Monthly Newsletter

             September 18th, 2024

Dear Members, Families, and Friends,
  

 We are happy to be hoping everyone is well. The break during August was much needed after almost four years of planning, meetings, events, and pushing for our members. Well, I wouldn't exactly say a break cause we've been busy with the Fair Parole Hearings and Second Look campaigns.  We will have more on the progress of both inside the newsletter. Thanking everyone who sent in a Parole Hearings and Second Look campaign story. We have them all and we're going over them and getting them out. The road to reform is long and winding and many people will never fully understand the sacrifices. The ability to inspire is not just a phrase or slogan it's a life need. To provide hope or a voice could give one that little bit they need to fight another day. So when we sign up each day to fight this fight for our members and the men and women of Virginia DOC,  we do so with a pure heart and honest intentions. Our members have come home to work with us and do events with us. We recently had a member who was invited to speak with Governor Youngkin but more on that later. 9We are hoping to be able to hire our members in the near future but more on that later. As for now, we all must continue to get better and keep ourselves in position for greatness! This also applies to us in society, because mistakes can quickly happen, so staying aware and focused is always the mission. Please enjoy the newsletter and share it with somebody.                  

 Fair Parole Hearings Campaign
Our Fair Parole Hearings Campaign has been a great success so far.  We've been educating the public on the need for increased approvals for an aging prison population.  We've been highlighting stories ro Delegates and Senators who have shown interest as well. Many  of you can remember us asking you to write legislators and even Lt. Governor Winsome Sears about Fair Parole hearings over a year ago. We just had 100's of our supporters send in letters. Every single action matters! Last week Governor Youngkin appointed former Commonwealth Attorney Phillips Ferguson as a fifth member on the board. This can be pivotal for those needing that crucial 3rd vote of approval. Our commitment to this will not waiver. Please stay encouraged, focused, and ready. When the opportunity comes we need you out here living your best life! Leave any bitterness or frustration behind and we know it's been a journey.  I do feel however that the time is coming. Please have your family, friends, and those around you to support the Fair Parole Hearings Campaign on our website The40Strong.com and Facebook@TheForty Strong 
Please note: The new parole rule states the following according to:53.1-136 #9 Ensure that each person eligible for parole receives a timely and thorough review of his suitability for release on parole, including a review of any relevant post sentencing information.  This part here is NEW LAW as of July 1st [If parole is denied, the basis for denial of parole shall be in writing and shall give specific, individualized reasons for such denial to such inmate.] Specific and Individualized is clear language.
              

 Second Look Outlook
So, one thing we don't do is keep anything from y'all.  It's our responsibility to give you what the word is and why that word is. So, we are being told that Delegate Don Scott is leaning against bringing Second Look up at the 2025 General Assembly. This is not etched in stone, but we've already begun our own strategizing. Of course, his thoughts are concern of 2025 being an election year as well as Governor Youngkins hesitance to sign reform bills into law. Delegate Scott believes the power for major change is in next year's governor's race. Delegate Scott did mention that if we could get a Republican to sponsor the bill that would be great. So that's where we will start until a decision is made. Please send us a powerful one-page email asking a Republican lawmaker to support Second Look.  We will forward it to their email with our own push behind it. There were several Republicans who supported reform legislation last year so we will start there. Apply your request to your own situation and we will push together. In the meantime, we will still be highlighting Second Look stories on our website The40Strong.com and Facebook@TheForty Strong* If you would like to start a Second Look letter campaign at your facility to Republican lawmakers to get a Second Look patron just let us know. 
    

40 Strong Pardon Petition Service
  We officially started offering pardon services. We will not be accepting all applicants because we want to give 110% to each petition.  We do intend on using our relationships with Delegates, Organizations, Employers, etc... to strengthen and see each petition to success. Please have your family reach out for a Pardon Petition application at:40strongpardons@gmail.com      

 40 Strong Pod Classes
We kicked off our 40 Strong Pod classes at Deerfield this week. Our education Director Kirsten created the idea, and it took off! So, one of our members reached out in hopes of teaching 8-10 people Spanish in his Pod but needed the books. So, we went to our social media outlets and got the books paid for by our supporters and those books are on the way to Deerfield as we speak. The best part is we raised enough for 20 people for the class instead of 10!!! The ability to educate is right where you stand! If you have the knowledge to teach a class, be it Spanish, Business, Financial Literacy, Parenting, Creative Writing, etc... Send the class you'd like to teach, qualifications, and number of students you have, and we'll look for support. PLEASE be informed and ready to effectively teach your class with structure and care.            
            

     DO SOMETHING 
As we get closer to the 2025 General Assembly, what are you doing to help reform? Will you write a letter, get your family involved, tell someone around you? Being charge free and going to school is good but there's something greater in you! We NEVER judge our members or none of that, we know the Realities of prison. We understand the survival of it and having to eat--- that's real! Regardless of what you should be doing something to invest in YOUR life! The success comes with the planning. Have room to grow NEVER think you know it all----foolish pride is the enemy of growth. Stay encouraged and know that help is on the way!
     

40 STRONG FAIR PAROLE HEARINGS CAMPAIGN
Our website The40Strong.com is currently supporting Fair Parole Hearings with a candidate every month. We have been getting families and the public to send emails to Lt. Governor Winsome Sears and Parole Board Chairwoman Patricia West asking for Fair Hearings.  We were very sad to learn that Nobody was granted parole in July and want that to change. We stand in the fight for ALL our members, and we know your stories.  We are optimistic that the program at Lawrenceville for parole eligible will produce more approvals and we are following it closely. PLEASE have your family and friends support Fair Hearings by going to The40Strong.com and our Facebook@TheForty Strong     

TRY SOMETHING NEW AND DIFFERENT!! Request for Art Project participants for those in Richmond, VA with loved ones behind the walls. From artist Marcia who believes that HANDWRITING IS ART?! Note: prior sewing skills are not required since we will use a basic stitch with needle and thread that is easy to learn.

