Happy Thanksgiving from CFYJ - Thanks for Your Giving

By Marcy Mistrett, CEO

We hear from young people and their families every day who are impacted by the injustices of the adult criminal justice system, about the barriers they face, and the urgency for reform. This Thanksgiving, we would like to THANK some of the families and young people who were incarcerated as adults for all that they keep GIVING to the movement.

• To Marcus, who through the app he designed, FLIKSHOP, is helping families keep connected to their incarcerated loved ones.  Marcus discovered his entrepreneurial skills when he was a child locked up in an adult facility in VA.  We partnered with FLIKSHOP this year to reach 500 people who were given an adult sentence while they were still children. 
• To Joshua, who was sentenced as an adult when he was still a child and who remains incarcerated in Arizona. He donates annually to the Campaign, in support of stopping the younger generation from having to experience the same injustices he still faces.
• To all the artists who contributed to YJAM this year-- Cornell, Steven, John, Robert, Garen, Alexander, Dion, Kevin and Justin--your artwork gives hope that we can find another way to support our youth while supporting community peace.
• To Dwayne, who is a CFYJ board member and who has been active in the movement since his release nearly a decade ago, who fought the Connecticut bar to become a lawyer and still travels the country inspiring all those who are still fighting for freedom.
• To Ronald, Miguel and Barry who all came home this year. Thank you for your years of correspondence and for continuing to advocate and raise your voices against injustice.
• To Heidi, Grace, Michelle, Draeden, Tracy, Veronica, Corrine, and Iisha for continuing to fight for your children and others to be treated fairly and in an age appropriate manner; we couldn’t fight this fight without you.

And to all our supporters, those who contribute their expertise, volunteer hours, unconditional love, outreach, and donations to support this movement and who join us in not resting until children no longer sit in the adult criminal justice system—we offer our THANKS for all your GIVING.

Donations to the Campaign allow us to support advocacy efforts by families and youth at the state and federal level. Thank you for giving.