Watch our new video with Danny Jones, promoting the vote in Michigan. Your vote matters! And, yes, you can vote even if you have a felony on your record in Michigan. #HoodVote #MIVote #Freedom2Vote
Join Us For Movie Night!
S&D PJ Housing is partnering with VAAC – Voting Access for All and Pettes LLC on “Movie Night at the Bel-Air” featuring the movie “Till,” a powerful film that tells the story of Emmett Till, a young Black man who was brutally lynched in Mississippi in 1955. The movie is …
Wayne State to Offer Free Tuition
Wayne State University announces they will offer free tuition to all Michigan students whose families make under $70,000 a year. The move was touted by school officials as a way to increase higher education opportunities for students across the state and particularly in metro Detroit. “Increasing the social mobility for …
Help Pass bills to Mandate Vital Documents at Re-Entry
The Michigan Collaborative to End Mass Incarceration (MI-CEMI) needs your help today!! Sign on today to support bills to help ensure that people returning from prison come home with the identification they need to get a job, open a bank account, or rent an apartment. For years we’ve been hearing from …
Redefining Re-entry Community Input Sessions
“Redefining Re-Entry” is a virtual session to improve how we bring services to people with past convictions. You can attend two sessions, Wednesday, April 5th or Monday, April 10th and both sessions will take place from 1-2pm. To register, use this link or scan the qr code on the graphic …
Solitary Shorts Screening set for March 23, 2023
Citizens for Prison Reform and the The Robin Theatre present SOLITARY SHORTS a series of short documentaries about solitary confinement and panel discussion on humane solutions. Thursday, March 23rd 2023 at the Robin Theatre 1105 S Washington Ave, Lansing, MI 48910 Doors open at 6:30PM. Screening at 7:00PM For more …
Expungement Assistance Opportunity on April 11, 2023 in Oak Park
Expungement Assistance opportunity with Lakeshore Legal Aid will be available at the Oak Park Public Library at 14200 Oak Park Blvd in Oak Park on April 11th starting at 6:30 p.m. Attorney Mary Novrocki will present on criminal record expungement, including recent changes in Michigan law regarding expungement, eligibility, and …
VAAC Prison Gerrymandering Work Group Wants YOU! Join Us!!
For the past month, a VAAC work group has been meeting to formulate our legislative strategy for ending the practice of prison gerrymandering. Participants have included staff from the Prison Policy Initiative and the Campaign Legal Center who have provided expert assistance. We welcome all VAAC members to join our …
Legislative Update: Bills to END Juvenile Life Without Parole
Michigan legislators in the state Senate & House have introduced a package of 10 bills to end juvenile life without parole. As of this writing the bills have been referred to the Judicial Committee of each chamber/ On March 3rd, 2023, Senator Jeff Irwin (District 15) issued this press release …
Silent Cry Awards to Honor VAAC Members
Silent Cry will be hosting an awards gala on March 11th, 2023 at Mary Grove College in Detroit to honor Mothers of the Criminal Justice Movement and Change Makers in the Community. Among the honorees at the gala will be some very special VAAC members, including Voting Access For All …
VAAC Member Spotlight: Amani Sawari
In college, Amani Sawari studied public policy and media communications with a vision in mind: to use these skills in the movement to end mass incarceration. But when she graduated from the University of Washington, no job like that existed. So, she says “I combined my abilities in writing and …
Flint Expungement Clinic March 10th 2023
From a story by Sophia Lada of the Flint Beat: ‘A fresh start’: Criminal record expungement clinic this Friday in Flint A criminal record expungement clinic is taking place 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, March 10, 2023 at the Calvary United Methodist Church in Flint. “The beginning of the …