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W. E. B. DuBois Plenary | Progress Before, Progress After: The Criminal Justice System and COVID-19
About This Webinar
Before the pandemic, the criminal justice reform movement was making progress, advancing policies to reduce incarceration and removing legal and cultural barriers to give formerly incarcerated people a fair shot at a second chance. Now, the movement finds itself responding to a crisis on top of a crisis, advocating for emergency release policies to help stop the spread of COVID-19 inside jails and prisons across the country.
Inequities within our criminal justice system have intensified. Historically, communities of color and people living in poverty have been more likely to be incarcerated. Today, incarcerated people, confined to overcrowded jails, are contracting COVID-19 at alarming rates. And the virus shut down courts across the country, putting justice on hold for thousands of people.
During this plenary, unlikely allies and leaders from across the spectrum come together to discuss what’s being done to address the current threat, reform the system for the future, and empower those with the most at stake. Journalists will learn how to go deeper in their coverage of criminal justice reform, where to find untapped sources of valuable information, and how to surface the important stories that have not been fully explored at the local and national levels.
Who can view: People who registered for the webinar only
Webinar Price: Free
Featured Presenters
Manager, Criminal Justice Reform, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Aly Tamboura is a Manager in the Criminal Justice Reform program at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. He joined the organization in 2017, after working as a software engineer. Having spent over a decade of his life incarcerated, Tamboura brings both his firsthand experience with the criminal justice system and his strong technical skills to CZI to help advance critical reforms in the space.
Director, Criminal Justice Reform, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Ana has served as the director of criminal justice reform at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) since March 2018. At CZI, Ana leads a cross-functional team working to redesign the criminal justice system with community health and safety at its core, rather than incarceration and punishment. Using advocacy, grantmaking, technology, and innovation, the team and grantee partners work to drive change and build opportunities for those impacted by the justice system.
Executive Director, National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls
Andrea James J.D. is the Founder and Executive Director of the National Council
For Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, Founder of
Families for Justice as Healing, author of Upper Bunkies Unite: And Other
Thoughts on the Politics of Mass Incarceration, a 2015 Soros Justice Fellow, and
recipient of the 2016 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights award.
For Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, Founder of
Families for Justice as Healing, author of Upper Bunkies Unite: And Other
Thoughts on the Politics of Mass Incarceration, a 2015 Soros Justice Fellow, and
recipient of the 2016 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights award.
Criminal Justice Advocate
Cynthia Shank is a criminal justice advocate and proud mother of three daughters. In 2008, Cynthia received a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence on drug conspiracy charges. In 2016, after serving 9 years Cynthia received clemency from President Obama. She and her family experienced firsthand the pain of separation caused by unjust and excessive sentencing. Cynthia and her family’s story is documented in the Emmy Award winning HBO documentary The Sentence, which won the Audience Choice Award at the Sundance Film Festival in 2018 and Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking at the 2019 Emmy Awards.
Executive Director, Florida Rights Restoration Coalition
Desmond Meade is a formerly homeless returning citizen who overcame many obstacles to eventually become the President of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC), Chair of Floridians for a Fair Democracy, a graduate of Florida International University College of Law, and a Ford Global Fellow.
Recognized by Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2019, Desmond presently leads efforts to empower and civically re-engage local communities across the state, and to reshape local, state, and national criminal justice policies. His work has resulted in being named Floridian and Central Floridian of the Year 2019.
Recognized by Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2019, Desmond presently leads efforts to empower and civically re-engage local communities across the state, and to reshape local, state, and national criminal justice policies. His work has resulted in being named Floridian and Central Floridian of the Year 2019.
Co-Host & Producer, Ear Hustle
Earlonne Woods was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles. In 1997, he was sentenced to 31-years-to-life in prison. While incarcerated, he received his GED, attended Coastline Community College and completed many vocational trade programs. In November 2018, California Governor Jerry Brown commuted Earlonne’s sentence after 21 years of incarceration. Upon his release, Earlonne was hired by PRX as a full-time producer for Ear Hustle, and he continues to work with Nigel, contributing stories about re-entry.
