The surging number of COVID-19 cases in U.S. prisons, jails, and detention centers has magnified the dangers and abuses of incarceration—fueling the call to #FreeThemAll and a demand for systems that actually support safety and healing. 

Most of us know that incarceration does not keep us safe, but how do we talk about alternatives to our current criminal punishment system with folks who may not know what to do instead? Framing this issue in terms of shared values—instead of statistics—is critical, but how do we do that when we’re talking to others? 

In the wake of the white supremacist insurrection at the Capitol, it’s as clear as ever that white folks need to step deeper into work for racial justice. Join Shanene Herbert and Lucy Duncan as they describe a free e-course you can take in small groups to deepen your awareness and practice as co-conspirators for real justice.

For many years I have worked with AFSC’s healing justice network to end mass incarceration and build systems that actually support the well-being of our communities. Today, I am reminded of how Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s words and spirit continue to provide me with guidance and inspiration in my efforts to defend the human dignity of all. The work of healing justice calls us to set aside our individual sense of comfort for a collective sense of justice.