Give Miami Day is coming up this month! This is a chance for us to raise awareness and funding thanks to the Miami Foundation’s campaign. We'll have the link to our donation page ready to go on every platform so be sure to follow us to see when we go live. #givemiamiday

🧵 (1/2) #WBW: Last week, I connected with philanthropic stakeholders during the 3rd anniversary celebration of the Broward Center for Nonprofit Excellence. In 10 days, we will recognize #NationalPhilanthropyDay.

She's only been with us for 6 months but she's already made an impact on @fji-law.bsky.social! Happy birthday, Olivia!

An #ElectionDay reminder: 4 million people in the U.S. have been stripped of their right to vote due to a felony conviction. Is that what democracy is supposed to look like?

November marks #NationalHomelessnessAwarenessMonth. In #Miami, Alvah Chapman took seriously his role in reducing chronic homelessness in the community. Glad that @fji-law.bsky.social gets to work alongside 2 previous winners to change the landscape of unsheltered homelessness in our neighborhoods.

#ElectionDay is here. In #Florida, people with felony convictions are now able to check their voter eligibility. @fji-law.bsky.social attorneys helped write the language in #Amendment4 (2018) to make it possible. Thanks to our colleagues at @flrightsrestore.bsky.social for their continued advocacy.

🧵 (1/2) #MLM: I've worked on sentence reduction, reentry issues, and as a funder across the advocacy spectrum, but true #CJReform incorporates all those solutions and much more.

🧵 (1/2) Yesterday, I did something I don't often get to do: Take a walk. While I explored, I encountered this sign in front of a local house of worship. As someone who grew up in the church, I found it especially poignant for the current environment. A powerful reminder for this very moment.

As the government shutdown looms, it's up to the community to deliver for those who need it most. And, when we come together, positive change happens. Thank you to my counterpart at Miami Homes for All, Annie Lord, and her team for reminding everyone that it's up to us to create #TheFutureWeBuild.

Happy Halloween from everyone here at FJI. Have a safe and sugar-fueled holiday! Learn about what we do and why we do it at FJI.law Media description: FJI Staff are pictured below text that reads, "Happy Halloween from everyone here at FJI."

5. Each year in prison takes 2 years off a person's life expectancy. With over 2.3 million people locked up, mass incarceration has shortened the overall U.S. life expectancy by almost 2 years. www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2017/06...

4. The criminal legal system punishes poverty. The median felony bail bond amount ($10,000) is the equivalent of 8 months’ income for the typical person in jail because they can’t afford a bail bond.

3. More than 80% of people in local jails have not been convicted of a crime and are legally innocent. Many are stuck there because they cannot afford bail.

2. The U.S. criminal legal system controls more than 5.5 million people. More than half are on probation.

1. The U.S. has the highest incarceration rate of any independent democracy on Earth. Worse, every single state incarcerates more people per capita than most nations. www.prisonpolicy.org/global/2024....

A reminder on Halloween: The carceral system is a real-life monster, and it's full of tricks – no treats. Here are 5 facts about mass incarceration that are actually frightening 🧵

🧵 (1/2) Today is a reminder that #Florida & the U.S. are implementing downright scary policies. @miamilawschool.bsky.social's Human Rights Clinic & @homelesslaw.bsky.social recently published their treatise on "Criminalization of Homelessness and Mental Health Conditions in the United States".

For 3 years, the Broward Center for Excellence provided support to develop more impactful NPOs. Yesterday, I attended their anniversary celebration. @fji-law.bsky.social is grateful to its #BrowardCounty stakeholders to help serve vulnerable Floridians. Thanks to Christine Perez for inviting me!

🧵 (1/2) Earlier this week, I joined United Way Miami's Public Policy Committee to discuss the local legislative priorities for 2026. Among them is to "support initiatives that address the lack of access to quality and nutritious food products to #ALICE families."

Please join us in welcoming Tara Del Toro to the FJI Board of Directors! Tara is a justice advocate, student, and the co-founder of Light After Life, a faith-rooted movement for ending extreme sentencing and advancing second-chance legislation. Learn more about our board and work at FJI.law

🧵 (1/2) Last month, City of South Miami announced it achieved functional zero for chronic homelessness in the area. How? Using the housing first model. This is further proof that compassion is more effective than the criminalization of unhoused residents.

🧵 (1/2) According to the latest data from @nlihc.org, renters must earn $37.27/hr to afford the average two-bedroom market-rate unit. But, how did we get to this point? In short, years of exclusionary zoning policies throughout #Florida. nlihc.org/oor/state/fl

🧵 (1/3) Elections have consequences. #ElectionDay is a week away and voters have an opportunity to make their voices heard. In #Miami, voters will choose a new mayor and determine potential amendments to the City Charter to establish fairer representation across the city.

🧵 (1/2) Fair chances matter for #CJReform. Earlier this month, the United States Senate passed the Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2025 and @fji-law.bsky.social joined over 350 orgs as signatories on a letter of support for the bill. [h/t @csgovts.bsky.social]

Trump is sending more ICE and other feds to San Francisco to terrorize more homeless residents. Our anti-ICE resource hub includes Know Your Rights materials, guidance for homeless service providers on what to do before, during, and after a raid, & more. housingnothandcuffs.org/iceraidresou...

