Next Monday, January 15, marks the birthday of the civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr., a day to remember his life and legacy.
Although you may know him most notably for his work on voting and civil rights, MLK was also highly invested in criminal justice reform. More than 60 years since he delivered his momentous “I Have a Dream” address during the landmark 1963 March on Washington, our society has persisted to face racial and criminal justice system inequities.
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
His words continue to call after us to use our voices to spread awareness, advocate, and to be active participants in our communities fighting for the change we wish to see in the world around us.
“It is not possible to be in favor of justice for some people and not be in favor of justice for all people.”
The U.S. has the highest incarceration rate of any country in the world. Many are innocent, incarcerated for behaviors that should not be criminal, or incarcerated through racist and classist processes. Thousands of exonerations in the U.S have specifically demonstrated that Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) are far more likely than white people to be convicted of crimes they did not commit.
Our work at MTIP seeks to address these persistent problems that disproportionately affect communities of color and lead to wrongful convictions by advocating for systems of Justice that are accurate, accountable, and fair for all.
“Law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress.”
Progress still needs to be made. As a country we must learn from the mistakes of our past and move in a new direction, one with justice and humanity at its center.
On Monday, as we take time to celebrate MLK’s legacy, we hope you will remember those who have been unjustly incarcerated and recognize the collective impact wrongful convictions have on not only innocent individuals, but also their families and communities.