After the success of the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s...
Those in power fought back through an era of mass incarceration. The United States now incarcerates more of its citizens than any other nation. A strong civil rights stand is needed again in the 21st century to reclaim past victories. Executive Director Soffiyah Elijah, a defender of the human rights for the last 35 years, launched The Alliance of Families of Justice in 2016 as the bridge to a modern era of civil rights. Technology doesn't make civil rights tactics obsolete. Nothing replaces the human spirit of people coming together for justice. But technological advances can amplify our voice and multiply our impact. This is the unique strategy of the Alliance of Families for Justice.
The civil rights strategy of civil disobedience and public protest implemented civil rights leaders remain relevant today.
Our services
The Alliance of Families for Justice seeks to end mass incarceration by empowering the formerly incarcerated and their families:
Re-entry support services
AFJ provides group and individual counseling for family members and formerly incarcerated individuals, and makes referrals to other support services as needed.
Advocacy and Communication Skills training
AFJ trains a select cohort of family members and formerly incarcerated individuals in advocacy and communications skills that empowers them and amplifies their voices.
legal Support
The criminal justice system has a long record of human rights abuses. In addition to a newly-launched in-house Legal Support Unit, AFJ refers to a pool of pro bono attorneys to provide legal support for individuals and family members whose human rights have been violated during their incarceration in prisons and local jails.
Voting rights
We seek to restore full citizenship rights, including voting, to all people, regardless of their criminal history or incarceratory status. We also seek to empower those who currently have the right to vote to exercise that right.
