Take time to check out our first issue of the Michigan Justice Fund bi-monthly newsletter
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To our partners in the fight for justice,  


When I joined the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, one of my goals was to increase visibility and communication between the Michigan Justice Fund, our funders, and community partners. Our objective is to create a consistent method of communication that can provide our stakeholders with Michigan Justice Fund updates and insight into the criminal legal system reform landscape.

I'm pleased to introduce our first edition of the Michigan Justice Fund general newsletter, "Off The Press." This newsletter will serve as a method to increase visibility into the work of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan through the Michigan Justice Fund and our community partners. We're excited to uplift the incredible work and stories of our grantees who continue to lead necessary and impactful work statewide. I encourage you to share feedback and recommendations to ensure we are providing you with engaging and purposeful content. 

We are excited about the year ahead as we prepare to continue shifting the narrative, resourcing critical programs and organizations, and building new relationships to strengthen the advocacy ecosystem. Stay connected with us to receive important updates about grant opportunities, upcoming events, and Michigan Justice Fund news.


Michigan Justice Fund initiative announces more than $2.8M in grants to support returning citizens, advance justice reform

The Michigan Justice Fund, an initiative of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, recently announced more than $2.8 million in grants to improve the economic mobility of individuals with criminal convictions and to support grassroots organizations working to advance justice reform throughout the state. Click below to learn more and to review a full list of the grantees.

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MJF On The Air

On Saturday, January 28, Michigan Justice Fund Director Ashley Carter was interviewed, by Jenn Schanz of WXYZ, regarding the recent announcement of $2.8 million in grants awarded to organizations in Michigan supporting returning citizens and advancing justice reform. Click below to watch the full interview.

Watch Now
Michigan Justice Fund | New Orleans Learning Exchange

New Orleans Learning Exchange

In December, the Michigan Justice Fund invited nearly 30 partner advisors and consultants to participate in a dynamic learning exchange in New Orleans. The two-day experience consisted of MJF grantees and partners visiting organizations leading social justice and prison reform in New Orleans. Participants learned about innovative programming and approaches to advocacy and grassroots organizing. Check out this video recapping the learning exchange experience, and click below to read our blog.

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Our Team is Expanding

We're pleased to announce that our team has expanded! Annie Mendoza, MCD has joined the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan as a Program Officer working directly with the Michigan Justice Fund. Annie brings her knowledge, experience, and passion for social justice to advance the mission and goals of the Michigan Justice Fund through the Community Foundation. CLICK HERE to connect with Annie on LinkedIn. 

Building Community Through Convening

In October, nearly 40 Michigan Justice Fund partners and consultants gathered in Grand Rapids for a full day of networking and community building to discuss the state of the industry. The day kicked off with breakfast and consisted of impactful workshops that highlighted the importance of the collective work of those in attendance. 

MJF In The Community

In December, MJF Director Ashley Carter attended the Loving and Learning Mixer hosted by the American Friends Service Committee. The event kicked off with an overview of AFSC’s work, which centers on cultural change and growing community support to put an end to Michigan’s misplaced reliance on excessively long sentences and cruel punishment practices. In attendance were people who have served these sentences, people who have worked to free people from these sentences, and those dedicated to pushing back against the toxic idea that endless punishment is an acceptable practice in Michigan.


Awards were presented to four leaders in this work: Ashley Carter (Michigan Justice Fund), Ashley Goldon (Nation Outside), Former Chief Justice Bridget McCormack (Michigan Supreme Court), and Ronald Simpson-Bey (Just Leadership USA). Each of them received a painting that was created by a person currently imprisoned in Michigan, donated to the University of Michigan’s Prison Creative Arts Project (PCAP), and then auctioned off at PCAP’s Annual Art Auction. 

CLICK HERE to donate to the Michigan Justice Fund.

The Problem At-a-glance

Black people make up 14.1 percent of Michigan’s population, but about 46 percent of the state’s prison population and make up 64 percent of Michigan’s population serving life or long sentences.   

The Michigan Works! Association, the state’s primary workforce development organization supporting the 16 Michigan Works! agencies throughout the state, has received a $100,000 planning grant from the Michigan Justice Fund to help improve workforce re-entry services in support of economic mobility for individuals with criminal convictions. 

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A Job Well Done: Q&A with Amanda Alexander of the Detroit Justice Center

Amanda Alexander, founder of the Detroit Justice Center, has truly made a lasting impact within the social justice community in Detroit and beyond. With the recent news of her transition, we spoke with Amanda to talk about her impact and the future of advocacy, social justice, and reform. 

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Community Foundation’s Michigan Justice Fund Initiative Announces Over $2.8M in Grants

The Michigan Justice Fund, an initiative of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, today announced more than $2.8 million in grants to improve the economic mobility of individuals with criminal convictions and to support grassroots organizations working to advance justice reform throughout the state. Learn More

Detroit officials sued over gun surveillance technology ShotSpotter

When Detroit Police Chief James White called a town hall in September over an expansion of the gunshot detection technology ShotSpotter, he said it was meant to address “misinformation” that he felt was behind the months of emotional opposition from city residents and delayed voting by City Council members. Learn More

Can Theater Reform Michigan Prisons? Shakespeare in Prison is Betting on it

Think about a Shakespeare performance, and we typically don’t think of it occurring within the walls of a prison. But that’s exactly what’s taking place at the Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility, and it’s been happening since 2012. Learn More

Good behavior bills could mean shorter sentences in Michigan

A pair of bills introduced in the State House would allow the Michigan Department of Corrections to shave time off of prisoners' sentences for good behavior. Learn More

Why we can't wait: It's past time to overhaul cash bail

In Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s book, “Why We Can’t Wait,” he traced the history of the fight for civil rights and urged our nation to finally realize its promises of equality and justice for all its people. Learn More

Michigan is Banning Inmates From Reading Totally Normal Books

The state's prisons have banned almost 1,000 titles, claiming over half of them pose a “threat to the order and security of the institution.” Learn More

Shunning those with criminal convictions hurts us all | Opinion

Last week, a member of our community with a promising legal career lost the opportunity to serve as a law clerk for the Michigan Supreme Court because concerns were raised about his decades-old conviction, for which he had accepted responsibility and served his debt to society. Learn More

DOJ awards $550K to help Wayne County CIU, Cooley Innocence Project review wrongful convictions

A $550,000 grant will help the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office and the Western Michigan University Cooley Law School Innocence Project review potential wrongful convictions. Learn More

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Michigan Justice Fund is an initiative of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan.
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