From the artist: "I have been thinking about a novel project that would involve an original handwritten story (1 paragraph or less) or an essential handwritten sentence of a woman currently incarcerated in Virginia. Her original handwritten words are subsequently hand embroidered with gold thread by a loved one on the outside. It would be an artistic collaboration between loved ones to lift up the voice that is too often not seen. Artist Marcia will provide materials and instruction on gold embroidery. Instructions will be in Richmond, VA, most likely at the Main Public Library. After 2 or 3 sessions participants can do the embroidery on their own but may continue to meet until their embroidery project has been completed. This is slow, meditative work that employs love and care. Of course, final work is for participants to keep.” If interested, contact Marcia directly: handwritingisart@gmail.com

   FACEBOOK LIVE WOMEN'S TAKEOVER
On SEPTEMBER 12TH at 7pm we will have a Special Edition Women's Takeover Facebook Live.  PLEASE have your friends and family support as we will highlight some of the most Powerful voices in Reform who happen to be women. Save the date and PLEASE support! This an especially important show because member and recently released Sam Harris will be the host.  Sam was recently invited to the Governor’s press conference by Governor Youngkin where the governor signed an executive order to provide resources to returning citizens.  Sam was able to speak to the governor about Reform and we are so proud of what our members are doing in society. Tell your family and friends to support this live.              

  40 STRONG REENTRY VISION
We are currently looking at starting The 40 Strong Trucking and eventually house restoration to offer our members jobs once released. We are also pursuing other interests that will assist with the serious task of Reentry. If you are expecting release in the next 18 months and would like job placement please reach out. PLEASE include the area you'll be returning to.. Our Reentry Vision also includes financial Mentorship, Career Training, Investing and more! WE WILL HAVE MORE ON THIS IN UPCOMING NEWSLETTERS.

Richmond, Charlottesville & Arlington Only did you get billed for being in court? If you had a Public Defender or a Court-Appointed Attorney, and got convicted, you got billed for that representation. The Legal Aid Justice Center is working to change the system in Virginia so that everyone has access to legal defense without being burdened with debt. Your story can help us do that! If you would like to share your story, please reach out to 40 Strong. Please note that sharing your story with LAJC does not mean they will be able to represent you in a legal matter.    

  RALLY FOR ROBERT GLEN FORD CASES
Message from Angela Antoine to our members I am writing to invite you to the Forgotten Robert G. Ford Cases Rally, a significant event aimed at bringing attention to unresolved cases that have deeply impacted our community. This rally will take place on Sept 28 at Towne Point Park Norfolk, VA, and is organized to advocate for justice and raise awareness about these long-neglected issues.

Your presence at this event would be invaluable, given your role in local government and your commitment to community welfare. The rally will feature:
- Speeches from key community leaders and activists
- Testimonies from families affected by the unresolved cases
- Opportunities for local officials to engage with constituents and discuss potential solutions

The Forgotten Robert G. Ford Cases Rally is more than just an event; it is a call to action. By attending, you can help amplify the voices of those who have been unheard for too long and work towards meaningful change.

We believe that your participation can make a significant difference in highlighting these cases and pushing for the necessary actions to resolve them. Please let us know if you can attend or if you would like more information about the rally.
                    September 28th 10am-12pm                          Towne Point Park                              113 Waterside Park                            Norfolk, Virginia 
Court Costs Court Appointed Attorney 
If you were given a court appointed attorney or public defender and received a bill, please have someone call and tell your story and leave your info. Legal Aid Justice Center 804-521-7306
            UPCOMING EVENTS!!!
Here are some great events you'll want to get your families involved with. We will be there and hope to meet your family and friends.
     I DESERVE A SECOND CHANCE
RALLY FOR RUDOLPH TURNER 
Saturated September 7th 1pm-4pm     Denbigh Community Center      15198 Warwick Blvd.      Newport News, Virginia 
* This will be BIG for those seeking Second Chances                      
ACLU Virginia Need A SECOND CHANCE       Community Engagement Day 
   Saturday September 14th 11am-4pm            Richmond Public Library             101 east Franklin Street            Richmond, Virginia 23219
This exhibition will run from September 6th through September 30th with the Community Engagement on the 14th. The exhibits first night will be Sept. 6th from 6pm-9pm. We will be there on the 14th as will other great organizations and advocates to help your family.                 
 Paul Taylor's Returning Citizens Event.            LUNCHEON WITH PURPOSE PLEASE reach out to us for Link to get tickets. THE40STRONG@GMAIL.COM
                   Richmond Marriott
 500 East Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 United States
THIS WILL BE IMPACTFUL!
  Inthrive Film Festival Richmond!!!            Saturday October 19th                      12pm-5pm
      Richmond First Baptist Church            2709 Monument avenue             Richmond, Virginia 23220
We will have presentations on The Journey of Reform. Your families and friends will have a great time.

A message from Kirsten Director of Education
57% of people incarcerated in state prisons have never participated in education programs, 75% of incarcerated people are illiterate, and formerly incarcerated individuals are less likely to have received high school and college educations. With significant waiting lists and rigorous exclusions to program participation, we identify a gap in educational provisions for our incarcerated members across the entire prison system in Virginia. With wins in reform on the horizon, and more and more people coming home to their families and communities, we have formulated a specific mission in terms of providing education in non-traditional and innovative formats. With pilot programs being embraced by our members in facilities throughout the State, we have uncovered an eagerness to learn and a sense of hope. Throughout the United States, over 125,000 incarcerated people have never been offered the opportunity to participate in educational programs throughout their incarceration. This is not and will never be okay. We hope this will assist with employment opportunities post release, an uplift in mental and physical health, and increased positivity. With your support, I envision an environment where we can reduce prison violence and invest in our incarcerated loved ones through critical thinking, access to education, social development, and leadership opportunities. PLEASE CONTINUE TO EDUCATE YOU!

By Cianna Morales (WHRO-NPR Hampton Roads)

'There's so much talent incarcerated in here,' Sheriff Rocky Holcomb said.

