After leading trips to Finland and Norway to inspire more imaginative advocacy here in the United States, our team was thrilled to join other leaders and advocates on a #JourneytoJustice in New Zealand, where Māori and other communities are leveraging powerfully restorative youth justice practices.

Our Menopause Project Advisory Council is made up of women who have experienced menopause in prison, and medical experts. Kwaneta Harris is both. Hear her powerful essay on providing medical care and advice to her peers behind bars on @thisamericanlife.org: www.thisamericanlife.org/856/youve-co...

In California alone, nearly 40% of incarcerated women are experiencing or will soon experience menopause, with far too few resources to support them. This #WomensHistoryMonth, we’re proud to be working alongside a group of exceptional women to bring these experiences into the spotlight.

Many Black Americans, particularly men, face legal disenfranchisement as a result of being incarcerated. In particular, felony disenfranchisement laws have effectively removed the voting rights of millions. Black activists have mobilized campaigns to restore these rights across the United States.

Black activists and advocates have also continued fighting against racial disparities in education. These disparities fuel a school-to-prison pipeline, where young Black students are disproportionately punished and criminalized, often leading to later involvement in the criminal justice system.

In response, Black-led organizers have tirelessly pursued legal advocacy and cultural activism to combat the disproportionate incarceration of Black communities.

The resulting explosion of the prison population has disproportionately affected Black Americans, who represent a far higher percentage of the incarcerated population compared to their share of the general population.

In the 1980s, the "War on Drugs" disproportionately targeted Black communities. Policies like mandatory minimum sentencing and the disparity between crack and powder cocaine sentencing led to the mass incarceration of Black individuals, despite similar rates of drug use across racial groups.

Soon after, Jim Crow laws institutionalized racial segregation and disenfranchisement. Black communities responded with legal challenges, civil disobedience, and economic boycotts, leading to landmark legislation like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Black communities resisted by forming mutual aid societies, mounting legal challenges, and launching protests and boycotts. This persistent activism ultimately led to laws banning convict leasing in Southern states.

Our Homecoming Project hosts and participants are transforming how we welcome people home from prison, and we could not be more grateful for the unique and wonderful community they've created. Learn more at https://buff.ly/3y9OITA -- and reach out to us!