Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth

Bob Schwartz, renowned youth justice advocate and co-founder of the Juvenile Law Center, passed away on October 8th, 2024. “It is truly incredible the countless lives, systems, and policies Bob transformed to improve the well-being of our children during his career. He was deeply committed to his morals and vision, and steadfast in upholding the dignity of our most vulnerable youth. His leadership and tenacious advocacy made an everlasting mark on our field. When I started at the CFSY in 2009, Bob welcomed me to the youth justice field with warm, open arms and a sense of humor to boot. Bob offered humble guidance and blazed a trail that gave me direction when I needed it most. How blessed we are to have shared time with Bob on this planet. We are truly better for it.” - Jody Kent Lavy, founding executive director of the CFSY The CFSY family shares our deepest condolences to the Schwartz family, Marsha Levick, and the entire JLC community. You can read more about Bob and his impact here: https://buff.ly/3Y3Mxu5

Last month, the CFSY held its first National Convening in five years in Washington, D.C. Over three days, we united directly impacted leaders, legal partners, legislators, parole board members, national allies, and supporters. Our theme this year was "Hope In Action: Charting a Bold Path Forward," and we left feeling rejuvenated and ready to tackle the challenges ahead. We are so thankful for our community and supporters who made this event such a success!

On #WorldMentalHealthDay, know that if you’re an extreme sentenced youth, a survivor of youth crime, or a loved one of either—you’re not alone. Healing and mental health matter for everyone.

It’s not every day you accept an award by celebrating spontaneous dance competitions, but Clint Smith showed us why joy is at the heart of the fight for justice. During his heartfelt acceptance speech, Clint shared how an ICAN member’s impromptu dance competition with his daughter during an interview connects to his own family’s cherished tradition of dance parties. He reminded us, “What we are ultimately fighting for is for them to be able to experience these moments that make life what it is... joy, laughter, family.” It’s this dedication to uplifting humanity and joy that makes him so deserving of the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth’s (CFSY) "Freedom Fighter" award. Clint’s connection to CFSY goes back years, when he was working on his PhD dissertation, interviewing many of our ICAN members about the meaning of education while incarcerated. As he put it, “I was doing my dissertation on how people sentenced to juvenile life without the possibility of parole make meaning of the purpose of education... What does education mean when all of those things are stripped away?” His research didn’t just explore theory—it was a practice of truth-telling that ensured the voices of those most impacted by the legacies of oppression and racism in our country were heard. Clint’s commitment to challenging public memory and confronting systemic injustice lies at the core of his work. His dedication to incorporating the stories of ICAN members into his research highlighted the urgency of addressing a system that too often strips people of their humanity. As Clint reflected in his remarks, “The reason that so many of these policies manifest themselves... is because people fail to see the humanity and the fullness and personhood of the folks who they see as being other.” He reminded us all that none of us are far removed from those who have been marginalized by these policies, adding, “But for the arbitrary nature of birth and circumstance, it very easily could have been me as someone who was locked up and sentenced to life.” CFSY is grateful for Clint’s partnership and honored to be part of his truth-telling journey. His work continually challenges us to see beyond labels and stereotypes and fight for a world where every person is given the chance to live a full, joyful life surrounded by love. Clint, your dedication to truth and justice is an inspiration, and we thank you for being a guiding light in this fight.

Many thanks to the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth for hosting a wonderful convening this week! Our Just Sentencing Project Director Ben Finholt spoke on a panel with Angela Boucher of Florida Cure, Andrew Hundley of Louisiana Parole Project, Kaleem Nazeem of DecARcerate, and Laura Nicks on abolishing juvenile life without parole (JLWOP) in the South. Ben talked about the power the courts have to shift from a punitive mindset and discussed the corrosive effect on kids and families when we tell children they have no hope of redemption.

Congratulations to the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth & Xavier McElrath-Bey, MA on an inspiring and successful convening last night! We were thrilled to have the Envoy team in attendance to hear and learn from the staff, participants and honorees, and grateful for CFSY's ongoing advocacy and support for young people impacted by the justice system.

Join the CFSY and our partners at the Stoneleigh Foundation on October 29th for part two of our webinar series on restorative justice for youth! Featuring a panel of experts and advocates and moderated by the CFSY’s Transformative Healing & Restorative Justice Manager, Ghani Songster, the webinar will examine how restorative justice is shaping the Philadelphia community. Register here: https://lnkd.in/eNvRHk3q

Mary Lou Hartman first encountered the CFSY at our 2013 convening where she “wandered into a room” of a dozen formerly incarcerated individuals who were sentenced as children, speaking of their desires to heal themselves and the world around them. “What I witnessed was what I would call transformative love...it is principled, profoundly human, and it is powerful.” It also happened to be the meeting that inspired the creation of the Incarcerated Children’s Advocacy Network (ICAN). It was only fitting that just over a decade later at our national convening last week, we honored Mary Lou’s commitment to keeping this community and its transformative love front and center in her work. Ever since that first convening, Mary Lou has supported and helped shape the CFSY. As a CFSY board member for six years, Mary Lou played a critical role in advancing the organization’s equity journey and ensuring leadership from those directly impacted by the system. She championed this vision courageously, standing by it even when it drew scrutiny. In 2018, she stepped down from the board to make room for a leader who had been impacted by these harsh sentences, embodying the very values she helped promote. Jody Kent Lavy, CFSY’s founding executive director, described Mary Lou as “a humble, compassionate, brilliant changemaker whose unwavering support helped build power for those told as children they were worth nothing more than dying in prison.” Mary Lou’s dedication to social justice is deeply rooted in her faith, and her belief in the power of opening doors—for ourselves and for others. “Who knows what can happen when you open a door?” she said. “Your whole world could change, as mine did.” We are forever grateful for Mary Lou’s wisdom, courage, and love, which have transformed CFSY and so many lives in our fight for justice. Thank you, Mary Lou, for everything you’ve done to bring what you have witnessed in our community to other corners of this country.

“I looked at Xavier, and the universe was kind enough to let me know, this could be my child. That realization changed my entire practice of law,” Herschella Conyers reflected as she accepted an award from us last week. Herschella has spent her career fighting for the rights and futures of children in the justice system, but her relationship with Xavier McElrath-Bey, MA, Executive Director of the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth (CFSY), which began 35 years ago, was pivotal in transforming her perspective on how the criminal justice system should work. She represented Xavier (as a 13-year-old charged with first-degree murder) and saw firsthand the trauma children like him had endured. She recognized that the justice system was failing these young people, treating them as adults without considering the profound harm they had experienced. “We are dealing with children with trauma. The highest they've ever scored on anything is on an ACEs score. Adverse Childhood Experiences. That's where they rank, real high. That's just plain and simple, wrong." Xavier says, “Herschella believed in me when others saw only a lost cause. She fought for me not just as a lawyer but as a mother ‘in law’, and her advocacy saved me from decades of incarceration. Without her, I wouldn't be where I am today.” This year, Herschella is retiring from leading the Mandel Legal Aid Clinic's Criminal and Juvenile Justice Project at the University of Chicago Law School. She remains fiercely committed to ensuring that no child is ever subjected to the same extreme sentences that changed both her and Xavier’s lives. “I am renewing my commitment to reduce youth sentencing, and I am going to spend the rest of my remaining sane years trying to eliminate the word sentencing from youth altogether.” As CFSY honored Herschella for her career of service at this year’s Healing & Hope Reception, her journey alongside Xavier is a testament to the power of compassion, redemption, and fighting for a justice system that recognizes “no child is born bad.” Thank you, Herschella.