In a mix of harmonies, solos and rap, three Virginia Beach jail inmates performed for an audience of deputies, city officials and media in the city jail Aug. 15.

“Get your surfboard, something to work towards, I was raised different,” Jonathan Jones and Marc Austin rapped. “I was raised different,” Zykiah Barnes sang in a refrain. “I mentioned a switch of my ways, listen, I’m kicking back through fiction. We can flip the group calls themselves BDO — short for Beat da Odds — and the verses are from their original song “Not a Number.”     Legal Advice from Mr. Sample
Comprehension is an important step in working on your case. This is your life, don't pretend to understand because of your pride. There I absolutely no way you can effectively challenge your convictionif you can't fully comprehend what you are reading.  So, what can you do to increase your comprehension? Invest in a good dictionary and a good legal dictionary.  If you think that educating yourself is expensive, wait until you see the cost of ignorance. Please take some time to brush up on the laws of English. Simply knowing the difference between the words " and " & " or " in a statute can be the deciding factor in winning or losing your case. Punctuation is another very important area to brush up on. Just to give you an idea of how important language is consider this. The Virginia Supreme Court has ruled that if a statute is poorly constructed or ambiguous there should be a lenient interpretation. In other words, viewed I the light most favorable to you. That said, gather your paperwork, get your statutes, pull out your dictionaries and gain understanding.  
In Closing....
We hope that you enjoyed the September's newsletter. We believe that more great things are coming but we have to be in unity and solidarity.  Please know that next year's Governor's race will decide huge factors in Reform for the next 20 years. Please build your vote support team now from Ptown, The Beach, D.C., The Newz, Roanoke, Norfolk, Manassas, Stanton, The Beach, Henrico, South Boston, Richmond, Franklin, Hampton, Danville, Fredericksburg, Hopewell, Petersburg, Charlottesville, Farmville, Suffolk, Waynesboro, Williamsburg, Surry, and so on. Our best to you and those you love.

Chris 40 S 40 Strong Advocate 




The40Strong.com
Facebook@TheForty Strong
Tik Tok 40strongwave
 

WELCOMING ALL NEW MEMBERS!!!

We have done everything possible for Freedom, but still lack that Second Chance. Here's info:

#1 Write us a short version of how long you've been in, ALL accomplishments, how many times you've been turned down, how long charge free etc.

#2 What is your most common reason for denial?

#3 What is your home plan and plan once you're released?

PLEASE specify if you're Old Law, Geriatric, Juvenile, or Fishback. We need great template people for our Facebook and our website. This is a VERY serious problem, and we have to approach it as such.

* If your family has a good picture of you that we can add to profile on website please have them send it to our email

with your name and state #

The40strong@gmail.com

In the meantime, keep fighting! Keep taking classes, working, and staying in position. We will continue to get updates from Lawrenceville about the progress and process for parole eligible.

WE WILL SPEAK FOR YOU!!!!

_____________________________________________________

The next stop is Southside Virginia Community College. We did Northern Virginia now this will be 1hr from Richmond 40 minutes from Petersburg. Everyone who contributed to George Mason's event will have their poetry and spoken word highlighted again. If your family would like to attend or come out to read your work have them email us: The40strong@gmail.com

WE WILL BE HERE WITH GIVEAWAYS AND TSHIRTS!

INTHRIVE FILM FESTIVAL AT SOUTHSIDE!!!!!!

Saturday August 3, 2024, 12pm--5pm

Southside Virginia Community College

109 Campus Drive

Alberta, Virginia 23821

* The critically acclaimed documentary Calls from Home will be shown with other great short films. Lit!!!!!
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          PARDON PETITTION SERVICE

We will be offering Pardon Petition Services
beginning August 1st to increase the doors 
for Second Chances. Please have your family
reach out to us for an application. As you
pursue other forms of freedom its vital to stay 
in position.  
For a Pardon Petition Contact Us:
The40strong@gmail.com

                             AFFORDABLE 
________________________________________________________

US Attorney General
Merrick Garland
950 Penn. Ave
Wash., DC 20530
202-353-1555
202-252-7566

US Dept. of Justice
202-514-2002

Va. Attorney General
Jason S. Miyares
202 N. 9th Street
Rich., Va. 23219
804-786-2071

Va. Secretary of State
Kelly Gee (R)
P. O. 1475
Rich., Va.
804-786-2441

Governor of Virginia
Glenn Youngkin (R)
Winsome Earle-Sears Lt. Gov. of Va.
1111 E. Broad St.
Rich., Va. 23219
804-786-2211
Glenn.Youngkin@governor.virginia.gov

US Supreme Court
1 First Street NE
Wash., DC 20543
202-479-3000

Va. Supreme Court
100 N. 9th Street 5th Fl.
Rich., Va. 23219
804-786-2251

Clerk of Court Muriel-Theresa Pitney
Chief Deputy Clerk William B. Tsimpris
Deputy Clerk I Lesley Smith
“. Clerk II Jody James-Wood
“. Clerk III Melissa B. Layman

Subject Matter: Utilizing your Creative Writing to Impact Communities in Society.

The 40 Strong Advocacy Group would like to build a platform that would give those who are sincerely working towards change and Rehabilitation an opportunity to reach back out to society in a positive way through creative writing. Our team would like to collaborate with those writers who can provide a since of direction for the youth in our communities. The 40 Strong will be hands on with publishing, editing and illustrations for Self-help, Mentorship and Mental Health projects.

Our communities in society are in need of more Mentorship and Leadership from those men and women who were once a part of the problem now they are part of the solution. There are many of those incarcerated in the Virginia Department of Corrections who have the creativity to create a project that would encourage, influence and motivate the next generation to become the best version of themselves. However, they do not have the support or the means to publish a project that could potentially help our communities.

