"Many of the people arrested by the voter fraud enforcement group in Florida were told by government officials that they could vote and were encouraged to register." - Patrick Berry

"We don't think you should need a lawyer to vote. Voting laws should not be so complicated that you need a lawyer to know if you are able to vote or not." - Blair Bowie

It was a pleasure to speak about people-centered advocacy at #sparer2023 Penn Carey Law - TPIC

Thrilled to spend part of my morning talking to law students and community members about the importance of local elections. Democracy only works when we all get out and make our voices heard, no matter what office is on the ballot!

Join us right now for our final panel of the day, Radical Legal and Community Strategies Towards Democracy! #SPARER2023

The Radical Legal and Community Strategies Towards Democracy Panel seeks to explore the future legal movement to protect democracy and civil rights. Specifically, how do community care and mutual aid intertwine with legal strategy? #SPARER2023

The Radical Legal and Community Strategies Towards Democracy Panel features Bruce Reilly, Cynthia Alvarado, and Blair Bowie #SPARER2023

"I believed in the system before I came into contact with it." - Cynthia Alvarado

"Prison does not heal people, it destroys you." - Cynthia Alvarado

"One of the best conversations I had when I was just beginning to work was about the issues that can arise when national organizations get involved in local issues. My focus is to work with people on the ground to support them and nurture grassroots power." - Blair Bowie

"Sometimes I have to be the villain. When it comes to advocating for people, I would love to just say nice things, but I have a duty to push on behalf of people I'm representing." - Bruce Reilly

"In my opinion, some of the most effective lawyers are jailhouse lawyers who truly know about these issues and aren't motivated by money" - Cynthia Alvarado

"If you go to law school to represent a person, you need to first view them as a person, and not a prisoner." - Cynthia Alvarado

"Lawyers can be out of touch with the people that they represent. Lawyers don't live in the same areas as their clients and need to understand where their clients come from." - Cynthia Alvarado

"There is a huge access to justice gap because having a good lawyer is expensive." - Blair Bowie

"Something I consider often is shrinking what we consider 'legal' and making information more accessible. People need to stop gatekeeping legal information." - Blair Bowie

"Sometimes the rules of professional responsibility can gatekeep. Often they are created to gatekeep and maintain the financial position of lawyers." - Blair Bowie

"My experience may be a little bit different that Bruce's experience. I was sentenced to life without parole, so my focus was not on voting rights. I was sentenced to die in there. People have different priorities based on the situation they are in." - Cynthia Alvarado

"Some of the most powerful organizers and advocates that I have met are people that haven't had their rights restored." - Blaire Bowie

We are excited to announce our Alumni Impact Awards Finalists! Join us on Tuesday, April 18th, as we honor them and announce the Alumni Impact Awards Winner! (RSVP: bit.ly/43qksir)