FROM RESISTANCE TO TRANSFORMATION: CHANGING THE SOUTH, CHANGING THE NATION
CHANGE THE SOUTH. CHANGE THE NATION.
DEAR SUPPORTERS
IFROM RESISTANCE TO
TRANSFORMATION: CHANGING THE SOUTH, CHANGING THE NATION
t is with clarity and resolve that we reflect on 2024 and the decade since Forward Justice was founded in the image of our community.
We work in service of a Third Reconstruction: broad systemic change that supports a true multiracial democracy, promotes social and economic justice, and repairs the harms of poverty and ecological degradation. We reimagine a society that ensures everyone has the resources to thrive. The transformation we pursue is not simply a capstone. It is a coalition of millions, grown one at a time. It is the painstaking collective learning of a new language that cures marginalizing narrative and cultural norms. It is the progress of each year of work, within a decade of commitment, within an era of movement.
As we examine this past year, our hearts and minds are stayed on freedom. In the context of a barrage of regressive actions, we built durable movement infrastructure upon a foundation of resistance. With eyes toward transformative change, we honed an integrated campaign comprising innovative movementbuilding litigation to challenge anti-democratic laws, yearround policy advocacy to combat discriminatory legislation, statewide organizing to deepen and amplify grassroots leadership, and strategic communications to educate constituents and correct pervasive false narratives.
The milestones that shaped 2024 were both victories and challenges that serve as reminders that the South leads the nation’s fight for democracy. This year, Forward Justice proudly represented the NC NAACP in the sole legal challenge to North Carolina’s discriminatory Photo Voter ID law. Our team traveled across the state to proactively reach folks in their communities
- sharing resources and information on voter intimidation, safe voter sites, and current voting rights laws. And in a state where elections (and their consequent policy implications) are often determined by a fraction of a single percentage point, our team protected thousands of voters from intimidation and targeted mis- and disinformation.
We trained hundreds of directly impacted organizers to fight for second chance priorities. We hosted a day of advocacy that facilitated tremendous civic engagement by communities often excluded from policy determination. Our coalition celebrated the resumption of automated expunctions. We secured new commitments from justice and law enforcement officials to disrupt the cycles of harm perpetuated by criminal legal debt, and the compounding consequences faced by individuals and communities bearing insurmountable legal financial burdens.
We are heartened by the dedication and spirit of our community. As we look ahead to the next year, and the next decade, we know that our work across the South will be a catalyst for nationwide transformation- creating a more just, equitable and free society. We will change the South, change the nation.
FORWARD TOGETHER,
Daryl Atkinson
Daryl Atkinson, Esq. CO-DIRECTOR AND CO-FOUNDER
Caitlin
Swain
Caitlin Swain, Esq. CO-DIRECTOR AND CO-FOUNDER
Ashley Marsha
Ashley Marshall, Ph.D. DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND CO-FOUNDER
2024 IN REVIEW
JANUARY
NC NAACP V MOORE STATUS CONFERENCE
Challenging the authority of an illegally racially gerrymandered legislature to amend our state's constitution
FEBRUARY
LEANDRO DAY OF ACTION FOR EDUCATION
Advocating for full and equitable funding of childcare and education
MARCH
BLUEPRINT NC CONVERGENCE CONVENING
Presenting to the NC Eco-system on election protection, preventing election sabotage, and the power of narrative change and importance of people-centered language
APRIL
POOR PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN MASS MORAL MARCH ON RALEIGH AND TO THE POLLS
Demanding that NC lawmakers stop waging policy violence against people and enact policies that eradicate poverty and injustice
2024 SECOND CHANCE DAY OF ADVOCACY
Speaking directly to lawmakers about the causes and consequences of contact with the criminal legal system
MAY
FEDERAL
PHOTO VOTER ID TRAIL
Fighting agaisnt NC's discriminatory photo voter ID law in federal court
PEOPLE'S CONVENING ON FINES AND FEES
Examining the impact of criminal legal fines and fees and discussing ways to end the criminalization of poverty
JULY
JUNE
PROTECT OUR VOTE NC TOUR KICKOFF
Engaging, informing and empowering voters ahead of the election so they feel comfortable making their voices heard
POOR POEPLE'S CAMPAIGN MASS MORAL MARCH ON WASHINGTON, D.C. & TO THE POLLS
Providing policy, legal, and logistics support to our partners as we mobilized thousands to demand living wages, healthcare, and housing
MID-YEAR DEEP DIVE STRATEGIC PLANNING AND WELLNESS ENGAGEMENT
AUGUST
FORWARD JUSTICE LISTENING SESSION WITH OXFAM AND UNION OF SOUTHERN SERVICE WORKERS
Listening to the conditions and experiences of Black Women Workers to understand their needs
SECOND CHANCE ALLIANCE ORGANIZER TRAININGS
Equipping people with the information, skills, tools and resources they need to effectively organize and build power in their communities
TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE COMMUNITY DINNERS
Building community, deepening trust, and helping to create spaces for collective care, healing, dreaming, and strategizing
MAN IN THE MIRROR, MEN'S DINNER & DISCUSSION SERIES
Exploring the complexities of manhood, community accountability, love and healing
*Led by Transformative Justice partner SpiritHouse NC and sponsored by Forward justice
MULTIRACIAL DEMOCRACY NETWORK CONVENING AND RETREAT
Hosting the Multiracial Democracy Network for a convening in Atlanta, Georgia.
