For The People

Join us in congratulating our Founder and Executive Director, Hillary Blout, on her recent recognition as an Ashoka Fellow. She’s joining a global community of social entrepreneurs working to build a better tomorrow. This recognition amplifies the important work we’re doing to reimagine justice and create stronger, safer communities. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3BRfKky

San Quentin State Prison made history with its first-ever film festival, featuring special guests like Kerry Washington. Organized by Rahsaan Thomas and Cori Thomas, the event brought together incarcerated creatives and Hollywood professionals to collaborate and judge films. We're excited that one of our “Home For Good” videos is part of the virtual festival! 🎥 Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/g42VR2Kx And huge congratulations to filmmaker Lucas Guilkey, whose film The Strike was awarded “Best Feature” by the inside jury! We're proud to call him our partner.

“How Would You Explain Our Work to a 5th Grader?” 🤔 So often, our team is deep in legal and policy work. This time, we challenged them to break down what we do in a way a fifth-grader would understand. Here’s what they had to say! It’s all about fairness, driving change, and giving people a second chance to come home.

Prosecutors advocate for sentences -sometimes extremely harsh ones- after a person has been convicted of a crime. So what do prosecutors have to do with second chances? Possibly, a lot. In this episode of Just Justice, I talk with Founder and Executive Director Hillary Blout from For The People, a national non-profit working to promote prosecutor-initiated resentencing laws (PIRs). PIRs allow prosecutors to review past sentences and push for the safe release of incarcerated people who just don't need to be in prison. Hillary and I talk about her vision for prosecutors as champions of second chances, her response to the skeptics, and how #KamalaHarris changed the course of her career. Links to the episode are in the comments.

VOTE FOR US! 🏆 We’re thrilled that our video series Home For Good is a finalist for The Anthem Awards... It only takes 1 minute to vote, and your support can help bring stories of second chances to millions of people.  🙏 Vote here: https://bit.ly/3Y9B3p5

ICYMI: Check out the American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section podcast JustPod featuring our Founder and Executive Director, Hillary Blout. She joined Justin Danilewitz and Geonard F. Butler II to discuss the critical role prosecutors play in advancing justice and how a new law is helping them do things differently. In this clip, Hillary shares her experience as a prosecutor and her commitment to enhancing public safety by focusing on rehabilitation and reentry. Her experience as a prosecutor inspired her to help draft the Prosecutor-Initiated Resentencing law, which aims to safely bring people home from prison and reunite families. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3ApHzzT

The Southern Coalition for Social Justice report “Safe Return” highlights the remarkable data and stories resulting from resentencing efforts in North Carolina. These efforts have saved North Carolina taxpayers a significant amount of money—perhaps as much as $17.7 million. Nearly 600 years of imprisonment were saved, and only one of the 64 people in the study returned to prison after their release. These impressive statistics fail to capture the immeasurable value of giving people an opportunity to make a fresh start, apply all that they have learned over the years, spend precious time with their families and loved ones, and serve their communities. Full report: https://bit.ly/4gHoGZQ

Help us give a warm welcome to our new Legal Assistant, Laurie Moran 🎉! Laurie joins our legal team to support incarcerated people and their networks in navigating the resentencing process. Before joining For The People, Laurie was an entrepreneur running her own business. She previously served as Director of Youth Services for a nonprofit sitting at the intersection of criminal justice, mental health, and education. Additionally, Laurie has extensive experience working in law firms as an office manager, paralegal, and legal assistant. Laurie’s lifelong commitment to advocacy has included volunteering in reentry programs, domestic abuse and homeless shelters, and an exoneree network for returning citizens. These experiences ultimately inspired her to transition her advocacy into a full-time career. We are thrilled to have Laurie on board to help us bring more people home!

We are excited to announce that our Founder and Executive Director Hillary Blout has been recognized as a 2024 SUCCESS Magazine Changemaker! Hillary joins an outstanding group of 25 finalists who are committed to driving meaningful social, environmental, and economic impact worldwide. Learn more at the link below – or pick up the next issue of the magazine on newsstands. https://bit.ly/3N9l1q3

Eric Braswell is #HomeForGood. We recently reconnected with Eric in his beloved hometown of San Diego, where he shared childhood memories of biking near the Coronado Bridge on his way to a summer job, what it was like growing up in a military family, and what his life is like today. Just a few years ago, Eric was facing a 41 years-to-life sentence. But after serving 23 years in prison, he returned home when the San Diego County District Attorney's Office recommended his release. Once home, Eric had the chance to care for his father during his final years. Today, he works as a maintenance technician. A people person at heart, one of Eric’s greatest joys is helping and connecting with others. In his spare time, you’ll find him reading or listening to podcasts, and diving into topics like history, social sciences, and motivational speaking. We’re honored to be part of Eric’s journey. Let’s continue to bring more people like him home! Read more stories at https://lnkd.in/gWWVszxb