mass incarceration

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and Vermont Sen. Peter Welch have introduced the Inclusive Democracy Act, a legislative breakthrough that would end felony disenfranchisement in federal elections by guaranteeing the right to vote for incarcerated citizens.

In the wake of the murder of George Floyd last May, Cerise Jacobs and her activist opera company White Snake Projects knew they wanted to contribute to the Black Lives Matter cause in a more significant way than a solidarity press release. And so they created “Death by Life,” a virtual opera delving into the stories of prisoners impacted by mass incarceration and the victimization of Black and brown people.

Justice advocates, prisoners and families of those incarcerated are speaking out about bills to expand visitation rights, offer free phone calls, improve the Parole Board and decarcerate prisons and houses of correction in Massachusetts.