The 40 strong will be your voice and the quality of material that we are promoting will only be for Self-help, Mentorship and Mental Health Projects "No Urban Novels" we do not want to glorify what lead many of those to incarceration. Our goal is to expand the fight for freedom for those incarcerated in the VA DOC to show their impact on society through creative writing.

Those men and women who are interested can send their manuscript via JPay to be evaluated for approval, once they are approved by our team, we will send out a contract to the author that will discuss royalties and etc. along with an initial payment to begin the project. The 40 strong will market your project through social media and other outlets where books are sold. A percentage of the proceeds will go towards the Author and a Charitable Organization of your choice. The goal is to create a project that we can show to those legislatures on why there are many of those incarcerated who should be considered for a Second Chance.

We want to touch on topics such as Peer Pressure, Influencers, Drug Addiction, PTSD, Domestic Violence, Gang Violence, Entrepreneurship, recognizing risky situations, setting a Goal, Managing Stress, Anxiety and Sadness. These are just a few topics that we can brainstorm our creativity to create a project that will potentially help our society.

_______________________________________

Members Making It Happen

Convict Care is a small movement started by an incarcerated person meant to provide the tools people doing time all over the world need to make the most of their bids. The first book, Convict Care- Thousand Dollar Hustle is a step-by-step guide that teaches you as an inmate how to achieve financial independence while serving time ANYWHERE. I, David Hosley utilized these tools on a super max and a maximum-security prison and stopped being a bum. I started to make contributions to my own family and take care of myself. You can do the same thing, all from prison. Start by going onto Amazon and looking up Convict Care. Order yourself a copy and don't forget to address it to the central mail distribution center:
Your name and #
C.M.D.C
3521 Woods Way
Statefarm, VA 23160

Support the movement by ordering a copy to help you become the best version of yourself. The first step to success is saving self!

________________________________________

SECOND LOOK STORIES

If you think your situation is PERFECT for Second Look let us know. Must have 15 years served, a great institutional history, work history, programs and been affected by blatant over sentencing. The better the aesthetics the more attention we can get and support. PLEASE have picture (with family at visit is great) because this will be on our website, and we want to humanize mistakes and hope. Please give us a brief on why you'd be perfect for our Second Look campaign!

* If your story is highlighted it will be on our public website, social media platforms, and lawmakers to gain more traction on Second Look – tell your family and friends to head to our website to keep up to date on our Spotlight Second Look members. This months’ Second Look Campaign is Jimmy Baggett.

________________________________________

40 Strong Facebook Live!!!

JULY 19TH 7:30PM-9PM

Hosted By: Kirsten

Re-entry Realities and Parole Truth

Please have your family and friends join us for a very important Facebook Live as we interview Returning Citizens and those who've been waiting decades for parole. Please save the date and get people to support.

Facebook@TheForty Strong

Greensville's Juneteenth Celebration

We are happy to announce a great event at S-3 that highlighted the unity and talent at Greensville. The show was planned and organized by those at Greensville and supported by Warden Coleman, Assistant Warden Springs and staff. There was singing, spoken word, poetry, education, laughs, music, skits, and plenty of UNITY! Many 40 Strong members attended, and it was a great way to celebrate Juneteenth. Let's keep showing the best of you are!

________________________________________
      BIG EVENTS COMING!!!!!!!

KETCHMORE KIDS WEEKEND
AUGUST 4TH NEWPORT NEWS
King Lincoln Park
600 Jefferson Ave 
Newport News USA
1pm-sunset
Fun, Food, Games, Huge Giveaway at event
___________________________________________
RIHD MOBILE TOUR SCHEDULE
August 10th 1:30-4pm
Pearl Bailey Library 
2510 Wickham Ave 
Newport News USA 23607

August 17th 1-4pm
Varina Public Library
1875 New Market rd 
Henrico USA 23231

August 24th 12-4pm
Charlottesville Public Library
201 east Market Street
Charlottesville, VA 22902

I DESERVE A SECOND CHANCE
Rally for Rudolph Turner

Saturday September 7th 1-4pm
Denbigh Community Center
15198 Warwick Blvd
Newport News USA 
Shana Hicks, Dr. Iris Wright, Bilal Muhammad

PASS THESE EVENTS ON!!!!!

NEWS YOU CAN USE

New Book Project courtesy CFJ

A new service is available that will offer you free books. Please send a request asking for one book, dictionary, composition notebook, or religious text per month. Please include your general areas of Interest whether that be fiction, nonfiction, reference, or religious texts. When writing please use your full name ID number, facility and address. Here is the info motion to contact:

Virginia Tech Prison Book Project (0227)

115 Major Williams Hall,

220 Stranger Street

Blacksburg, Virginia 24061

Books Behind Bars

1600 Gordon Avenue

Charlottesville, VA 22903

DC Books to Prisoners

P.O Box 34190

Washington DC 20043

KEEP ON READING!!!!

RIHD Summer Program

RIHD is having FREE fun events for kids on the weekends and year-round in Richmond. This includes Ice Skating, Day trips and more! Please have someone reach out to RIHD to get your kids involved.

Donald " Don " Allen

RIHD Ambassador and Youth Leader

M-F 8-5 804-426-4426

RIHDyouth23075@gmail.com

*Tell them 40 Strong sent you!

Thanks to everyone who supported

Hear Her Voice Blog the movement for women. Please have your family/friends check it out at: hearhervoice.blog

If you're going back to Richmond please tap into this Peer Based organization.

Education and Training, Group Support,

Community Referrals, and More!!!!

The Strivers Program

2916 Chamberlayne, Ave

Richmond, VA 23222

www.where-we-help/Thestriversprogram

_____________________________________

Legal and Litigation Tips

We’d like to thank Mr. Sample for offering to give some legal Tips in.our monthly newsletter to help with the arduous fight of Litigation. We are looking to have a new Director of Litigation soon because we know how much in means to you all. Let's get on with the tip of the month!

