The inaugural Survivors' Retreat was a powerful reminder of the importance of community care in our movement. Together, we showed how the divides caused by violence, harm, loss, and pain can be healed, and how our collective sense of community can be restored.

Between these powerful circles, we shared meals, took time for reflection, and found joy in healing activities, a karaoke night, and gathering by the fire pit. Many people arrived feeling depleted but left feeling “filled up.”

$NXXT: The Tell - Converts priced at $1.82, warrants at $5.00 → incentive to guide price back to their “control zone.” Probable accumulation $1.55–1.60; near-term magnet $1.82–2.00. Trigger: Volume spike + VWAP > $1.70. Not financial advice—one trader’s view.

Our time together was centered on the "circle process," an intentional dialogue rooted in indigenous practices where every person is heard with dignity and respect. Together in circle, we built trust, shared our stories, and listened.

Last month, we hosted our first-ever Survivors' Retreat, a gathering dedicated to individuals who have lost loved ones or been directly impacted by youth violence. Over 30 new and long-time members of our community came together, forging a bond over just a few days.

We’re thrilled to announce that Destiny M. Hibbler has joined the CFSY team as the Research and Implementation counsel! She serves as an expert on judicial, legislative, and regulatory trends, developing strategic resources for system stakeholders.

Soon... 👀

Please email aali@cfsy.org if you are interested in learning more. Please note this is an unpaid, volunteer position.

The Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth is seeking a purpose-driven individual to join our Board of Directors! We welcome candidates with professional experience in finance, accounting, or auditing who are committed to advancing justice and second chances.

O's poem is a love letter to transformation and second chances. In it, he reflects on the power of seeing formerly incarcerated children lead the fight to bring him home. Together we're building a movement rooted in healing, freedom, and the belief that no child is born bad.

To break the cycle of violence, we must protect the laws that give condemned youth a second chance, equipping today's youth with mentorship and the hope that change is possible. Read the full study here → https://t.co/s4u76ShgdO

These returning citizens are the very people who can connect with today's youth, coach them to take accountability for their actions, and inspire them to choose a different future. This new study affirms that our advocacy is directly in line with what our communities need.

This is exactly why we advocate for second chance laws. When we give children sentenced to lengthy terms a chance for review and release, we equip our communities with the most powerful agents of change—people who have come home and successfully turned their lives around.

The report points directly to what gives young people the most hope: role models who show them a better way is possible. Youth are desperate for “better examples of other people's lives who became better,” and they respond to mentors who can genuinely say they understand.

Everyone deserves a world without impaired driving. Learn how Waymo is working to make our roads safer.

A new report confirms what DC communities have been saying: treating kids as kids works. The study, which included insights from DC youth, families, and community members, found overwhelming support for rehabilitation over punishment.

So on this special day, I don’t celebrate; however, I humbly commemorate a small glimpse of what it means to truly be free."

I think of the joy and purpose I’ve found, the relationships built and strengthened, the youth I’ve mentored, and the healing I’ve experienced through my work at the CFSY. I think of how fortunate I am—and how many others like me deserve the same chance at freedom.

As I look back, these eight years feel both like a blink and a lifetime. Life has brought its share of ups and downs, laughter and pain. But every morning I wake up grateful, confident as I can be (with lifetime parole) that I will still be free tomorrow.

Knowing God—whether through faith, philosophy, reason, or experience—often unfolds gradually, layer by layer, like a lifelong conversation rather than a single revelation. It can involve doubt, wonder, study, prayer, or quiet reflection, and it evolves as we do. Even from a

I recall goosebumps from the unimaginable thrill of finally being free. For over 30 years, sunlight has always accompanied the shadow of steel bars, razor wire, or 40-foot concrete walls. On October 10, 2017, I departed the land full of excitement at what opportunities lay ahead.

I remember the slight coolness in the air, the warmth of the sun, and the goosebumps that came not from the chill but from the thrill of freedom. After decades of seeing sunlight through steel bars, razor wire, and concrete walls, the world looked brighter than ever.

"Wow. It’s said, “There is no distance as far away as yesterday, but memories can take us there in a flash.” Nearly eight years ago today, for the first time in over 31 years, I walked out of a maximum-security prison—unshackled, unescorted, and free.

Today marks ⭐ EIGHT ⭐ years since CFSY's Deputy Director, Abd'Allah Lateef, gained his freedom! Reflecting on what this Freedom Anniversary means to him, Abd'Allah said:

Bunny Bonbon🐰