUSA CEO Jamila Hodge marks five years since George Floyd was murdered by police. Together, they reflect on the deep historical roots of racialized policing, the global response that followed Floyd’s death, and the continued fight for police accountability and community safety.

Zayid shares insight into the spectacle of Floyd’s killing and its connection to centuries of dehumanization and violence against Black bodies, while Jamila speaks to her experience as a former prosecutor and the challenges of holding law enforcement accountable. It’s a timely, emotional, and urgent discussion that speaks directly to where we’ve been and where we need to go.

Watch now if you haven’t already.

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We Stay On A Mission

In the heart of Shreveport, Louisiana, a circle of healing is growing — one shaped by love, loss, and a fierce commitment to community. What began as a grassroots response to hunger and grief has blossomed into a full-spectrum support system for mothers, families, youth, and elders impacted by gun violence.

Martha Tyler, founder of Moms on a Mission, first started feeding children in her neighborhood when schools shut down at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I started feeding 45 kids every day Monday through Friday during the first six months of COVID,” she recalled. “The money came from my family and the food came out of my refrigerator and out of my cabinets.” 

“I haven’t lost a child to gun violence,” Martha shared, “but I have lost twins — stillbirth. I raised my children alone because I lost their two fathers to gun violence. I watched their mothers live without their sons.”

What began as a homegrown effort expanded through Facebook, as friends and former coworkers started chipping in.

But everything changed after two of the boys Martha had been feeding were shot and killed. “I just made a Facebook post and asked, ‘Is anybody supporting the mothers who lost a child?’” she said. “It just spiraled from there.” 

In June 2022, Martha hosted her first event honoring 25 mothers who lost a child to violence, complete with spa treatments, salon appointments, donated meals, and gifts. “It was decorated like a wedding,” she said. “Anything you could think of that was beautiful and nice, they had it.”

But the work didn’t stop there. That single event turned into ongoing grief support. Moms on a Mission now hosts monthly grief support sessions  — often attended not just by mothers, but by fathers, siblings, and extended family. “They’re always asking, ‘When is the next one?’” Martha said.

In partnership with the Caddo Parish District Attorney’s Office, local therapists, wellness coaches, and organizations like Unique Body Studios, the team has built a holistic model that meets people where they are. “The grief is not going away,” said Saundra Roberson, Vice President, who supports the program’s operations, “but the mothers still have to live after that has happened.”

Circle meetings, now known as Moms Circle of Healing, are intentionally open and non-judgmental. “If you need to curse, you can curse. If you need to cry, you can cry. If you need to shout, you can shout,” Saundra explained. “But the other mothers provide so much — especially those who are further along in the journey.”

She shared the story of one mother who came to her first meeting looking for validation, not help. Her child had been killed just weeks earlier, and she had made up her mind to retaliate. “She came in angry,” Saundra said. “She ran out of the meeting. We hugged her, we kept talking to her.” The following year, that same mother became a featured speaker at the next induction ceremony and started her own foundation in her daughter’s name.

Moms on a Mission doesn’t just support those who’ve lost children. They’ve adopted local schools, hosted community baby showers with postpartum care packages, and brought joy to nursing homes by playing bingo and delivering gifts. 

“Some of them might not have family that comes to visit them,” Martha shared. “So we do that because I had an older mother, and I used to work at a senior complex. The seniors are near and dear to my heart.”

As part of a broader community violence intervention ecosystem, Moms on a Mission plays a role in advancing safety and healing — not only by interrupting cycles of harm but by creating spaces where transformation is possible.

As they continue to grow, their vision remains rooted in shared leadership. “All of the things that we do come from people who saw the vision, embraced the mission, and worked to make the vision a reality,” Saundra said. 

“We’ve seen this circle change lives,” Saundra added. “We’ve seen mothers who once thought about revenge start healing. We’ve seen families come together, including some who’ve never gotten answers about who killed their child — and still, they show up.”

From feeding children to facilitating healing retreats for grieving families, Moms on a Mission continues to do what its name promises. As Martha put it plainly: “We stay on a mission.”