The most important thing that anyone fighting their case pro se has to learn is to emotionally separate themselves from the case. You have to look at it as if you are doing research for someone else. This is a very difficult thing to do, so difficult in fact that even attorneys are discouraged from representing themselves. Haven't you heard the old saying, " An attorney who represents himself has a fool for a client! "However, if you can learn this skill, you are well on your way to being a true litigator. You will be able to focus on real legal issues instead of floundering around in anger or despair. Here's a tip to get you started; treat it like a project: #1 Make a plan #2 find your issue #3 do your research #4 choose your remedy and file your papers to the court. GOOD LUCK and don't forget to check your emotions at the door!

________________________________________

In Closing.....

We will be back at you guys in September to allow everyone time to rest and recharge. A huge thanks to Chris, Kirsten, Nairobi, Netta, Uhuru, Jessica, Harley, Nasir, and the rest of the team. The way you give of yourselves without complaint is Amazing! While we take this time to recharge, please focus on what's next. We all know that the General Assembly is coming fast (January 2025), so, start getting your family and friends on point. You might as well get your stamps and envelopes because we will be writing Delegates, Senators, and others. Please continue with work, programs, and finding ways to get better. Do a recap of the newsletter to support the Parole Initiative, Intrieve Film Festival, Facebook Live, RIHD Summer Fun, and more!!! The work starts NOW for Victories in January! One more thing, DO NOT LET YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY MISS THE FACEBOOK LIVE!

Chris 40 Strong

The40strong@gmail.com

The40Strong.com

--
Kirsten Knights
Personal Advocate & Director of Education
The 40 Strong

June 6th, 2024

Greetings Members, Families and Friends!

    WE ARE HAPPY ABOUT THE EARNED SENTENCE CREDITS VICTORY!!! Of course, we all remember the heartbreak of 2022 when the amendments by Governor Youngkin stopped mixed charges Earned Sentence Credits from becoming law. Now just 2 years later this will be law on July 1st! This is expected to release 800-850 people immediately and 1,000's more in the future.

This was achieved by hard work and a REFORM COMMUNITY that stood tall. We are thankful for the families that came out, voted, participated, emailed, questioned, and cheered. We get several emails a day from your families looking for information. We love to help them learn more on how to help you. So, with Earned Sentence Credits passing I think we all know what the next step is----- REENTRY!!!! We need everybody returning to society ready to leave and be that pillar to the community and your family. We have never lied to y'all or have it any way but across the table; WE HAVE TO MAKE REENTRY A SUCCESS!  This allows for Second Look, 21 under parole, and other things possible. What the First Wave does in July will affect reform for the next 5-10 years. We canceled our Stonewall event to focus exclusively on Reentry Resources. *WE will have ALL Reentry Resources on our website The40Strong.com on June 20th and will keep it updated! FREEDOM IS PRICELESS 

  This newsletter will have REENTRY info to help. If someone around, you is going home soon share the info. We will post a more completed list on our website:

The40Strong.com on June 15th to help assist you further. Do not be afraid to reach out to places like the Salvation Army, O.A.R, Virginia Cure, and even YMCA/YWCA. Just like reaching out to your family's church or place of worship. Be a VOLUNTEER when you can MANY jobs originate from volunteering or community service. We are just really excited about the results that continue to show the hard work. We still have to stay focused. There are still many men and women in Virginia DOC without that chance. We want Parole to be more attainable.

STARTING JULY 1ST PAROLE REFORM

#1. The board will only be required to have 3 of 4 votes to approve a parole application. This is GREAT NEWS that could be the reason for a second chance.

#2. The Parole Board must notify you of their decision via in person visit (face to face), or via video visit.

This will make huge impact on the possibilities so stay encouraged!

___________________________________________

  Earned Sentence Credits Confirmation 

 When the earned sentence credits news first broke two years ago, I was personally devastated. It felt like the organization had let everyone down. I know that may sound crazy but that's how it felt. It gets very difficult trying to impact the organization from behind the wall and it shows you the limitations on you. However, there was nothing in me that said this was gonna be the end of it. So, after days of little sleep and mental anxiety, the word VOTE popped in my head. The next day the Virginia DOC voting block was ignited. When I heard that the Delegate Majority was debating the budget with Governor Youngkin I thought of those votes. I thought of hitting the yard and passing out flyers. I thought about telling everyone around me to get their people to vote. I thought about winning!!! So it was the numbers that permitted debate which brought change. NEVER underestimate the power of votes! Now to those going home

PLEASE stand on business out there so others like myself can follow.

                          Free       (founder)

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              SECOND LOOK PUSH

For those of you that have family members who are active Prison Reform and criminal justice advocates, this is just a quick reminder regarding the upcoming Second Look Recap 2024, and workshop on the next steps moving forward. SIP (Sisters in Prison Reform), Nolef Turns, and the Humanization Project will be conducting this free event June 8, 2024, 1-4pm at the Richmond Public Library- 101 East Franklin Street Richmond, VA 23219. Food, drinks, and some very helpful education will be provided at this event. The event is free, and all are not only welcome but encouraged to attend, but you will need to register ahead of time at the link below. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdJR2b27yaCV6JDRg4jbeOYmqXwEaqvkD02Z5ieTaR4Q5JTQA/viewform?usp=sf_link&usp=embed_facebook As a quick back story; I first began my advocacy journey December 2023 by signing up for a training course regarding Second Look. I had no political background or experience with advocacy or lobbying. However, I did have something in common with each of you. I had someone very dear to me in VADOC, and I wanted to help. From that day on, I continued to learn, I showed up, and I made my voice heard. That’s really all that’s required to advocate for not only your loved ones, but everyone affected by incarceration in Virginia. I’m proud to be donating my time and knowledge to my 40 Strong Family and continuing to build bonds with our other selfless organizations and individuals that are making a difference. Please consider joining in the fight and encouraging your family and friends to do so as well. I hope to see many familiar faces as well as new ones on June 8th. 

