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Register Today: MI-CEMI Advocacy & Budget Priorities Member Meeting
At VAAC, we believe in the power of collective action to break down barriers to voting and justice. That’s why we encourage our community to join MI-CEMI’s Advocacy & Budget Priorities Member Meeting on Thursday, April 10, 2025. This gathering will focus on the key justice advocacy efforts and budget priorities shaping the year ahead.…
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This Is Us: Art Exhibition & Sale in East Lansing
A Celebration of Creativity, Resilience, and Community At VAAC, we believe in amplifying the voices of those impacted by the justice system—and art is one of the most powerful ways to do that. That’s why we’re excited to share This Is Us, an art exhibition and sale presented by the University of Michigan’s Prison Creative…
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Experience the Power of Second Chances: Join the Screening of Commuted in Detroit
A Story of Resilience, Justice, and Redemption At VAAC, we believe in breaking barriers to justice and advocating for systemic change. That’s why we encourage our community to attend a powerful screening of Commuted, a documentary that tells the story of Danielle Metz, a woman whose triple life sentence was commuted—giving her a rare opportunity…
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Voting Rights in 2025: We’re at a Critical Crossroads – Press Release Update
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VAAC joins Promote the Vote, League of Women Voters, and ACCESS to break down what new laws mean for Michigan voters—and what’s at stake if we don’t act. Last week, the Voting Access for All Coalition participated in a statewide press call led by Promote the Vote, with coalition leaders from the League of Women…
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Don’t Wait to Vote: Everything You Need to Know for the May 6 Election
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Make your voice heard early — absentee and early in-person voting options are available now in many communities. The Voting Access for All Coalition is here to ensure every Michigander—especially those impacted by the legal system—has the tools and support to vote with confidence. You don’t have to wait until Election Day to make your…
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April is Second Chance Month: Many Paths to a Fresh Start
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Recognizing Dignity, Opportunity, and Community April marks Second Chance Month, a time to honor the dignity of people seeking a fresh start. Whether it’s through expungement fairs to clear criminal records, peer-led reentry programs for returning citizens, or the chance to have a Second Look at a sentence, there are countless ways to support second…
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April is Fair Chance Housing Month: Ending Housing Discrimination
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Housing is a Human Right April is Fair Chance Housing Month, a time to raise awareness about the systemic barriers that prevent people with conviction histories from accessing safe and stable housing. Across Michigan and the nation, countless individuals face discrimination from landlords, limiting their opportunities to rebuild their lives. The Fair Chance Access to…
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Join Nation Outside at the Reentry Conference for Change
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On April 14, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., join Nation Outside at the Lansing Center in Lansing, Michigan, for the Nation Outside Reentry Conference. This important gathering will bring together lawmakers, advocates, community members, and people with lived experience to discuss the challenges faced by formerly incarcerated individuals and explore effective solutions. Breaking…
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Understanding Your Expungement Options in Michigan
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Automatic Expungement vs. Petition Expungement Automatic expungement is now a reality in Michigan, offering relief for many people with eligible convictions. However, it’s important to know that petition expungements can clear more types of offenses than automatic expungement. While petitioning may involve a more complex process, it also provides a broader path to a clean…
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Honoring the Fifteenth Amendment: Reflecting on the Ongoing Fight for Justice
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On this day in 1870, the Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was formally adopted. As the last of the three Reconstruction amendments, it granted Black men the right to vote, asserting that this right could “not be abridged or denied by any state” on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.…
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Stand Up for Working Families: Join Capitol Day 2025
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Communities Over Corporations Working families are under attack—from Lansing to D.C.—but together, we’re fighting back. On April 23, 2025, we’re gathering at the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing to demand a government that puts people over profit. Why We’re Rallying These are just a few of the critical issues we’re standing up for: Make Your…
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Wronged: The Maurice Carter Story Documentary Screenings
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Wronged: The Maurice Carter Story is a powerful documentary that tells the compelling story of Maurice Carter’s wrongful conviction, and the birth of the Michigan based organization, Humanity for Prisoners. Upcoming Screenings: April 23, 2025: 6:00 pm – Calvin University’s Covenant Fine Arts Center, Grand Rapids, MI. April 27, 2025: 12:00 pm – Hope Church, Holland,…
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Investing in a Safer Michigan, Support the Budget Recommendations
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Support the 2026 Budget Recommendations On March 24th, 2025, a coalition of organizations released their 2026 Michigan Budget Recommendations to invest in crime prevention, rehabilitation, and reentry. These recommendations call on lawmakers to support evidence-based programs that promote public safety and help people successfully reintegrate into society. Take Action You can read the letter and…
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April is Second Chance Month: Support the Second Look Sentencing Act
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Michigan, you have a sentencing problem. Now, we have an opportunity to address the challenges of excessive sentencing through a conservative and pragmatic solution: the Second Look Sentencing Act. This proposed legislation, approved by the House Criminal Justice Committee last year, would allow individuals who have served at least 20 years to petition their original…
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Upcoming Event: THE STRIKE – Film Screening
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Join the screening of The Strike – a powerful feature documentary that tells the story of a generation of California men who endured decades of solitary confinement and, against all odds, launched the largest hunger strike in U.S. history. Dinner will be provided following the screening, along with a Q&A session featuring Michael Saavedra —…
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