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Changes at EJUSA

What can I say that hasn’t already been said about this unprecedented time? Democracy is unraveling in front of our eyes. People are on the punishing ends of every executive order pouring out of the White House. Just weeks ago, EJUSA felt the devastating effects directly, learning that the Department of Justice had canceled our grants to build public safety with nine growing community organizations.

Anti-Blackness can be found in so many of these decisions. Unfortunately, none of this is a surprise.

In 2020, a police officer murdered George Floyd, on camera. Historic uprisings created an undeniable inflection point in the movement for racial justice. We saw our society and its institutions respond in inspiring ways.

Our longer history shows, however, that every significant achievement and advancement of our rights and dignity is met with a dramatic backlash.

Less than three years later, I wrote about the then-mounting efforts to erase Black history across the nation. That was only the beginning, as we now see every day.

Today, Equal Justice USA has found itself in trying circumstances that stretch beyond the federal funding illegally seized from us.
Funders previously committed to advancing justice and reforming the criminal legal system have scaled back or completely ended their investment. EJUSA — along with our many movement allies — is adjusting to new, challenging realities because of reduced financial support. As a result, we have had to reassess our work and refine our focus.

This is not the first time we’ve shifted our mission. More than a decade ago, we developed new strategies in response to our growing understanding of the role trauma plays in perpetuating harm. The enduring nature of that traumatic harm is central to the racist punishment framework that our society uses to respond to violence.

In that case, though, we expanded our mission. This time is, unfortunately, different.

We are doubling down on the work of building a new justice system, one that prioritizes healing for people, rather than punishment. The healing is what will deliver true safety, especially in Black communities. Punishment will never do that.

To make this work lasting and to position the organization to thrive when our vision is needed now more than ever, we had to make some painful decisions about our programs these past weeks.

None was more painful than ending our Death Penalty Program, which has played a part in every successful state repeal over the past two decades. We’re committed to seeing this work find the right home and will let you know where that is as soon as possible.

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One Block at a Time

This spring in April, Central City came alive with music, dancing, giveaways, and something even more powerful: community care. The Heal the Block initiative returned to New Orleans, transforming one of the city’s under-resourced neighborhoods into a hub for healing, hope, and connection.

Originating in Newark, NJ, Heal the Block was designed as a collaboration between public safety and community organizations to address the root causes of violence and fill critical gaps in services. “Even though resources may exist,” explained EJUSA Senior Louisiana Strategist Josie Alexander, “the community can’t always obtain them for various reasons—like red tape, transportation, or financial barriers.”

What began as a community-driven effort in Newark soon took root in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where Josie helped facilitate a version of Heal the Block that inspired a citywide violence prevention campaign. That momentum now continues in New Orleans.

Partnering with local organizations and trusted leaders, the New Orleans edition of Heal the Block took shape through deep coordination and neighborhood credibility. “It was a huge part of their relationships that brought these partners together,” Josie said. “We supported logistics and planning, but the trust from folks like Danny Allen and Ernest Johnson from Ubuntu Village NOLA  made the event possible.”

The day was designed to meet tangible needs while creating space for joy and relationship-building. Attendees received essentials like hygiene kits—filled with toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, and more—alongside fun prizes. A group of college students, led by Cayla Lumar, EJUSA’s capacity building fellow and founder of the Social Justice Coalition at Xavier University, played a key role in organizing these giveaways.

There were also resource tables from victim services, health organizations, and mentoring groups, connecting attendees with services and support in real time.

But it wasn’t only about the services. “We wanted this to be an opportunity not just to get resources, but to bring the community together in joy,” said Taryn Young, EJUSA’s capacity building fellow. “There were about 100 raffles—school supplies, headphones, and speakers. Kids could spin the wheel, join dance contests, and even jump in the bouncy house. “We even had a gaming van!”

That spirit of joy and generosity was shared by the volunteers, too. “Everyone kind of just showed up to do whatever was needed,” Taryn said. “People were smiling, excited to be in the community, and even the organizations were networking among themselves.”