#TBT: In 2022, I marched with @officialmlk3.bsky.social and his family in defense of voting/civil rights. Proud to witness him uphold the #MLK legacy over the years. Happy birthday! (h/t @legaldefensefund.bsky.social)

@fji-law.bsky.social stands for human rights. Especially those disenfranchised residents and underinvested communities in #Florida. Thanks to my colleagues at @aijustice.bsky.social for inviting me to join their powerful convening. Access to justice matters during #ProBonoWeek and beyond.

ATTENTION ATTORNEYS: Did you know that licensed lawyers in #Florida can render their Pro Bono service under @theflabar.bsky.social rules by contributing at least $350 to legal aid? Take advantage during #ProBonoWeek by investing in @fji-law.bsky.social's efforts today: fji.law/donate/

🧵 (1/2) @miamiherald.com: #UnitedWayMiami "identified [$42,228] as the minimum wage a single adult Miamian needs to earn to stably afford housing, transportation, food — the necessities." @united4alice.bsky.social data indicates that 54% of households in Miami-Dade County struggle to survive.

🧵 (1/2) While at the Hoeveler Ethics & Public Service Award Ceremony, a @miamilawschool.bsky.social student and Judge Walker's law clerk told me that the legal writing in the 'Hoffer v. Inch' case was the best he'd ever read.

U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker has been honored with the prestigious William M. Hoeveler Award for his unwavering commitment to safeguarding civil liberties, voting rights, and the rule of law. Read more at https://ow.ly/VyKl50XeKCU

Last week, I attended @miamilawschool.bsky.social's Hoeveler Ethics & Public Service Award Ceremony with my @aclufl.bsky.social + @legalservices.bsky.social colleagues. @fji-law.bsky.social reaffirms its commitment to advocating for the most vulnerable residents among us in the public interest.

Independence and evidence-based decision-making must drive federal prosecutorial actions.

FPI has added a new issue area to the timeline—housing policy! Systemic racism deeply embedded into our state’s laws—over the past 160 years—has kept access to safe and affordable housing out of reach for many Floridians. View the full timeline: floridatimeline.org

🧵 (1/2) "This playbook really isn't new. They've been trying to deprive the power and the humanity and the dignity of the very populations we've been fighting for since the first enslaved Africans landed at Jamestown."

On this day in 1968, Black Olympic medalists Tommie Smith and John Carlos faced death threats and expulsion for protesting racial inequality.

Although today marks the end of #HispanicHeritageMonth, I have deep respect for @aijustice.bsky.social's daily work throughout the year. @fji-law.bsky.social values organizations that support the most vulnerable among us, regardless of the climate.

As an employer of a majority-women organization, it's important to support women in the legal industry. Last week, A.J., Bethell, and I represented @fji-law.bsky.social during The Women's Fund Miami-Dade's #RaiseTheBar event at @historymiami.bsky.social. Proud to be an ally to women in our sector.

🧵 (1/2) As I told @forbes.com during #NationalSecondChanceMonth, "Smarter approaches to criminal justice reform are both moral and economic imperatives." That includes fair chance hiring for formerly incarcerated returning citizens.

The national incarceration rate of Native Americans is more than double that of white Americans. For Native youth, the confinement rate is approximately THREE TIMES that of white youth.

Happy #IndigenousPeoplesDay, and a reminder that the legacy of centuries of oppression and theft from Native people is their vast overrepresentation in state prisons:

@fji-law.bsky.social works to uphold the unalienable rights of disenfranchised residents in #Florida on #IndigenousPeoplesDay and beyond.

🧵 (1/3) When I enlisted in FBI Phoenix's Citizens Academy, I learned about the FBI's mission and priorities. Among the Bureau's core values are "respect for the dignity of all those [they] protect" and "uncompromising personal integrity and institutional integrity".

56% of people in state prisons have a mental health problem, yet only 26% have received professional help Prisons & jails are not made to accommodate serious mental health needs, yet the system continues to respond to mental illness like it’s a crime #WorldMentalHealthDay

BREAKING NEWS: The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals issued a STAY in hashtag#RobertRoberson’s case, just seven days before his scheduled execution. innocenceproject.org/news/texas-c...

ICYMI: Nonprofits help society by filling the gaps where governments and/or businesses can't or won't do. Public service workers deserve dignity and respect. That's why @fji-law.bsky.social joined @legaldefensefund.bsky.social and others to preserve their benefits under the #PSLF program. Read on:

🧵 (1/2) To solve complex problems, it takes a quad sector approach: Governments enabling smarter policies, businesses investing human/financial capital in advancement, social enterprises leveraging their expertise, and faith communities changing hearts + minds.

#Canes learn to serve their community. Ran into fellow former @univmiami.bsky.social athlete, Brandon Okpalobi, during today's #JuniorLeagueMiami Community Breakfast. Proud to share @fji-law.bsky.social's story with other leaders and changemakers in #Miami. #UAlreadyKnow #ItsAllAboutTheU

ICYMI: Plaintiffs in 'Wilson v. Dixon' received class certification from a federal judge. Read more about @fji-law.bsky.social's case via @bloomberglaw.com: news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...

25 years ago, I experienced my 1st matchup against Florida State with @canesfootball.bsky.social. We prevailed in what became known as #WideRightIII. 2 years later, we knocked off FSU in #WideLeftI. Start fast. Play smart and physical. Finish strong. We're gonna do 3 things... #HSBDTS #BeatFSU