*Done in partnership with the Partnership for Southern Equity
2024 IN REVIEW
SEPTEMBER
CAROLINA DAZE MUSIC FESTIVAL
Sponsoring and participating in a music, arts, and civic engagement experience led by young North Carolinians who care about the future of our state
THE LONG MARCH FOR UNITY AND JUSTICE BELOVED COMMUNITY CENTER
Healing divisions, uplifting community issues, and mobilizing to transform oppressive policies and systems
NOVEMBER
OCTOBER
PROTECT OUR VOTE COALITION TWO STATEWIDE VOTER PROTECTION HOTLINES OPEN
Protecting and advocating for voters as they head to the polls during Early Voting
GENERAL ELECTION VOTER PROTECTION WORK
Staffing hotlines, leading the POVNC coalition, and informing press about issues at the polls and the impacts of the new Voter ID Law
EIGHT- STATE VOTER PROTECTION PROGRAM
Ensuring voter protection coverage and volunteer poll monitoring programs on election day and beyond across the South
UNLOCK OUR VOTE PEER-TO-PEER VOTER ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM
Outreach to directly impacted voters via dials, texts, and inperson events in partnership with the NC Second Chance Alliance
DECEMBER
SECOND EDITION OF THE FORWARD STAR JOURNAL
Sharing voices of the movement, providing resources for the field
STATEWIDE POST-ELECTION ADVOCACY
Supporting voters wrongfully challenged in protests and fighting back against SB 382
CELEBRATING KWANZAA WITH SEVEN DAYS OF ARTS & CULTURE
Hosting and amplifying seven days of free community events in collaboration with SpiritHouse NC
"The foundation of our impact and assessment work is community voice. By centering the voices of the communities we serve, we move beyond numbers to capture lived experiences, making our advocacy more accountable, effective and transformative. When communities shape the data and define success, we build power together and create lasting change"
J. ANTHONY HOLBERT, DIRECTOR OF IMPACT
IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS
VOTER PROTECTION - FIGHTING INTIMIDATION AND SUPPRESSION
During the 17 days of early voting and on Election Day for the 2024 General Election, Forward Justice Attorneys and Advocates staffed a statewide non-partisan voter protection hotline specializing in fielding all complaints of voter intimidation or racial injustice, and dedicated ‘Second Chance Voter’ hotline for voters who have been directly impacted by the criminal legal system.
THE NORTH CAROLINA HOTLINE COLLECTIVELY FIELDED: 5,809 CALLS , MORE THAN 336 TEXTS
*Data courtesy of our partners at Democracy NC
5,809 CALLS
336+ TEXTS
THESE NC HOTLINE CALLS REQUIRED ADVOCACY AND/OR ASSISTANCE IN THE FOLLOWING ISSUE AREAS:
3,067
Voting in person
532 Polling place access problems
383
Photo Voter ID
629 Reports of intimidation & electioneering
FORWARD
JUSTICE FOUGHT VOTER INTIMIDATION IN NC:
130
Forward Justice investigated and addressed 130 reports of voter intimidation
51
We responded to reports of voter intimidation from 51 of 100 counties in NC
100+
Forward Justice and Poor Peoples' Campaign deployed 100+ volunteer poll monitors
1,698 Voter registration
41
Voting rights restoration after a felony conviction
On Election Day, we partnered with the Poor Peoples' Campaign and NAACP Legal Defense Fund to provide voter protection in 8 southern states:
NORTH
GEORGIA
FLORIDA
LOUISIANA
MISSISSIPPI
ALABAMA
TEXAS
The 2024 Protect Our Vote NC Tour and Community Roundtable series:
9
Held stops in 9 counties
1,750
20
Worked with a coalition of over 20 movement partners and nearly a dozen local, communitybased organizations
Reached over 1,750 people through community events, tour stops, and canvassing efforts
JUSTICE FOR ALL CRIMINAL LEGAL REFORM
This year our organizing team worked nationwide to begin building a base of people directly impacted by the criminal legal system who want to organize in their communities to engage voters, advocate for policy change and work to build a more just system.
