Daniel “Danny” Jones was a mediator, facilitator, speaker, and organizer. As a former Juvenile Lifer, Danny spent his time inside doing deep, introspective work, and mentoring others. In 2014-2015, he worked AFSC and others to develop the Personal Enrichment and Parole Readiness program, which is now used in several prisons across the state. Upon his re-sentencing and release in March of 2019, Danny worked with AFSC to facilitate a national convening on Ending Perpetual Punishment. He continued his facilitation work in Washington, D.C. in two “Unlock the Box” convenings to end solitary confinement. 

He became the coordinator for the Michigan Collaboration to end Mass Incarceration (MI-CEMI) in late 2019 and used his facilitation skills to finely tune running meetings over zoom throughout the pandemic. He was a gifted orator and facilitator. He built networks with power and precision. 

He was involved in organizing and leadership training with Human Rights Watch and ICan-Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth. 

He was a board member of Nation Outside and came to the call for organizing with his fellow formerly incarcerated people easily and with grace and humor.  

He helped found Voting Access for All Coalition (VAAC) and became the chair of the coalition. He devoted countless hours to on the groundwork registering people to vote, getting information out about voting rights, and helping empower people to take back their role in the political process. 

In July of 2022, AFSC hired Danny as a full time program associate to oversee the Good Neighbor Project and organize people inside and outside in efforts to get more long serving people free and to end life without parole for both young people and eventually all people. 

We will all continue the work Danny loved in his memory and with his spirit guiding us forward towards liberation and more love.