THE SENTENCING PROJECT HAS NEW DATA; THE CONCERNED CLERGY COALITION OF KANSAS CITY SPEAKS ABOUT THEIR ACTIVITIES

On September 19th, host Bev Livingston will open our show with an interview with Nicole D. Porter, Senior Director of Advocacy with the Sentencing Project.

Named a “New Civil Rights Leader” by Essence Magazine for her work to challenge mass incarceration, Nicole D. Porter manages The Sentencing Project’s state and local advocacy efforts on sentencing reform, voting rights, and confronting racial disparities in the criminal legal system. Since joining The Sentencing Project in 2009, Porter’s advocacy and findings have supported criminal legal reforms in several states including Kentucky, Maryland Missouri, California, Texas and the District of Columbia.

Porter’s areas of expertise include research and grassroots support around challenging racial disparities, felony disenfranchisement, in addition to prison closures and prison reuse. Porter is the former director of the Texas ACLU’s Prison & Jail Accountability Project (PJAP) where she advocated in the Texas legislature to promote felony enfranchisement reforms, eliminate prison rape, and improve prison medical care. She received her undergraduate degree from Johns Hopkins University and a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Austin. Her master’s thesis addressed exploring self-employment among formerly incarcerated African Americans.

The Sentencing Project advocates for effective and humane responses to crime that minimize imprisonment and criminalization of youth and adults by promoting racial, ethnic, economic, and gender justice.

https://www.sentencingproject.org/

Bev and Nicole’s topic will be the incarceration rate. More than 1.5 million Americans were in state and federal prisons last year, according to the latest numbers from the Department of Justice. But that number was actually down from the year before, and in fact, it’s the third straight year the number of prisoners in the U.S. has declined.

 

We’ll play the calendar at the midpoint of our hour and then Terri Wilke will speak with Pastor Kendrick Breckenridge from the Coalition of Concerned Clergy KC who will provide us with an update on their activities.

http://concernedclergykc.org/

 

We bring you vital information underserved or ignored by mainstream media.  We pride ourselves on digging in and sharing the issues that entertain and inform our listeners by providing a curated, unique and independent voice.

On Jaws of Justice, we examine how to find justice in our society.  Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.

Calendar for the week of September 19th:

  • The Kansas City Chapter of Missouri Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants has a monthly virtual meeting. MO CURE advocates for the human rights of prisoners in Missouri prisons and jails as well as those who have returned to society.   For info call Keith Brown El at 816-377-2873.
  • You can find Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense events at https://momsdemandaction.org/events/.  Open to all, Mothers and others!
  • TUES, Sept. 20th, 9 AM, you can listen on KKFI to Law & Disorder. Their topic is that the United States condemns one out of every seven prisoners–or more than 200,000 people– to die in prison, over two-thirds of them people of color. Death by Incarceration, or DBI, includes extreme sentences such as life, and life without possibility of parole. https://kkfi.org/
  • WED, Sept. 21st 9 AM, More² Clergy Caucus meets, more info at https://more2.org/
  • THURS, Sept. 22nd 5:30 – 7 PM is the Heartland Center for Jobs and Freedom Heart of the Block party! At Heartland Center for Jobs and Freedom, 4044 Central Street, KCMO.  Food, music, ice cream and stay for the after party! RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/heart-of-the-block-party-tickets-407530293077
  • SUN, Sept. 25th, at 3 PM, the public is invited to celebrate Bishop Saundra McFadden-Weaver’s 50 years in the ministry which includes serving for the past 25 years as the senior pastor of Community Fellowship Church of Jesus Christ. The celebration will be held at Community Fellowship Church of Jesus Christ located at 3838 Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard in Kansas City, Mo.
  • A list of services, meals, and hot lines are available at https://lawrenceprogressivecalendar.blogspot.com/

Thanks to all our listeners, stay close to your dial and stay well!


Share This Episode