BUILDING POWER AND BUILDING LEADERS: 2024 ORGANIZER TRAINING TOUR
Trainings were held in 5 states:
North Carolina Tennessee Georgia Louisiana Pennsylvania
450 ATTENDEES
VOTER OUTREACH FOR THE 2024 ELECTION - EMPOWERING SECOND CHANCE VOTERS TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD
87,000+
Over 96,000 dials completed
490 voting plans made with people
15,000 text messages sent
76 live new voter registrations
7,500+ people spoken with
27 live voter registration updates
549 NC Second Chance Alliance member commitments
2024 SECOND CHANCE DAY OF ADVOCACY
Advocating for a second chance policy agenda"
2024 FOLLOWER GROWTH ON SOCIAL MEDIA
400 PEOPLE
ONLINE TO OFFLINE IMPACT
18K + VIEWS
More than 400 people attended to stand for Second Chances
COMMUNICATIONS IMPACT AMPLIFYING VOICES AND CHANGING THE NARRATIVE
17.9% growth in followers for the year
356% growth in followers for the year
on our Tik Tok about the voter protection hotline and provisional ballot request process. As a direct result of this post, several voters called the hotline for additional support to ensure their votes counted
3
INSTAGRAM LIVE EVENTS with partners and influencers to amplify voter protection resources. These live events resulted in more people sharing the hotline with their individual networks and looking to our organization as a key resource during the election
SHARING INFORMATION THROUGH STRATEGIC PAID MEDIA
Through our advertising efforts, we reached over 2.4 Million people. We placed billboards in twelve counties, ran radio ads in three markets, and served digital ads in an additional eigh markets to ensure we were amplifying critical messages that not only raised awareness but also mobilized communities and helped build the collective power needed to drive meaningful change.
396,000
Total Radio impressions
121,500
Total Digital impressions
1,835,000
89,400
Total Billboard impressions
Total impressions from the twitter/X ads DURHAM, NC
MEDIA COVERAGE FOR THE YEAR
280 articles and media hits
190 Featured in 190 media outlets
37,820 online engagements with that content
2.5B
Over 2.5 Billion potential impressions
Base building is essential right now because real power comes from organized communities, not just individual voices. The opposition is well-funded and strategic, so if we’re not building our own networks and support systems, we’re already behind. To win lasting change, we need to educate, mobilize, and create a foundation strong enough to set the agenda—not just react to crises.
KRISTIE
PUCKETT
, SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER
KEY PROGRAM AND WORK
BUILDING POWER IN OUR COMMUNITIES
PROTECT OUR VOTE NC: REBRAND, RELAUNCH, TOUR, AND ROUNDTABLES
The ‘Protect Our Vote NC’ campaign was designed to ensure that Black and brown voters, and voters in rural areas, are protected and informed during elections. This summer our team traveled across the state to share resources and information on voter intimidation, safe voter sites, current voting rights laws and updates on our ongoing federal lawsuit against photo voter ID, while activating registered and unregistered voters for the coming election.
Through our community events, tour stops, and canvassing efforts, the POV campaign reached over 1,750 people this year and worked with a coalition of over 20 movement partners and nearly a dozen local, community-based organizations.
