Ella's Voice

How We Can Address Systemic Racism in California's Criminal Justice System

ashley — Sun, 16 Aug 2020 20:54:01 +0000

How We Can Address Systemic Racism in California's Criminal Justice System

ashley | August 16, 2020

The concept of justice and exactly what it means to each of us is something that we’ve all engaged with over the past few months, given our current social and political climate. Racial justice, however, is such a complex issue with so many different meanings--from the freedom to go jogging in...

Racial Justice Act

criminal justice reform

systemic racism

AB 2542

From Our Hands, Things Can Grow: Visiting Gardens Behind Bars (Part 2)

ashley — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 19:35:18 +0000

From Our Hands, Things Can Grow: Visiting Gardens Behind Bars (Part 2)

ashley | March 09, 2020

Cultivating Connections Despite Barriers at Avenal Prison Off of the main yard at Avenal State Prison, fenced off, is their garden – one of the garden sites that the Ella Baker Center (EBC) had a chance to visit a few months ago to see the Insight Garden Program (IGP) in action. The program...

California prisons

Insight Garden Program

prison reform

From Our Hands, Things Can Grow: Visiting Gardens Behind Bars (Part 1)

ashley — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 22:00:51 +0000

From Our Hands, Things Can Grow: Visiting Gardens Behind Bars (Part 1)

ashley | February 18, 2020

There’s something hopeful or resolute about giving life the space to thrive behind prison walls. Prisons are really desolate constructions. The people living and working there are far away, behind metal and stone. That’s why the Insight Garden Program is such a gift – the fact...

California prisons

Insight Garden Program

AB 45

prison reform

Building a Culture of Care

Norma — Fri, 17 Jan 2020 01:21:19 +0000

Building a Culture of Care

Norma | January 16, 2020

I wrote a book, WE KEEP US SAFE: Building Secure, Just, and Inclusive Communities , that talks about how we can cultivate public safety and wellness in our neighborhoods. For 200 years, fear has been used to distract and divide our communities through discrimination and punishment. After more than...

We Keep Us Safe

Book

public safety

Free the Vote: Unlocking Democracy for People on Parole in California

Norma — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 18:35:17 +0000

Free the Vote: Unlocking Democracy for People on Parole in California

Norma | November 01, 2019

Currently, 50,000 Californians on parole cannot vote because of their criminal history. Between 1976 and 2016, the percentage of people barred from voting as a result of felony disenfranchisement laws increased by more than 500%, from 1.17 million to a record 6.1 million . By restricting this group...

ACA 6

Free the vote

voting rights

California legislature

Community Calls for Alameda County Supervisors to #AuditAhern: “It’s Time For You All to Step Up”

terence — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 19:37:21 +0000

Community Calls for Alameda County Supervisors to #AuditAhern: “It’s Time For You All to Step Up”

terence | October 24, 2019

As The Alameda County Board of Supervisors convened for their annual October retreat, Ella Baker Center members, advocates and family members who have lost loved ones inside Santa Rita jail marched down the block, repeating calls for a full and transparent audit of the Alameda County Sheriff’...

The Community Embraces Dujuan Armstrong's Family

Norma — Fri, 04 Oct 2019 17:50:38 +0000

The Community Embraces Dujuan Armstrong's Family

Norma | October 04, 2019

Community members held a candlelight vigil for Dujuan Armstrong and his family October 2, 2019 at the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in Oakland. Ella Baker Center staff and members surrounded Barbara Doss, Dujuan’s mother, with an outpouring of love, prayers, positive thoughts, and...

Dujuan Armstrong

Santa Rita Jail

Alameda County Sheriff's Office

Ahern

In Custody Death

What A Difference a Year Makes

Norma — Wed, 25 Sep 2019 18:14:45 +0000

What A Difference a Year Makes

Norma | September 25, 2019

After lobbying with our members, allies, advocates and formerly incarcerated Californians at the State Capitol last month, calling our legislators, and sharing stories of the people most impacted by sentence enhancements, the California State Assembly passed SB 136 ! Now, the bill is on the...

Intern Spotlight: Emma Li

terence — Thu, 19 Sep 2019 22:46:08 +0000

Intern Spotlight: Emma Li

terence | September 19, 2019

If you follow the Ella Baker Center on social media you may have seen the amazing graphics created by Communications Intern Emma Li, who contributed so much creativity during her short time with the Ella Baker Center this summer. In case you missed them, we've collected some of the art she...

Night Out for Safety and Liberation 2019

Norma — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 00:26:15 +0000

Night Out for Safety and Liberation 2019

Norma | August 15, 2019

On Tuesday August 6, 2019, we brought together over one hundred community members for live music, food, dancing, community building and activism as a part of our seventh annual Night Out for Safety and Liberation. The free Oakland event brought together families, community activists, artists, and...