Category: Uncategorized

Remembering a Victory for Justice

(From left to right) Vickye Coward, Fran Watson, and Colleen Cunningham before the Senate vote in 2012.

Ten years ago, the governor of Connecticut, Dannel Malloy signed a bill ending the state’s death penalty. This victory was the result of years (decades, really!) of organizing and advocacy, and I was lucky enough to be on the frontlines of the final couple years of that push.   There are so many people and events… Continue reading Remembering a Victory for Justice

Healing Communities through Trauma to Trust

A vision of a world where violence is rare is EJUSA’s north star. As we work toward making that vision a reality, we must address the violence that over-policing inflicts on Black and brown communities — which sows enduring fear and distrust. We invite you to watch a short video on Trauma to Trust, a… Continue reading Healing Communities through Trauma to Trust

Where is the death penalty movement today?

The prospect of a death penalty repeal has never gotten as far along in Ohio as it has this year. So it seemed like a great time to bring together Jennifer Pryor, Director of Organizing & Community Outreach at Ohioans to Stop Executions, and Sarah Craft, Death Penalty Program Director at EJUSA. They discussed the… Continue reading Where is the death penalty movement today?

A Review of Who We Are

Growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, a focal point during the Civil Rights Movement, I had been to museums and monuments around the city that honor activists and organizers from the sixties. I’ve read every plaque, and I know every story where a Black person was denied access to a building during segregation.  The steps leading… Continue reading A Review of Who We Are

A Personal Experience with Trauma to Trust

When someone joins the EJUSA team, the organization works to get them to Trauma to Trust quickly to experience the exploration of trauma and its impact on people and communities. My turn came in the fall of 2021. I hit the road, in central New Jersey, at 6 a.m. to get to the training center in… Continue reading A Personal Experience with Trauma to Trust

Remarkable Women

Reimagining Justice This Month: February Reimagining Justice This Month highlights stories about effective responses to violence — responses that disrupt cycles of violence, heal trauma, and address structural racism. Remarkable Women: Tonja Myles, NBC Local 33 In this spotlight on one of EJUSA’s Trauma & Healing Network members, Tonja Myles, we can see what is… Continue reading Remarkable Women

Podcasts on the Possibility of Justice

Recently, the New York Times emailed about “6 true-crime podcasts on the dark side of romance.” These six podcasts, they tell us, are “true stories of abusers, liars and romantic con artists who ruthlessly exploit their victims’ desire for love.” The descriptions of the stories follow a well-worn path, pulling us in with the intrigue… Continue reading Podcasts on the Possibility of Justice

Failed by the System

Melissa Lucio is likely innocent, but Texas plans to execute her on April 27 anyway. There’s a real risk that Texas might execute an innocent person next month. Melissa Lucio was tried, convicted, and, in 2008, sentenced to death for a crime that likely never happened. Now, a broad coalition of organizations and experts are… Continue reading Failed by the System

To fight crime, build an ecosystem of safety

Reimagining Justice This Month: February Reimagining Justice This Month highlights stories about effective responses to violence — responses that disrupt cycles of violence, heal trauma, and address structural racism. To fight crime, build an ecosystem of safety, The Advocate In Baton Rouge, like cities around the country, the current public safety system’s focus on enforcement… Continue reading To fight crime, build an ecosystem of safety