By Adriana R., Age 17 My name is Adriana, and I am a 17-year-old African American child from Riverside County, California. I have never seen my father face to face… When I was still in my mother’s belly, my father was arrested for a case that would forever impact my life and upbringing.  On December… Read more: RJA Blog: A Daughter’s Hope for Justice and Reunion (July 30, 2024)

By Ryan Flaco Rising, a PhD student at UC Irvine My name is Ryan Flaco Rising, and I am empowered by the Racial Justice Act to stand up against the injustices of a racist system that has manipulated our judicial system to uphold white supremacy. Being labeled as a documented gang member, I have experienced… Read more: RJA Blog: The Impact of the RJA on Documented Gang Members (July 30, 2024)

By Alonzo Harvey, a rising senior at University of California Berkeley majoring in political science  My name is Alonzo Harvey, a 37-year-old father of three and a rising senior at Berkeley, where I major in political science and minor in public policy. I am a Berkeley Underground Scholar and a member of the Paper Prisons… Read more: RJA Blog: A Berkeley Student’s Journey Through the Criminal Justice System (July 30, 2024)

By Chesa Boudin, Executive Director of the UC Berkeley Criminal Law and Justice Center I’ve been face-to-face with the racial disparities in the criminal legal system my whole life. When I was 14 months old, my parents, both White, were arrested and, later, sentenced to decades of incarceration. My earliest memories are of waiting in… Read more: RJA Blog: The Power of the Racial Justice Act (July 30, 2024)

By Esther Wolczynski, CEO of Checkmate My name is Esther Wolczynski, and I’m honored to lead the work of the non-profit agency CheckMate as the CEO. Our mission is to enhance individuals’ quality of life and increase accessibility to resources by providing safe, inclusive, and uplifting experiences for all families in San Joaquin County. Our… Read more: RJA Blog: The Fight for Mr. Williams’s Freedom (July 30, 2024)