Jessica D 40 Strong

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Founder Free Speaks Commentary

After almost 3 1/2 years of doing the work, I had no idea how tired I was. I can remember arriving at Greensville almost 2 weeks ago still exuberant from the great news on the victory of EXPANDING EARNED SENTENCE CREDITS. It was a little bit surreal after all of the strategy, networking, events, emails, action calls and everything else over the last two years. Did I ever doubt that we would win---- NOT AT ALL! There's something sobering about men and women being told that they would in fact be reuniting with their families, only to be told a couple weeks prior to that July 2022 date that
they wouldn't be. It was painful and heartbreaking to say the least. However, I used that pain, and those tears to fuel motivation. So, when I arrived here at Greensville I came with the baggage of many sleepless nights and the fatigue of reform. When I laid my head on my pillow the first night here, I slept like I hadn't slept in years! I would do the same the next night, and the next night and nights after that. Now, after almost two weeks here I feel somewhat like myself. It feels like I was in isolation at Lawrenceville almost. With Lawrenceville being privately owned, it was hard to tell what influence 40 Strong was really having in Virginia DOC. It wasn't until I was moved in population that it became crystal clear. I was greeted with so many hugs and smiles from members that it overwhelmed me. I TRULY HAD NO IDEA!!! Nevertheless, I gave hugs and listened to the stories of hope and newfound belief. Then the other day when I heard the nurse call 7 men to sign discharge papers of upcoming releases unbeknownst to them, it was surreal again. Many had release dates next year, or 2026 and even 2028. Their faces said it all! So yes, the hard work was paying off by us and all the organizations and advocates on the ground. This is a pivotal moment in Prison Reform in Virginia. Now, the focus shifts to the fight for Second Look in General Assembly session 25. I still believe and the motivation is there. As I look around Greensville, I see aged faces who've been here for decades begging for the chance for a Second Chance. I see the eyes of men who want to reunite with their families. So, the story continues... I am thankful for this journey and for our close to 2500 members that we give hope. I am humbled to serve and believe that Second Look is next. Let's GO!!!!

Free 40 Strong

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The WellnessWarriors group- Who we are?

An idea born in 2021 when one of us became more aware of the truth about the conditions our

inside communities faced and a passionate desire to find a way to improve it with tools one

couldn't have taken away, A Warrior Within US Project began a 21-day mindset-reset beta

program, it received positive reviews however soon after- the project was temporarily put on

hold to deal with and handle a re-entry situation, we share that for true transparency because it

was a situation that took another year and a half of focus. So, fall of 2023 excited to pick up

where we left off, we began creating a focus group dedicated to wellness & mindset, with goal of

an inside newsletter and outside workshop. We have grown to a solid diverse group with

members from Virginia, Florida, Missouri, West Virginia and even The Caribbean, our group

includes the formerly incarcerated, a mom with a degree in psychology, A Neurodivergent Yoga

instructor and a few of us with existing wellness geared programs or groups. All passionate

about the betterment of our community's youth to adult both inside and outside those walls. Our

goal here is to provide information, resources, tips and guidance to help improve the mental and

physical health and also one’s mindset. Together, we aim to create a positive impact and

promote overall wellness within correctional facilities and at re-entry to assist in reintegration.

Tools you have within you just waiting to be realized & utilized, Tools that no one can take from you.

Education is empowering! – Wellness Warriors Editorial

To empower yourself in the advocacy of your health care & mental health care with knowledge of common medications is important. Advocating for proper evaluations, checkups and medicine is within your right. Wellness Warriors has provided a general overview of 10 categories of the most commonly used physical & mental health medications prescribed within Correctional facilities, keep in mind some overlap.

Example: •Ability is an antipsychotic, but it is often also used for mood stabilization

•Seroquel- depending on one's physician could be used to treat agitation, mood and also those with sleep or memory disorders

•Gabapentin, though most often used for nerve pain, has been used for moderate general pain, and an anti-seizure therapy and also off label for anxiety.

1. **Antipsychotics**: These medications are used to treat conditions such as schizophrenia/effective, bipolar disorder, and severe depression w/psychotic features. - Risperidone (Risperdal) - Olanzapine (Zyprexa) - Quetiapine (Seroquel) - Aripiprazole (Abilify)

2. **Antidepressants**: These medications are used to treat various types of depression and anxiety disorders and fall under a few categories. The difference matters because some meds are not to be taken with SSRIs or MAOIs. •Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): -Fluoxetine (Prozac) -Sertraline (Zoloft) •Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs): -Venlafaxine (Effexor) -Duloxetine (Cymbalta) •Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs) -Amitriptyline -Nortriptyline •Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) -Phenelzine (Nardi), -Tranylcypromine (Parate) •Antidepressant/Anti-Anxiety: -Lexapro (increases serotonin)

3. **Mood Stabilizers**: These medications are primarily used to treat bipolar/mood disorder. - Lithium - Valproate (Depakote) - Lamotrigine (Lamictal) 4. **Anxiolytics** These medications are used to treat anxiety disorders. •Benzodiazepines: -Lorazepam (Ativan) -Alprazolam (Xanax) - Buspirone (Buspar)

5. **Pain relievers/Analgesics** -Gabapentin (Neurontin) -hydrocodone (Vicodin) -oxycodone (Percocet) •Anti-inflammatory (Arthritis, Injury etc.) - Naproxen (This could be prescription or over the counter as Aleve) - Ibuprofen (both prescription strength 600&800mg or over the counter 200mg)

6.**Antihypertensives** Medications that help lower high blood pressure. -Lisinopril -Amlodipine 7. **Antidiabetic drugs** Medications used to manage diabetes and regulate blood sugar levels. - Metformin (type 2 diabetics) -Insulin (type 1 and 2 diabetics)

8.**Anticonvulsants** Drugs that help control seizures in conditions like epilepsy. -Neurontin (gabapentin) -Phenytoin

9.**Antacids** Medications that help reduce stomach acid and treat digestive issues. -Nexium -Prilosec

