COVID-19 freedom efforts must include people who commit violence. Across the country, both longstanding and rapid response campaigns to free people in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic are taking hold with a force that stands not only to save lives in this moment, but to lay the groundwork for sustainable change. However, if we fail to include people who commit violence in these efforts, we will not only limit our reach now, we will set ourselves up to constrain the scope of change we can demand in the long term, and ultimately put lives at stake. As we navigate this critical moment together, we are offering our perspective about why and how it is both important and possible to include people convicted of violence in our campaigns.

Join A Little Piece of Light, All of Us or None, Color of Change, Common Justice, Essie Justice Group, the National Council For Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls (The Council), Ohio Justice & Policy Center, Release Aging People in Prison (RAPP), Silicon Valley Debug, Southern Center for Human Rights, and the Workers’ Center for Racial Justice for this timely discussion on COVID-19 release campaigns and strategies to include people charged with violence. for this timely discussion on COVID-19 release campaigns, and strategies to include people charged with violence.