n Thursday, March 9, from 6pm-7:30pm CST, join Citizens Coalition for Justice Reform (CCJR) as they continue their Community Series by hosting a virtual event with Huntsville Bail Fund. Huntsville Bail Fund will share updates about their policy campaigns and the actions community members can take to get involved. The event is free though RSVP is required.
This will be an opportunity for community members to learn more about the valuable work being done by both CCJR and Huntsville Bail Fund. According to Tahirh Osborne with the Huntsville Bail Fund, this event will inform the public about their state and municipal agenda for this legislative session, and will share ways folks can get involved in advocating for incarcerated community members. “Folks should attend if they are concerned about policing and incarceration in Alabama, have questions about jail or the prison system, or want to stay in the know about the current legislative session” she stated. “Attendees will come out of the event with a clear picture of where public policy is headed, and actions they can take (big and small) to make a difference on these issues.”
Huntsville Bail Fund is a charitable bail fund based in Huntsville, AL. Huntsville Bail Fund supports people inside and outside of jail by posting bail, assisting with fines & fees, and advocating for better public policy around arrest and pretrial detention. More information can be found on their website: https://www.hsvbailfund.org/.
Citizens Coalition for Justice Reform is building community partnerships to work with local government and agencies to enact criminal justice reforms through elimination of institutionalized discriminatory policies and procedures. CCJR has been an active voice for policing reform in Huntsville. Community members interested in a more just legal system, starting at the local level, are encouraged to connect with CCJR as well as their parent organization United Women of Color (UWOC) and sign up for their email list to stay informed of future community events and volunteer opportunities. More information can be found here: https://www.ccjral.org/.
Poor and working class people disproportionately bear the burden of a broken criminal justice system. It is important for workers to understand the ways in which wealth, class, race, and oppression impact the experiences of everyday people with police, the courts, and the law. Without a doubt, tackling injustice within the US and Alabama legal system is an essential task of the modern working class movement. The Valley Labor Report will continue to report on events relevant to that essential task and activists and organizers are encouraged to keep us updated on their efforts!
Adam Keller is a union stagehand with the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 900 and co-host of The Valley Labor Report. He is a former high school history teacher and spent several years representing education workers in Huntsville, Alabama. He has served in various roles as a union member and is a member of multiple organizations seeking to build a better community. Adam is proud to be part of The Valley Labor Report media collective as we strive to amplify the voices of the working class in the American South.