10.**Antibiotics** Drugs that help fight bacterial infections. -Amoxicillin -Penicillin -Doxycycline -Clindamycin Some side effects to the different meds above are weight gain, upset stomach, excessive sleepiness, brain fog/memory issues, digestive issues, rapid movements and more please make sure to report any adverse effects to your nurse/physician, Helpful definition: Serotonin's a brain chemical that affects mood and emotions, influencing feelings of well-being. Imbalances can lead to conditions like depression and anxiety, treated with medications that increase serotonin levels. We hope this helps empower you in navigating and advocating your healthcare, if there's another medicine you need information on, please let us know. ______________________________________________
               IMPORTANT NUMBERS

Chesapeake Law Library
298 Cedar Road
Chesapeake, Va. 23322
757-382-8301

Va. Appeal Court
Clerk John Vollino
109 N. 8th Street
Rich., Va. 23219
804-786-5651

Alexandria Law Library
530 King Street LL34
Alex.  Va. 22314
703-746-4077
Library of Congress
Dr. Carla Hayden appointed by Pres. Obama
101 Independence Ave, SE
Wash., DC 20540
202-707-5000 or 8000

VA. DOC ADA
Barry. Marano@vadoc.virginia.gov
6900 Atmore Drive
Rich., Va. 23225
804-763-9960

DOJ ADA
US Dept. of Justice
Disability Rights Section
950 Penn. Ave NW
Wash., DC 20530
800-514-0301

VA DOC Ombudsman (s)
1100 H Street NW
Wash., DC 20005
202-506-3333
VDSS OCR Office
 ______________________________________________

REENTRY PROGRAM PROVIDERS

Colonial Comm. Corr. Transitional Services

4093 Ironbound Rd., Suite B

Williamsburg, VA 23188

Phone: (757) 564-2311, FAX: (757) 229-8963

Email: hal.diggs@jamescitycountyva.gov

Northern Neck Reg. Jail Reentry &

Transition Services

P.O. Box 1090

Warsaw, VA 22572

Phone: (804) 333-6005; Fax: (804) 333-6029

email: awalker@nnrj.state.va.us

jsegar@nnrj.state.va.us

Northwestern Regional Adult Detention

Center

143 Fort Collier Road

Winchester, VA 22603

Phone:(540) 535-3851, Fax: 540-524-6192

Email: jwhitley@fcva.us

krodri@fcva.us

OAR-Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church

1400 N. Uhle Street, Suite 704

Arlington, VA 22201

Phone: (703) 228-7030; Fax: (703) 228-3981

email: ejones@oaronline.org

ksteinbruck@oaronline.org

OAR-Fairfax

10640 Page Avenue, Suite 250

Fairfax, VA 22030-4015

Phone: (703) 246-3033; Fax: (703) 273-7554

Email: doverton@oarnova.org

dhayden@oarnova.org

OAR-Jefferson Area

750 Harris St., Suite 207

Charlottesville, VA 22903

Phone: (434) 296-2441; Fax: (434) 979-4038

email: psmith@oar-jacc.org

rcarew@oar-jacc.org

gspry@oar-jacc.org

OAR-Richmond

3111 West Clay Street

Richmond, VA 23230

Phone: (804) 643-2746; Fax: (804) 643-1187

email: sdimick@oarric.org

website: http://www.oarric.org/

STEP-UP, Inc.

5900 E. Virginia Beach Blvd., Suite 102

Norfolk, VA 23502

Phone: (757) 588-3151; Fax: (757) 587-4507

Email: sbrandt@stepupincorporated.org

Virginia CARES, Inc.

108 Henry St., NW, 3rd floor

Roanoke, VA 24016

Phone: (540) 342-9344; Fax: (540) 342-9427

Email: afisher@vacares.org

Arlington – SCA Community Reentry Program

Offender Aid & Restoration of Arlington

Elizabeth Jones Valderrama

(703) 228-7441

Statewide – VADOC Career Employment Reentry Project

Cleon Ross

(804) 887-8344

Richmond – Enhanced Vocational Training, Career Planning and Job Placement Program

Bart Blanks

(804) 646-5438

Local – Community Based Re-entry – WOMEN

Jennifer Jacovitch

(540) 434-1690

Local – Comprehensive Corrections TTA

Hank Heflin

hheflin@air.org

Virginia’s Reentry Portal: https://virginiareentry.org/

Virginia Reentry Resources: https://www.reentryessentials.org/virginia.html

Virginia Reentry Programs: https://www.felonyrecordhub.com/programs/virginia-reentry-programs/

Virginia Reentry and Assistance: https://exoffenders.net/reentry-programs-assistance/virginia/

Virginia Career Works – Northern Region - https://vcwnorthern.com/jobseekers/reentry-resources/

Tap Into Hope - https://tapintohope.org/program/reentry-program/

Loudon County - https://www.loudoun.gov/4929/Re-Entry-Services

Norfolk Reentry Council - https://www.norfolk.gov/3508/Prisoner-Re-Entry-Council

Medicaid and CHIP in Virginia - https://www.medicaid.gov/state-overviews/stateprofile.html?state=virginia

In Closing......

PLEASE share all the info in the newsletter especially the REENTRY and Second Look details. PLEASE have someone show up June 8th at The Richmond public library as the push for Second Look 2025. The key to our continued success is Truth, Accountability, and Actions.  What we do from here will affect our progress at the 2025 General Assembly. We only have 7 months so PLEASE BE ON POINT! Go home and reconnect with life and its simplicity. DO NOT forget the pain, disappointments, and frustration on Incarceration.  Our next stop is Second Look, and we all have to Stand on Business! We are happy to announce that Nairobi X has launched a women's website for the movement titled

                     Hear Her Voice.Blog

 PLEASE have your mothers, wives, daughters, nieces etc... support the women's voices that are the backbone of the movement. We are now over 2500 members and growing! If you are going home Love your family, enhance your community and give back! You'll never imagine the joy of giving back until you feel it. Let's keep pushing and moving forward in Progress!