An intentional aspect of Heal the Block is its mobility. Each event takes place in a different neighborhood, reducing barriers to access. “The first time it was out in the East. This time it was Central City,” Taryn shared. “The goal is to go directly to the areas that need it the most.”

As the initiative grows, it continues to serve as a model for what’s possible when care, trust, and collaboration come together. “It was just amazing to see how this one event could offer so much—from joy to vital services—right in the heart of the community,” Josie reflected.

Plans are already in the works for future Heal the Block events, with hopes to launch again in June or September. Whenever and wherever it lands next, one thing is clear: the heart of this movement is healing, one block at a time.

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They Don’t Care About Safety

Two nights ago, the Department of Justice sent us a devastating letter: 

“This award is being terminated because … [the] Department has changed its priorities with respect to discretionary grant funding…” 

The award was $2.9 million. Our priorities for that money were to invest it in community-based public safety strategies–specifically, five innovative organizations throughout Louisiana that are building safety for their neighbors. 

Instantly, this funding, plus a separate grant supporting our restorative justice work, disappeared. The federal government funds based on reimbursement , so we’re owed hundreds of thousands of dollars for work we’ve already done. But we can’t even log into the system anymore. 

More than half of the money in our grant went to other organizations. Still, the rest came to EJUSA and made possible the work we do best: helping emerging leaders and organizations realize their fullest life-saving potential by supporting their growth, guiding their key strategies, and ensuring that they will be sustainable for their communities. 

We refuse to back down. That means, most importantly, that we keep helping these Louisiana organizations even if we have no more funds to pass on. The BRidge Agency, in Baton Rouge, still has to support families by breaking cycles of poverty and violence—offering mentorship, education, and resources that strengthen both young people and the adults that care for them. Silence is Violence, in New Orleans, still needs to support victims in the aftermath of violence to de-escalate and prevent future violence. Forever Takes a Village, in Bogalusa, a small town with high rates of violence, still needs to do street outreach to work with young people at risk of violence. 

This administration is not serious about protecting public safety. To the contrary, it is committed to creating the conditions for violence to thrive.

You can help us fight back. First, you can make a special investment in the work you make possible so we can weather this horrible storm. 

Then be on the lookout for more ways you can tell this administration that safety starts in the community, because we know what we need to be safe.

Toward justice.

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One Month Later: My Reflection on Louisiana’s Death Row Execution

It’s been exactly one month since Louisiana put a man to death. 

Jessie Hoffman was the first death row execution in the state in 15 years. Not only was Hoffman’s death by nitrogen gas suffocation cruel; it has done nothing to deter violence in the state. In fact, in the four weeks since his execution, headlines in cities across Louisiana have been riddled with stories of crime. 

Governor Jeff Landry told a reporter in the days leading up to Hoffman’s death that executions are necessary to fulfill a “contractual promise” to crime victims, but what about the contractual promise to constituents to keep their communities safe?

If the goal is community safety, it is clear that state-sanctioned death does nothing to advance it. The death penalty does not deter violence, heal survivors, or facilitate long-term community safety. 

Solutions like Community Violence Intervention (CVI), mental health support, youth diversion initiatives, programs that heal trauma, and other preventative measures have proven to be effective deterrents to crime. 

I have been part of the violence prevention movement in Louisiana for more than a decade. As a Baton Rouge Street Team member, I’ve personally gone to homicide scenes to console families. I’ve witnessed first-hand the hunger and desperation in our communities for investment in tangible solutions to violence that facilitate safety. Today, I help lead the statewide violence reduction coalition. 

Proponents of the death penalty claim that executions provide “closure” to families. First, I want to acknowledge that there is never closure after a loved one is killed; there is support and a pathway to healing, but the death penalty delivers neither. 

Andy Elliot, the husband of Molly Elliot, the victim in Hoffman’s case, acknowledged that putting Hoffman to death “will not provide closure” and that it has forced his family to “relive the past tragedy.”, Yet, the state proceeded with the execution anyway, as if it would somehow help the Elliot family. 

Brett Malone is another survivor who has called out the false promise of capital punishment. His mother was murdered, and he actively rejects the death penalty, explaining that it doesn’t represent his values or foster community well-being. Malone, instead, believes in restorative justice. 

