Forward Justice

FORWARD JUSTICE IS A NONPARTISAN LAW POLICY AND STRATEGY CENTER DEDICATED TO ADVANCING RACIAL SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE.

IN 2021 FORWARD JUSTICE AND OUR MOVEMENT PARTNERS MADE STRIDES TOWARD PROTECTING AND PRESERVING THE RIGHT TO VOTE ADDRESSING POVERTY AND LOW WAGES FROM THE BOTTOM UP AND CONTINUING TO DISMANTLE MASS INCARCERATION. AS A PART OF OUR STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL POOR PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN WE REVIEWED FEDERAL VOTING PROTECTION LEGISLATION AND ORGANIZED A FIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE SUMMER OF DEMONSTRATIONS IN SUPPORT OF FEDERAL VOTING RIGHTS PROTECTIONS. ADDITIONALLY WE'VE LED ADVOCACY AND DOCUMENTATION OF THE VOTING RIGHTS FIGHT IN THE NORTH CAROLINA CONGRESSIONAL REPORT THE STRUGGLE FOR VOTING RIGHTS IN NORTH CAROLINA. OTHER KEY BODIES OF WORK INCLUDE PARDON ADVOCACY AND FIGHTING FOR SYSTEMIC CHANGE FOR DONTAE SHARPE AND HOWARD DUDLEY. DESPITE BEING FULLY EXONERATED DONTAE HAD YET TO RECEIVE A FULL PARDON OF INNOCENCE FROM THE STATE OF NC TO CLEAR HIS NAME. AFTER TWO YEARS OF ADVOCACY INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ATTENTION AND 11 WEEKS OF CONTINUED DEMONSTRATIONS IN FRONT OF THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION DONTAE SHARPE AND HOWARD DUDLEY FINALLY RECEIVED A FULL PARDON OF INNOCENCE.

IN NOVEMBER 2019 FORWARD JUSTICE FILED A LAWSUIT IN WAKE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT SEEKING TO REINSTATE VOTING RIGHTS FOR OVER 55,000 NORTH CAROLINIANS WITH PREVIOUS FELONY CONVICTIONS WHO LIVE AND WORK IN OUR COMMUNITIES BUT ARE DENIED THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE DUE TO A DISCRIMINATORY UNCONSTITUTIONAL FELONY DISENFRANCHISEMENT LAW. ON AUGUST 23 2021 A THREE-JUDGE PANEL EXPANDED THE PRIOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION IN THE CASE ALLOWING 55,000NORTH CAROLINIANS ON PROBATION PAROLE OR POSTRELEASE SUPERVISION FOR FELONY CONVICTIONS TO IMMEDIATELY BEGIN TO REGISTER TO VOTE AND VOTE IN NORTH CAROLINA ELECTIONS. TEN DAYS LATER THE NORTH CAROLINA COURT OF APPEALS AND THE NORTH CAROLINA SUPREME COURT STAYED THIS HISTORIC RULING UNTIL THE TRIAL COURT ORDERED A FINAL JUDGMENT. FORWARD JUSTICE AND OUR SECOND CHANCE ALLIANCE PARTNERS AWAIT THE FINAL JUDGMENT FROM THE TRIAL COURT AS THIS RULING WILL BE THE LARGEST EXPANSION OF VOTING RIGHTS IN NORTH CAROLINA SINCE THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965.

DURING THE 2021 VIRTUAL DAY OF ADVOCACY WE CONNECTED WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM ACROSS THE STATE ABOUT THE WORK BEING DONE TO SUPPORT SUCCESSFUL REENTRY AND DEMANDS WE'RE MAKING OF ELECTED OFFICIALS DISCUSSED A POLICY AGENDA THAT CENTERS THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM AND PROVIDED A PLATFORM TO SHARE OUR STORIES. DURING THE DAY OF ADVOCACY WE UNVEILED OUR NEWEST TOOL NC COPWATCH A STATEWIDE DATABASE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT STOP SEARCH AND USE OF SEARCH DATA. NC COPWATCH WAS CREATED TO SERVE AS A RESOURCE TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACROSS THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA SEEKING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN POLICING PRACTICES.