As the nation reckoned with its history of racial inequality and violence, We The Action found opportunities to work alongside organizations fighting for racial justice. Across the nation, volunteer lawyers represented survivors of police abuse, supported the re-enfranchisement of returning citizens (more below), and advised Black police officers facing retaliation for reporting racist and abusive behavior.
Spotlight on: Florida Rights Restoration Coalition
Systemic bias in the criminal legal system has disproportionately stripped voting rights from people of color and suppressed their representation in government. In March, We The Action partnered with the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, an organization dedicated to ending the disenfranchisement and discrimination against people with prior criminal convictions (also known as returning citizens). Since then, more than 200 We The Action lawyers have volunteered to help returning citizens in Florida restore their right to vote and connect with resources to pay any outstanding fines.
Read more about Florida Rights Restoration Coalition’s project here.