Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth

As this year comes to a close, we are celebrating and embracing those who returned home after serving extreme sentences they were given as children. This year, 58 people in 13 states who received a life without parole sentence as a child secured their release, as well as countless others who were given extreme prison sentences as youth! Of the 58 people who came home after serving juvenile life without parole sentences this year, they had served a total of 1,651 years in prison. That number is a devastating and sobering reminder of the urgency of our work. Now more than ever, we need to strengthen our efforts to ensure that all life-sentenced children have the opportunity for redemption. With your help, we can free more people who are anxiously waiting to return home. https://buff.ly/3Rn2cSz

Thanks to our generous community, we have been able to embrace and advance our collective vision of transformative and healing justice for our country's most vulnerable children. From a growing CFSY team to investing in our directly impacted community members' self-care to celebrating 1,1190 FREE, we can't think of a better way to end the year. While we celebrate all the successes and historic milestones, we know that the work isn't over, and we look forward to building off this momentum in 2025. We hope you will consider making a gift to the CFSY to ensure that every person still serving an extreme sentence that they received as a child has the right to experience redemption, healing, and freedom. Donate today: https://buff.ly/3Rn2cSz

President Jimmy Carter has passed away at 100 years old in Plains, Georgia. We celebrate his lifelong dedication to human rights, which boldly included advocating against sentencing children to die in prison.

The CFSY team is sending you warm wishes this holiday season! We couldn't be more appreciative of our community's support, time, and unwavering partnership. We are so grateful to stand alongside you as we continue to pave the way to freedom 💛

ICYMI: The CFSY received the prestigious "Juvenile Justice Without Borders" International Award from the International Juvenile Justice Observatory (IJJO)! This honor highlights how our advocacy has driven U.S. states closer to aligning with global standards for children's rights. Hear CFSY's Executive Director, Xavier McElrath-Bey, MA, acceptance speech on what this award means to him as a directly impacted leader and the entire CFSY community. 

We are so thankful to be a part of this international cohort of fellow freedom fighters and allies! Watch our acceptance speech here: https://lnkd.in/epr4ji-C

The CFSY is so excited to announce that we have received the "Juvenile Justice Without Borders" International Award from the International Juvenile Justice Observatory (IJJO)! This prestigious award recognizes "the excellent professional work and firm commitment of people and institutions around the world that promote the rights of children in contact with juvenile justice systems." While we are beyond proud and immensely grateful for this recognition, this honor belongs to our community - survivors, ICAN members, family members, fellow advocates, org partners, and supporters who continue to fight for a criminal legal system that treats children like children. We know that this international perspective has strengthened our advocacy efforts here at home and will motivate lawmakers to join the global consensus against condemning children to die in prison. If you're inspired to keep the momentum going, consider making a gift to the CFSY today. Together, we'll continue to build a world where every child's potential is recognized, and no child is sentenced to die in prison. https://buff.ly/3VKqc4C

We are thrilled to announce that we will be hosting our second Freedom Celebration in Philadelphia next year! In 2022, we held a historical celebration to recognize the successes of directly impacted individuals. For our community members who spent so many of their formative years in prison, this night was an opportunity to pause, reflect, dance, and celebrate! As we look ahead to 2025 and eagerly await the second Freedom Celebration, we hope you will consider investing in the wellness and collective joy of our directly impacted community members by making a gift to the CFSY today 💛 Help us reach our goal of $50,000 by December 31st and ensure we have the opportunity to make this celebration just as memorable. https://lnkd.in/epPX8uMZ

TONIGHT: As Michigan HB 4160-64 makes its way to the House floor today, we hope you can join us and our partners at Wayne State University and Michigan Justice Fund for a night of “Just Poetry” in Detroit. Attendees will have a chance to hear from an array of directly impacted poets who are living examples of why passing HB 4160-4164 would benefit us all. Join us as we show Michigan representatives what justice could look like in their communities. RSVP for the free event here: https://buff.ly/4fcD0Y8

J, sentenced to life without parole at 17, has been incarcerated for over 18 years. Writing to the CFSY since 2018, J's letters often told us of how she struggled during her incarceration as she dealt with unimaginable regret and remorse for the harm she caused as a child. She has a newfound sense of hope thanks to the prison's dog training program, where she works with dogs to help prepare them for service animal certification. Her most recent trainee, a golden retriever named Sierra, has since gone home to a young man with epilepsy and autism and, thanks to J's training, is able to help him navigate the world with confidence and security. "In my heart, I have hope that no matter where I am in life, I can still have a bright future."