Essie Justice Group

Folks who have incarcerated loved ones -- Have you heard this? How do you feel about CDCR restarting in-person visits? Comment below! https://www.nbclosangeles.com//california-prisons/2557621/

Essie Justice Group has been certified as a "Great Place to Work!" Despite all of the challenges of working during a pandemic, Essie has overcome isolation, zoom fatigue, and the crushing weight of an oppressive police state to provide our workers a safe and enjoyable place to work. We have always prided ourselves on the unique benefits of running a Black feminist institution and celebrate this accomplishment as a sign that we are meeting our mandate -- people can bring their full selves to work, we have fun, we make a difference, and everyone is treated fairly regardless of their sexual orientation, gender, and race.

The voices, political analysis, and solutions of Black women with incarcerated loved ones deserve to be mainstream. "NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Gina Clayton-Johnson of the Essie Justice Group about opposition to the Justice in Policing Act moving through Congress, and her proposed replacement: the BREATHE Act." https://www.npr.org//the-breathe-act-is-a-counterproposal-

Join ClassACT HR73 for this essential forum on Racism & the Criminal System. We constantly see examples of racial inequality in our policing, our courts and our prison system. We ask ourselves what can be done to rectify wrongs older than the country itself. Why is a black or brown person more likely to face violent treatment if arrested? What forms of institutionalized racism exist in courts that too often hand out unequal sentences? How can we reform a system of mass incar...ceration that has crippled the futures of countless people of color, their families and their communities? What changes in consciousness must we all undertake, beginning with a deeper understanding of the systems of control put in place from the time of slavery onward. In this forum, the panelists, including Essie’s Executive Director Gina Clayton-Johnson, will explore the impact of racism on policing and the court system & offer possibilities for lasting reforms in legal systems and civic awareness. Join on Thursday, March 25, 7-8:30pm EDT for Racism and the Criminal System: Communities Fight for Justice, a #ClassACTForum. Register now! classacthr73.org/event-4172190

It’s not just about after the fact accountability, said Gina Clayton-Johnson, the lead BREATHE Act architect and leadership team member of the Movement for Black Lives’ Policy Table. There’s this thought that Black people are dying at the hands of police officers because individual officers are bad actors, but it is actually a systemic issue, and if you understand it to be systemic, then the solutions must also be systemic. The Movement for Black Lives is opposing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, arguing the bill doubles down on reform strategies that have historically failed to center marginalized communities and address police violence nationwide. https://apnews.com//movement-for-black-lives-oppose-george