To Whom I Give Thanks...

By Marcy Mistrett, CFYJ CEO

In the field of youth justice, giving thanks isn't something that  happens on just one day in November. In fact, the history of Thanksgiving demands that we acknowledge the profound injustice on which this holiday is based. Yet, the principles of gratitude are inherent in the fight for justice. 

When thinking about the number of youth who won't be home with family over the upcoming holiday season, I give thanks for:

• Our families who fight for other children when still worrying about the safety of their own;
• Our families who find a way to forgiveness after being harmed by violence.
• Our children who suffer unimaginabely by being housed in adult jails and prisons, who continue to hope and love through their pain;
• Our warriors who call for abolition and investment over incarceration--and those who believe that families can heal, even after generations of truama;
• Our legislators who fight for what is right over what is winnable;
• Our staff who never count hours or tears or hugs; 
• Our laws that have been changed and implemented with integrity;
• Our willingness to insist on a racial justice lens to this work; 
• Our communities who move us from reform to transform to healing; 
• Our elected leaders who are willing to take risks to try something new; 

Justice requires both healing and liberation.  The Campaign for Youth Justice is thankful to join a movement that insists on both for our children and communities.

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