The Day of Empathy is a national day of action to generate empathy, humanize, and uplift the stories of justice-impacted people. 

On February 23, 2023, Safe & Just Michigan, in partnership with Dream.org, is proud to sponsor the Day of Empathy in Michigan at the Central United Methodist Church in Lansing. Voting Access For All Coalition will have a table and this event. VAAC members will also participate in office visits to lobby for justice related bills including a bill to end prison gerrymandering.

The Day of Empathy represents a chance for people who have been directly impacted by our criminal justice system a chance to come together at the state capital with hundreds of other directly impacted people, policymakers, and criminal justice reform advocates to talk about some of the biggest issues facing our movement today, including pending legislation:

• To reform our system of pretrial detention
• To eliminate juvenile life without parole sentences
• To create a system for people sentenced to over 10 years to petition their sentencing judge for a “second look” 

In addition, the event will include a panel discussing the work of Nation Outside, a criminal justice reform organization run entirely by directly impacted people. Just as importantly, we look forward to providing a time and a space for people who have experienced the justice system to join together, voice their opinions, tell their stories and realize that we are not alone.

Register to attend and/or participate in legislative visits at this link.