Founder & CEO, We Got Us Now
Ebony Underwood, Founder & CEO of WE GOT US NOW, a national nonprofit organization built by, led by and about children and young adults impacted by parental incarceration with the mission to ENGAGE, EDUCATE, ELEVATE & EMPOWER this historically invisible population through the use of digital narratives, safe-spaces & advocacy led campaigns to ensure their voices are at the forefront of strategic initiatives, practices and policies that will help to keep their families connected, create fair sentencing and end mass incarceration.
Director, “Inside News”
Lawrence Bartley is the Director of “News Inside," the Izzy Award-winning, print publication of The Marshall Project which is distributed in hundreds of prisons and jails throughout the United States. He holds an advanced degree in Professional Studies from New York Theological Seminary and a B.S. from Mercy College. Bartley serves on the Board of Directors of the Prisoner Legal Services and Rehabilitation Through the Arts, and on the advisory board for the Parole Preparation Project and Panacea Video.
Anchor, “NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt”; Anchor, “Dateline NBC”
Lester Holt is an award-winning journalist and anchor of "NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt," the network's flagship broadcast and the #1 newscast in America. He also anchors "Dateline NBC," now in its 28th season, and leads NBC News' special reports, breaking news and primetime political coverage.
Coined the "most-trusted television news personality in America" by a Hollywood Reporter/Morning Consult poll, Holt was named anchor of "NBC Nightly News" in June 2015 after anchoring the weekend editions of "NBC Nightly News" for eight years and co-anchoring "Weekend TODAY" for 12 years. Holt has served as principal anchor of "Dateline NBC" since September 2011 and joined NBC News in 2000.
Coined the "most-trusted television news personality in America" by a Hollywood Reporter/Morning Consult poll, Holt was named anchor of "NBC Nightly News" in June 2015 after anchoring the weekend editions of "NBC Nightly News" for eight years and co-anchoring "Weekend TODAY" for 12 years. Holt has served as principal anchor of "Dateline NBC" since September 2011 and joined NBC News in 2000.
Anchor and Executive Producer, Latino USA
As a reporter who was the first Latina in many newsrooms, Maria Hinojosa dreamt of a space where she could create independent, multimedia journalism that explores and gives a critical voice to the diverse American experience. She made that dream a reality in 2010 when she created Futuro Media, an independent, nonprofit newsroom based in Harlem, NYC with the mission to create multimedia content from a POC perspective. Futuro does this in the service of empowering people to navigate the complexities of an increasingly diverse and connected world.
District Attorney, (D) Wyandotte County, KS
Mark A. Dupree, Sr., is the District Attorney of Wyandotte County and leads an office of over 60 employees and manages a significant budget each fiscal year. D.A. Dupree and his team of employees are implementing strategic and visionary policies to expand the function of the Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office.
His administration has increased the felony trial conviction rate by 27%. D.A. Dupree has successfully created the first ever “Conviction Integrity Unit” in the state of Kansas, which is responsible for ensuring that convictions obtained previously still hold integrity today. His efforts for transforming the traditional manner in which District Attorney’s Offices have operated has been recognized nationally, with articles featured twice in the New York Times and interviewed on the nationally syndicated Roland Martin Show.
His administration has increased the felony trial conviction rate by 27%. D.A. Dupree has successfully created the first ever “Conviction Integrity Unit” in the state of Kansas, which is responsible for ensuring that convictions obtained previously still hold integrity today. His efforts for transforming the traditional manner in which District Attorney’s Offices have operated has been recognized nationally, with articles featured twice in the New York Times and interviewed on the nationally syndicated Roland Martin Show.
Founder & Executive Director, Voice of the Experienced (VOTE)
Norris Henderson is a former OSI Soros Justice Fellow, and has had tremendous success impacting public policy and discourse about reentry, police accountability, public defense for poor and indigent people, and reforming the notorious Orleans Parish Prison (OPP). In 2018, Norris served as the statewide campaign director for the Unanimous Jury Coalition, a ballot campaign that ended Jim Crow’s last stand in Louisiana. As someone who was wrongfully incarcerated for 27 years, Norris shares first hand experience of racism and brutality of the criminal justice system with communities of Color across Louisiana.