1,750+
PEOPLE
the POV campaign reached over 1,750 people
20+ PARTNERS
the POV campaign worked with a coalition of over 20 movement partners
NC SECOND CHANCE ALLIANCE: ORGANIZER
2024 Second Chance Day of Advocacy
ORGANIZER TRAININGS
In April, hundreds of justice-involved people, along with over a dozen state and national partner organizations, convened at the North Carolina General Assembly to speak with NC lawmakers about the lifetime consequences of a criminal record. This year’s policy demands focused on:
The abolition of debt-based Driver’s License suspension
Resumption of Automatic Expungements
TRAININGS & DAY OF ADVOCACY FORWARD JUSTICE AND NC SECOND CHANCE ALLIANCE
Reduction of the severity of the Driver’s License revocation period
Relief from ransom websites like Mugshot.com
During a press conference held at the legislature, North Carolinians who have been directly impacted by the criminal legal system and elected officials spoke about the importance of enacting public policy that gives people a second chance. Over 400 people attended from across the state and several national partners traveled to Raleigh to join us. Second Chance Day of Advocacy is a part of our ongoing work to ensure that the people who are closest to the problem and solutions, yet furthest away from power and resources, have the opportunity to impact the policies that dictate their daily lives.
In 2024, our team partnered with the North Carolina Second Chance Alliance and conducted Organizer Trainings across the nation to help equip people with the information, skills, tools and resources they need to effectively organize and build power in their communities. 450 people attended the twoday trainings that were held across the state of North Carolina as well as in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Louisiana. Attendees learned how to use tools like VAN and Hustle to reach their base, how to leverage the power of data in their organizing efforts, and how sharing their personal stories and experiences is an important tool to help advocate for change. Folks then went out into their local communities to canvas and build important connections that would allow them to deepen their work upon returning home.
THE LONG MARCH FOR UNITY AND JUSTICE
Forward Justice was proud to support our partners at Beloved Community Center as they led the Long March for Unity and Justice in response to the ongoing attacks and division in North Carolina. We joined nearly 20 advocacy, civil rights and social justice organizations across issue areas from September 20-29, as we marched from the mountains to the sea of this state to heal deep divisions, uplift issues in our communities, and mobilize voters to transform oppressive policies and systems. On this tour, we visited 11 cities and engaged nearly 1,100 people.
Beloved Community Center previously led the nation's first Truth and Reconciliation Process to disclose the truth related to the November 3, 1979, Greensboro Massacre. The Long March for Unity and Justice continues this reconciliation process on a state level, aiming to affirm truth and build grassroots leadership in a critical time for our state and the nation.
TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE, COLLECTIVE CARE & SET IT OFF MOVEMENT
Committed to addressing root issues and healing the harms that limit confidence in our systems and chill civic participation and expression, Forward Justice worked in partnership with SpiritHouse South to co-create and facilitate community-based Transformative Justice programming. With the goal of providing interdisciplinary, culturally rooted resources tailored to addressing systemic harms, we established programming this year to build community, deepen trust, and create space for collective healing, dreaming, and strategizing. We also sponsored a unique dinner and discussion series: “Man in the Mirror”–dedicated to exploring the complexities of manhood, community accountability, love and healing. We are excited to keep building on the foundation and momentum for this work in 2025. We will be hosting more community programming centered on collective
care, the arts, wellness and healing. In July, Forward Justice partnered with Oxfam America and Union of Southern Service Workers, and Set it Off Movement to host a listening session with over 50 Black women workers to better understand the conditions and experiences they face in the service sector. This session was a part of a larger listening tour, and will be a part of the forthcoming report by Oxfam “A New Era for Black Women.”
Forward Justice is proud to sponsor the The Set It off Movement (SIOM), a national truth commission, focused on the critical conditions faced by poor Black women and girls today - driving attention to the triple jeopardy of racism, classism, and sexism that perpetuates dehumanization.
To learn about the work visit setitoffmovement.org
POOR PEOPLE’S CAMPAIGN MASS MOBILIZATIONS
In March, low-wage workers, faith leaders, and allies rallied in state capitals nationwide as part of the Poor People's Campaign’s mobilization of poor voters ahead of the pivotal 2024 election. Demonstrators in 32 states and Washington, D.C., called on legislators to act against the "crisis of death by poverty," with signs declaring "abolish poverty" and "our votes are demands." Forward Justice co-organized the North Carolina March, reviving the Historic Thousands on Jones Street (HKonJ) Coalition and serving as legal support and featured speakers both locally and nationally.
