June 5, 2016

I am pleased to announce the first ever National Clemency and Criminal Justice Reform RADIOTHON, to be broadcast Friday, June 17 th from noon-6:00pm (ET) andaccessible live via the internet, http://www.wpfwfm.org/radio/

The Radiothon is scheduled 45 years after former President Nixon declared drug abuse as “Public Enemy Number 1.” Shortly after his June 18, 1971 proclamation, the media popularized the term, “War on Drugs.” We now know that this “war on drugs” was a stratagem for criminalizing Black people and critics of the Viet Nam war, and has today resulted in the mass incarceration of over 2 million people.

The purpose of this first-ever Justice RADIOTHON is two-fold: to spotlight and give voice to the men, women and families who have been impacted by mass incarceration, and examine various strategies in the criminal justice reform toolbox that can be used to provide relief, including:

executive clemency legislative reform compassionate release judicial second look mechanisms reentry; eliminating adverse policies restricting jobs, housing; education

The half-day RADIOTHON will feature:

Formerly Incarcerated People; Incarcerated People
Children; Family members of the Incarcerated
Celebrities for Justice
Criminal Justice Advocates
Civil Rights Leaders
Conservative Allies
Faith Leaders
Representatives from Executive, Legislative, Judicial branches
Media Influencers
Organizational Representatives
Foundation Representatives
Special Issues

For the past 45 years the media has played a huge role in fanning the flames of the horrific war on drugs. We challenge the media and policymakers today to listen to the featured speakers in this RADIOTHON, and use the personal stories and educational information to be an important part of narrative change, with the goal of reuniting families and strengthening communities.