Attorney & Executive Director, Prison Policy Initiative
Peter Wagner is an attorney and the Executive Director of the Prison Policy Initiative. He co-founded the Prison Policy Initiative in 2001 in order to spark a national discussion about the negative side effects of mass incarceration. His report, Importing Constituents: Prisoners and Political Clout in New York, launched the national movement to end “prison gerrymandering” more than a decade ago. His research and advocacy caught the attention of the press — including 21 New York Times editorials — and led multiple states and more than 200 local governments to end prison gerrymandering.
Managing Director, Clean Slate Initiative
Sheena Meade transforms pain to purpose to policy to power. Prior to joining the
Clean Slate Initiative as its first Managing Director, Sheena served in a variety of
leadership roles focused on building long-term, sustainable change for communities.
Most recently, Sheena served as a Criminal Justice Program Officer at Galaxy
Gives, a philanthropic investment organization, where she advised grantees and
helped develop and lead a Criminal Justice Fellowship program to help grantees
hone professional skills to build stronger, more impactful organizations.
Clean Slate Initiative as its first Managing Director, Sheena served in a variety of
leadership roles focused on building long-term, sustainable change for communities.
Most recently, Sheena served as a Criminal Justice Program Officer at Galaxy
Gives, a philanthropic investment organization, where she advised grantees and
helped develop and lead a Criminal Justice Fellowship program to help grantees
hone professional skills to build stronger, more impactful organizations.
Journalist & Author
Sylvia A. Harvey is an award-winning journalist and the author of The Shadow System: Mass Incarceration and the American Family, a searing exposé of the effects of the mass incarceration crisis on families — including the 2.7 million American children who have a parent locked up. Harvey reports at the intersection of race, class, policy, and incarceration. Her work has appeared in The Marshall Project, Elle, The Nation, Vox, Virginia Quarterly Review, The Appeal, Yes! Magazine, The Root, Shondaland, Colorlines, The Feminist Wire, and AOL’s Bedford-Stuyvesant Patch, where she served as a columnist covering gentrification, and more. Her commentary on race and the criminal justice system has been featured on NPR, WBAI, WNYC, Women’s Media Center Live with Robin Morgan, HuffPost Live, Radio Curious, and beyond.
Executive Director, College & Community Fellowship
College & Community Fellowship (CCF) works to increase women’s access to higher education. It offers an array of complimentary supports to help women graduate and thrive. Vivian joined as a student in 2001 and took on leadership of CCF in 2004. Participants, primarily women of color, have had their lives disrupted by America’s systems of mass criminalization and punitiveness. Vivian served 3 years in a state prison and 4 years on parole. Those years, in her words, became the most cathartic era of her life. Vivian taught English as a peer educator in prison, mentoring women of all ages. Those relationships unearthed a suppressed passion prompting Vivian to devour books and write poems. Since joining CCF her writing has focused on higher education as it relates to criminal and racial justice.
Professor of Journalism, University of California Berkeley
William J. Drummond’s career includes stints at The (Louisville) Courier-Journal, where he covered the civil rights movement, and the Los Angeles Times, where he was a local reporter, then bureau chief in New Delhi and Jerusalem and later a Washington correspondent. Drummond was appointed a White House Fellow in 1976 by President Gerald R. Ford, worked briefly for Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and eventually became associate press secretary to President Jimmy Carter. In 1977 he joined NPR and became the founding editor of Morning Edition. He joined the Berkeley faculty in July, 1983.
Speaker, Activist
In 1989, Dr. Yusef Salaam was just fifteen years old when he was tried and convicted in the “Central Park jogger” case along four other Black and Latino boys. The Exonerated Five spent between seven to 13 years behind bars, until their sentences were overturned in 2002. Since then, they received a multi-million dollar settlement from the city of New York for its in justice and were profiled in award-winning films, including The Central Park Five documentary from Ken Burns, Sarah Burns and David McMahon and the award-winning Netflix limited series When They See Us, written and directed by Ava DuVernay.
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