On June 29th, the Poor People's Campaign hosted a moral march and mass assembly in D.C. to amplify the voices of over 135 million poor and low-wage workers. Forward Justice participated as legal witnesses and featured speakers, emphasizing the need for democracy advocacy to protect marginalized and excluded communities. The event brought together thousands, including labor unions, religious groups, youth, and a broad coalition of partners, to mobilize millions of voters and challenge the policies perpetuating indignities and interlocking injustices.
FED UP FRIDAY + FESTIVAL & THURSDAY THOUGHTS
‘Fed Up Friday’ was created to unite people around the policies impacting their communities, fostering learning, healing, and action. To celebrate the series and grow membership in Raleigh and Wake County, Forward Justice hosted the first Fed Up Friday Music Festival, featuring local musicians, voter registration, community resources, and free food from local food trucks.
In the Triad, we launched ‘Thursday Thoughts’ to empower formerly incarcerated individuals, spark meaningful conversations, and provide resources for reentry and personal growth. Over nine months, the group built a strong membership base and contributed to our strategic plan for 2025. Members made over 3,000 GOTV dials in the Fannie Lou phone bank, demonstrating our commitment to civic engagement.
Partnering with The Almond Connection, the League of Women Voters, and Indivisible Guilford, we strengthened community ties and closed the year with a Trunk or Treat & Vote event. The familyfriendly celebration engaged over 900 Guilford County residents, combining fun with civic action.
3,000 GOTV dials
900 engaged over 900 Guilford County residents
THURSDAY THOUGHTS
KEY PROGRAM AND WORK
LEGAL AND POLICY ADVOCACY
VOTING RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACYDEFENDING THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO VOTE
The Fight Against NC’s Discriminatory Photo Voter ID Law
In 2024, North Carolina faced its first presidential election requiring photo voter ID, making it harder for Black, brown, and low-income people to vote. Forward Justice, as lead counsel for the NC NAACP and six branches, continues to challenge this discriminatory law (S.B. 824) in court.
Filed in December 2018, the lawsuit argues that the law was passed with discriminatory intent to dilute Black and Hispanic voting power, violating Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. In May 2024, we went to trial in federal court to overturn this law and submitted post-trial findings to the court after closing arguments. We now await the federal court's ruling.
VOTER PROTECTION - DEFENDING THE RIGHT TO VOTE WITHOUT INTIMIDATION
Statewide work in North Carolina
protect couples’ right to vote separately and privately.
National work across eight Southern states
Building on the successes of our 2020 collaboration, The Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, Forward Justice, and NAACP Legal Defense Fund's Black Voters on the Rise joined forces again — with a particular focus on states that had been hardest hit by recent natural disasters — to ensure voter protection coverage and volunteer poll monitoring programs on election day and beyond across the South. On Election Day, our partnership focus included: North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, and Louisiana. This work was a continuation of efforts to provide crucial resources, including non-partisan poll monitors and voter assistance hotlines. As the Poor People’s Campaign mobilized its Get Out the Vote efforts, Forward Justice and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund provided legal support, aiming to create a safe and accessible voting experience for poor and low-wage voters.
To bolster protections for voters amid ongoing voter suppression efforts, the nonpartisan, statewide voter protection hotline (888-OURVOTE) was reactivated to field questions from voters and help address any problems voters may face at the polls, including instances of harassment and intimidation. During the 2024 General Election, Forward Justice attorneys provided direct advocacy and real-time support for voters during all 17 days of early voting and on Election Day. During that time, the hotline collectively fielded nearly 6,000 calls and conducted direct advocacy outreach to polling sites, county boards of elections, and the State Board of Elections as needed to work to resolve voter issues. Forward Justice also led the resurgence of the Protect Our Vote NC coalition in partnership with advocacy organizations from across the state to help ensure that ALL eligible voters had the information and resources they needed to cast their ballots free from intimidation. We led advocacy efforts to protect Spanish speaking voters from intimidation, ensure college students had access to the resources they needed to register and vote, and
RESTORING POWER TO THE PEOPLE
A hearing was held in October, to determine the next steps in the ongoing case to decide the ultimate fate of the Photo Voter ID and Income Tax Cap Amendments to the North Carolina Constitution that were passed in 2018 (NC NAACP v. Moore). In 2022, the N.C. Supreme Court found that there are limits on the types of constitutional amendments a racially gerrymandered legislature can place on the ballot and sent the case back to the trial court for further fact-finding and an evidentiary hearing. Legislative Defendants urged the trial court to dismiss the case, but we and our clients at NC NAACP argued that the case cannot be dismissed at this juncture. The Supreme Court’s clear direction must be followed, and the case should proceed to discovery and trial as soon as possible.