Redirecting funds from the death penalty into areas like education, mental health support, youth programs, and job training is more effective at reducing crime in the long term. Prevention of violence must also include addressing issues such as poverty, lack of opportunity, and racial inequities—all of which the criminal legal system is steeped in. 

The death penalty is also extremely costly. A 2019 study found that Louisiana has spent more than $200 million on its death-penal­ty sys­tem over the last 15 years, result­ing in a sin­gle exe­cu­tion of a man who gave up his appeals. Imagine how far $200 million would’ve gone in truly serving communities had it not been wasted on putting a man to death.

Capital punishment also perpetuates the idea that killing can solve problems, which is a dangerous and highly flawed theory that we must move away from.

I am encouraged that the Louisiana Supreme Court last week halted the execution warrants of two men on death row, but I know through recent and past experience that a temporary stay is just that in most cases: temporary.  

Governor Landry and other Louisiana lawmakers must seriously assess the needs of people in this state and invest in community violence prevention methods if their goal is truly to keep their constituents safe. They have the power and responsibility to end state-sanctioned death permanently and reinvest in solutions that will make all of our lives and communities better. 

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BRidging the Gap

Nicole Scott, the founder of The BRidge Agency, has a deeply personal connection to the work she does. “This is my life story,” she shared. “I am the single mom who used to drop my child off at school and then go sit in the library to learn how to start a business from the ground up.” 

Nicole’s experiences navigating systemic challenges fuel her passion for serving the families in her community.  “I understand that, and I think that’s one of the reasons I’m so passionate about this work—because my own lived experiences allow me to deeply relate to the families I serve,” she explained. 

Located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, The BRidge Agency is dedicated to empowering marginalized communities by addressing systemic barriers such as disinvestment, limited access to education and economic opportunity, and the lack of mentoring. The organization focuses on education, mentorship, and connecting residents to resources to help break cycles of poverty and trauma leading to violent crimes.  

EJUSA is proud to partner with the BRidge Agency, offering 1:1 office hours, facilitating clinics that provide practical tools for building organization infrastructure and assisting with development plans to strengthen their youth programs and educational initiatives.

At the core of the BRidge Agency’s efforts, “We address the social-economic drivers of crime and those social disparities like poverty, lack of education, lack of quality, supportive education programs,” Nicole said. 

“If there’s a resource that exists in your community, but you have a barrier to understanding technology, then, of course, you can’t benefit from that,” Nicole pointed out. The agency works to break down these barriers, ensuring that families are equipped to thrive.

The BRidge Agency’s youth programs serve hundreds of young people each week. Nicole’s focus on mentorship and education extends beyond the classroom, offering opportunities for career exploration and community engagement. “We have our community clubs and circles where we meet in groups of 15 or 25,” she explained. These circles allow young people to discuss their experiences, build relationships, and prepare for the future.

The agency’s summer enrichment program also plays a crucial role. “It’s a free program, and we always offer paid internships for young people where they get to come in, learn advocacy skills, and connect with community leaders,” Nicole said. 

Nicole understands that working with youth alone is not enough; families must be supported as well. “I realized a long time ago, doing this work, helping and supporting the youth is phenomenal, but we’re sending them back to some of the same broken homes,” she said. 

“We’ve just brought on a social worker who is going to be instrumental in providing preventive education around physical, mental, and verbal abuse which occurs in some homes as a result of little to no positive youth development or parental skills in the home,” Nicole explained. This comprehensive approach ensures families are equipped to create a nurturing environment for their children.

Education is at the heart of the BRidge Agency’s mission. “We must be able to utilize every avenue possible to provide education, whether it’s in our faith-based communities, community centers… we have to always offer the opportunities for youth and families to expand their knowledge,” Nicole emphasized. 

From basic life skills to financial literacy, the Bridge Agency’s education programs empower individuals and families to overcome the challenges they face and achieve long-term success. As part of a broader community violence intervention and prevention ecosystem, The BRidge Agency’s work aligns with CVIPI strategies by addressing root causes of violence and building pathways to safety, healing, and opportunity.

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