JUSTICE FOR ALL: CRIMINAL LEGAL REFORM
End Criminal Justice Debt
This year, our team conducted nationwide advocacy work to support ending the criminalization of poverty through excessive court fines and fees. In addition to hosting the People’s Convening on Fines and Fees 2024, we were invited to attend the Cities and Counties for Fines and Fees Justice Accelerator and presented to several groups about our advocacy work including:
Presented “Litigating Ability to Pay” at the 2024 Misdemeanor Defender Training for new public defenders in NC (hosted by the UNC School of Government and NC Office of Indigent Defense Services)
Presented to the newly established District 7 Public Defenders Office serving Bertie, Halifax, Northampton, and Hertford Counties, ultimately securing a commitment from the District 7 Public Defender to file AOC-CR-415 for all clients
Presented to 3 of 4 regional probation managers’ offices in NC on the importance of not issuing violations to supervisees due to inability to pay and encouraging the use of AOC-CR-415
Second Chance Legislative Advocacy
During the 2024 legislative session, we were surprised when a bill that was filed to restore the automated expunctions of dismissed charges promised by the monumental NC Second Chance Act was rewritten to repeal the automation process altogether. Prior to the Second Chance Act, North Carolina processed fewer than 16,000 expunctions of dismissed and not guilty charges each year. In the nine months that automation was in effect, they processed 400,000.In the nine months that automation was in effect, they processed 400,000. These automated expunctions are important because they allow people in our communities to access expunction relief that they are eligible for without having to hire an attorney or navigate the legal process on their own, removing barriers to jobs, housing
and countless other opportunities. When the bill was rewritten to repeal that relief, we provided research and data, organized the delivery of phone calls and emails, met daily with legislators and reporters, and made public comments at each legislative hearing and committee meeting to urge lawmakers to keep the automation. Our tireless work and advocacy alongside our statewide coalition of partners led to the original bill being restored, in a way that restarts and improves automated expunctions. The restored version of the bill (Senate Bill 565) was signed into law on July 8th, 2024.
400,000
Processed expunctions
This year, based on feedback from community and stakeholders, we added a new feature to the NC Copwatch website that visualizes data around stops leading to arrests. This allows us to illustrate the rarity of regulatory stops that lead to what some might call “productive” outcomes.
We know that decreasing contact between law enforcement and the community is a key element of increasing community safety for Black and Brown people and we are excited to deploy this new tool for those advocating for new policies and practices around policing to reimagine public safety.
THE THIRD RECONSTRUCTION: LIFTING FROM THE BOTTOM UP SO EVERYONE THRIVES Childcare Funding Support & the Leandro Case
Access to quality childcare and education are basic human rights. This year we stood with the Poor People’s campaign and dozens of other advocacy organizations to demand the NC legislature put children first by funding our schools and childcare facilities. In February, we participated in the Leandro Day of Action for Education to demand that NC lawmakers comply with the Leandro case ruling and fully fund our schools, ensure we have diverse qualified educators and end discriminatory practices.
In June, we participated in Witness Wednesday to urge legislators to take immediate action to prevent a cut in childcare funding that would have resulted in hundreds of facility closures and tens of thousands of NC families going without childcare. When demonstrators from the movement were arrested, our attorneys provided jail support ensuring each of them were released safely. Moments after our demonstration, the NC Legislature provided the funding required to prevent a shut down.
The fight for Clean Water in Jackson, Mississippi: The Jackson Intervention
Drinking water in Jackson, Mississippi has suffered from serious safety and reliability concerns for decades. In our effort to address the Mississippi water crisis, we have helped the people of Jackson earn a place in defining the future of clean water. This year, Forward Justice and its partners successfully gained intervenor status after months of public advocacy, legal challenges, and community mobilization. In March, a federal court granted Mississippi Poor People’s Campaign and the People’s Advocacy Institute intervention in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) lawsuit that resulted in the de facto takeover of Jackson's water system. Being granted intervention means they are now an official party to the lawsuit and have a voice in the proceedings. The lawsuit, brought against the City of Jackson by the EPA for violations of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, dramatically shifted residents’ access to information and input in the direction of their water system.
The judge granted intervention during a status conference on March 18, 2024, after hearing arguments on the unopposed motion filed by the intervenors’ legal team, including Forward Justice, the Center for Constitutional Rights, and the ACLU of Mississippi, following almost six months of steadfast advocacy and demands for data transparency, conducted with the support of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
"Since coming home and working with Forward Justice, I've seen so much inequality, racism and injustice all around. We need frontline organizations like Forward Justice and its partners, along with directly impacted community members, to continue to use their voices and do the work to help make change. From reforming the criminal legal system to protecting voting rights we have to do all we can to fight for justice and equality."
DONTAE SHARPE, SENIOR COMMUNITY LIAISON
KEY PROGRAM AND WORK
NARRATIVE CHANGE AND STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
BUILDING NARRATIVE POWER AND HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE OF LANGUAGE
The power of storytelling and language have always served as essential tools to reveal the truth about our society and expose the discrepancies that exist between the prevailing narrative and the realities of those who are oppressed. Forward Justice continues to help lead the way in centering the importance of Narrative Change and People Centered Language in advocacy, legal, policy and organizing work. This year, we provided training on the importance of language and narrative at the Blueprint NC Convergence Convening and to the Urban Institute’s Catalyst Grant recipients. We believe that continuing to reinforce this importance will help further and deepen our movement’s efforts to create a more just, free and equitable society.
IMPACTING THE NARRATIVE AND HIGHLIGHTING OUR WORK
FORWARD JUSTICE CONTINUES TO MAKE HEADLINES IN 2024.
Our work and impact have been covered in over 150 media outlets, with nearly 300 articles, resulting in over 2.5 Billion potential impressions and 37,820 online engagements.
In addition to obtaining increased media coverage, we have also made an impact on the tone and narrative of that coverage, with numerous outlets using more people centered language in their 2024 coverage compared to previous years.
SOME OF OUR MAJOR COVERAGE THIS YEAR HAS COME
ENDING THE CRIMINALIZATION OF POVERTY: THE PEOPLE’S CONVENING FINES AND FEES
The 2024 People’s Convening on Fines and Fees in NC provided attendees a space to define the issue of criminal justice debt, hear the stories of people directly impacted by this issue, connect with people and organizations working on policy change in that area, and collectively discuss ways to end the criminalization of poverty. Now in the campaign’s fourth year, the convening allows us to continue to build toward solutions by highlighting current practices and proposing innovative ideas to
implement change in NC. We examined the impact of criminal legal fines and fees through simulations and panel discussions led by directly impacted people with input from local and national advocates. We look forward to this ongoing opportunity to expand our coalition and develop a base of supporters across NC whose voices and participation will be vital to the success of the campaign.
YALE'S INAUGURAL PUBLIC THEOLOGY AND PUBLIC POLICY CONFERENCE
This year, Yale University held their Inaugural Public Theology and Public Policy Conference, where Forward Justice Co-Directors Caitlin Swain and Daryl Atkinson spoke about how criminal legal reform, voting rights & equal protections are moral issues in 2024. Because storytelling is a critically important part of policy advocacy, Dontae Sharpe, Forward Justice Senior Criminal Justice Advisor and Community Liaison, spoke about his personal experience with a wrongful conviction in the criminal legal system and the need for more protections and systemic reforms to prevent future injustices.
THE SECOND EDITION OF THE FORWARD STAR JOURNAL
This year, we released the second edition of the Forward Star Journal, Forward Justice’s publication that shares the voices of the movement and its people while providing resources and information that bring us closer to healing and liberation. You can access the second edition of the journal on our website and we are looking forward to producing more issues in the year ahead.
THE NEXT CHAPTER
APPROACHING OUR 10TH YEAR
2026 will mark an entire decade of working toward our goal of creating a more just, equitable and free south. As we approach this important milestone, we look forward to celebrating our successes, showing gratitude to our movement partners and engaging in important strategic planning work to ensure another decade of transformative change.
ONGOING PHOTO VOTER ID LITIGATION
We are awaiting a ruling in our federal challenge to the state’s discriminatory photo voter ID law and will continue to litigate our state-based case challenging the authority of an illegally racially gerrymandered legislature to amend the state’s constitution.
RE-ENTRY SERVICES AND ADVOCACY AROUND WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS
Following his time as a Returning In Service and Excellence (R.I.S.E) Leadership Fellow with Forward Justice, Dontae Sharpe will lead a new body of work with an intentional focus on re-entry services (housing and employment justice) and wrongful convictions (prevention and post release advocacy) with an emphasis on the use of storytelling as a modality to shift public narrative related to justice-involved communities. We are excited to work with Dontae to develop new resources and support for this important work.
CONTINUED ADVOCACY FOR SECOND CHANCES
In addition to saving the Second Chance Act, we have made progress on other measures that address collateral consequences of involvement with the criminal legal system, including debtbased driver’s license suspensions, unregulated publication of mugshots, and access to SNAP benefits. We continue to advocate for these reforms and build collective people power among directly impacted individuals, connecting new members to a more extensive NC Second Chance Alliance network through organizer training sessions across the state. Learn more at ncsecondchance.org
REIMAGINING DEMOCRACY SYMPOSIUM
The 2025 Symposium will convene justice advocates, artists, grassroots leaders, legal and policy experts, organizers, and educators, in a curated space of transformative imagination, critical analysis, and innovative strategy development. The symposium lays the foundation for new initiatives to address systemic inequities and promote sustainable change, and will influence not only the future of North Carolina, but also contribute to the broader movement ecosystem strategy across the South.
2024 FINANCIALS
2024 SPENDING OVERVIEW
MAJOR FUNDERS
Forward Justice’s Top Sources of Funding for 2024 were:
Ford Foundation
Galaxy Gives Foundation
Wellspring
Daryl Atkinson
CO-FOUNDER & DIRECTOR
Caitlin Swain
CO-FOUNDER & DIRECTOR
Dr. Ashley Marshall
CO-FOUNDER & SENIOR DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABILITY & EMERGENCE
Rameisha Bordeaux
DIRECTOR OF PEOPLE & CULTURE
Kirstin Bigham
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
J. Anthony Holbert
DIRECTOR OF IMPACT
Gaynelle Little
Imagine NC/Put NC First PolicyLink
Voter Justice Project
EXECUTIVE & SPECIAL ASSISTANT
Carolyn Winder
SENIOR FINANCE MANAGER
Clarrissa Greene
FINANCE & OPERATIONS ASSOCIATE
Penda Hair
SENIOR COUNSEL
Kathleen Roblez
SENIOR VOTING RIGHTS COUNSEL & LITIGATION MANAGER
Whitley Carpenter
SENIOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE COUNSEL & POLICY MANAGER
INDIVIDUAL DONORS
Eric R. Reusse
Christina Mahoney
Kate Sieck
Dr. Ashley Marshall
Lori Sherman STAFF ATTORNEY
Ashley Mitchell STAFF ATTORNEY
Kristie Puckett
SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER
Jarvis Johnson
SENIOR CAMPAIGN
DATA FIELD MANAGER
Isaiah Withers SENIOR ORGANIZER
Jason Hicks ORGANIZER & PROJECT ASSOCIATE
Dontae Sharpe
SENIOR COMMUNITY LIAISON
Brittany Cheatham
SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Damola Akintunde
VISUAL INNOVATION & BRAND MANAGER
Kimaya Davis-Stovall
SENIOR LAW & NARRATIVE ASSOCIATE
Ashanti Scott
SOCIAL & DIGITAL MEDIA ASSOCIATE
THANK YOU TO BOARD MEMBERS, PARTNERS, DONORS AND FUNDERS
As Forward Justice continues to grow, we have gained tremendous support from those who align with our vision of a free, equitable South. We want to take this moment to thank those who strengthen our capacity to continue to do the transformative and historic work in the region, so that one day our movement will Change the South, Change the Nation. Without your support, none of this is possible. We look forward to the journey that lies ahead for us all.
Jamie Cole
PROGRAM DIRECTOR, SOUTH EAST CAMPAIGNS FOR US ENERGY FOUNDATION
Roxanne Saucier
DRUG POLICY CONSULTANT
Norris Henderson
FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, V.O.T.E
James E. Coleman, Jr.
INSTAGRAM @FORWARDJUSTICE
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LINKEDIN FORWARD JUSTICE
JOHN S. BRADWAY DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR OF THE PRACTICE OF LAW
DIRECTOR, WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS CLINIC DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
CONNECT WITH US! Join the work by following us on our social channels and signing up to receive our emails at forwardjustice.org!
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FROM RESISTANCE TO TRANSFORMATION: CHANGING THE SOUTH, CHANGING THE NATION