Chris 40 S
The40strong@gmail.com
The40Strong.com
TheForty Strong@Facebook

Kirsten Knights
Personal Advocate & Director of Education
The 40 Strong
Jessica Davis Personal advocate & Chapter Leader The 40 Strong

  

 We still have a few tables left for our Manassas events and we are so thankful for your continued support. In spite of everything that's happened with Governor Youngkin and the vetoes, we believe that we are one governor's race away from sweep and reforms. That means we intend on challenging the next candidates for Governor on their stance and position on criminal Justice reform. We also intend on continuing to build a consensus with the current delegate/senators to build a framework of those sweeping reforms coming January 2026. 

                        May 1, 2024

Greetings members families and friends!

   We hope that everyone is well and we send you and yours nothing but the best. This is the May newsletter and we are going to provide you with some information that will be helpful, and there will be more information coming on the budget amendment and vetoes. Unfortunately we would not be able to say anything affirmative until after the special session in the middle of this month. Please refrain from gossip and rumors and only seek to find real information that you can pass on to others.

We are so happy for everyone who showed up at The Inthrive Film Festival on April 14th at George Mason University. It was a beautiful event and all of our members poems were displayed too much admiration.  We are also excited about the upcoming event in Manassas on June 1st from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Stonewall Park. We have all the info in the newsletter and we are hoping that your family and friends can show up and support! 

We are very excited about the recent victory for the ACLU and regards to the Vasquez case and earned sentence credits. It has been ruled by the Virginia supreme Court that Vasquez must be immediately released because his urn sentence credits were held back from him. We are told that the Vasquez case was anything involving attempted, solicitation, or conspiracy to murder. We do not want to speculate who this applies to or what cases will be eligible for this, we have been told by doc that time is being recalculated and there will be new updates sheets passed out in the future. In the meantime please stay patient, and more information will come out following the special session later on this month.
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       DOC  Health and Wellness Approach

The whole month of April we had an initiative reaching out to doc to request that they take a more health and wellness approach to operations. It is our belief that if the men and women have more recreation, meditation classes, yoga classes, poetry/art contest etc... that an increase in morale and behavior will follow. We also have to take accountability with our behavior and reducing the violence and facility incidents that cologne better conditions. We will continue to reach out to director Dotson and DOC staff to try to the facilities more safe and conducive to Rehabilitation. We are so thankful to all your families and friends who's reached out to us to send in their email about Health and Wellness. If you guys have ideas on this issue you can reach out to your Warden or send it to us to be considered
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      MANASSAS WE  COMING!!!!!!

If your family is in Northern Virginia, Central Virginia, DC, Richmond etc .. tell them to come on out because we will be in Manassas on June 1st. This will be a community event full of great speakers, DJ, games for kids, food, resources, swimming pool, giveaways, other great organizations and more!!!! You already know 40 STRONG are no joke, so tell your family to come out and enjoy! 

        Saturday June 1st 12pm-6pm 
                 Stonewall Park
                 8300 Stonewall Rd.
                Manassas, Virginia 20110

*We will be in DC, Richmond, and Norfolk coming up!
______________________________________
 

           RE-ENTRY RESOURCES FOR RETURNING CITIZENS
LOC Family Services
Farmville - (434) 547-2545

Colonial Community Corrections Transitional Services - Williamsburg & Surrounds
(757) 564-2311

Northern Neck Regional Jail Reentry & Transition Services - Richmond & Surrounds
(804) 333-6006

OAR - Arlington & Surrounds
(703) 228-7519
www.oaronline.org

OAR - Fairfax & Surrounds
(703) 246-3033
www.oarfairfax.org

OAR - Jefferson Area - Charlottesville & Surrounds
(434) 296-2441
www.oar-jacc.org

OAR - Richmond & Surrounds
(804) 643-2746
www.oarric.org

Step-Up Inc. - Chesapeake & Surrounds
(757) 588-3151
www.stepupincorporated.org

______________________________
    Inthrive Film Festival

We are so thankful for everyone who supported us at the Inthrive Film Festival on April 14th. We thank the families who came out to recite our members poetry, and all those who loved the presentation that we presented. We would like to thank Sincere, Angel "Poppy" , Deuce, Brother Khalid, and other return citizens who came out to support. We will be getting those letters out to those who participated and we would like to thank everyone again for being a part of such a great event! Inthrive will be headed to Emporia and a couple other stops so stay ready!
* To all those who submitted poetry or spoken word work, your voice will be on display at all of our upcoming events and we are excited about that._________________________________________
                   40 Strong Giving!!!!

During the month of April in which we celebrated our third year anniversary, we continually found causes to support. On behalf of our members we donated $200 each to two prisoner led organizations
20/20 Clear Vision Ministries and Prisoners Rights Clinic. We found it important to support these two prisoner-led organizations because of our own founding by DOC prisoner Free. Please get your families to follow these two organizations on Facebook and let's support each other!
We also donated $150 on behalf of our members to support the men at Norway fundraising for the Victims Network. We absolutely love the idea and on behalf of our members $150 donation was made. There is no movement without giving.


_________________________________________


NEWS YOU CAN USE

____________________________________
EDUCATIONAL UPDATE WITH KIRSTEN


Happy May 40 Strong Family! 
I'm excited to provide updates and some key information you can use this month. We have had a lot of members reach out asking for specific colleges and universities that accept Pell Grants - so I wanted to make sure this was included in the newsletter update for this month. 
Don't forget that you need to complete FAFSA forms for the Pell Grants in order to get Federal Funding for any study. From there, you receive an amount in grant, and can further apply for scholarship funding after you establish your standing with the school itself. 
The colleges in Virginia that accept Pell Grants are: Virginia State University, Norfolk State University, Radford University, Old Dominion University, George Mason University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Longwood University, University of Mary Washington, Virginia Tech, James Madison University, William & Mary, University of Virginia, Christopher Newport University, Virginia Military Institute.


In terms of our College Guild Study Group pilot that we are running at 3 facilities (so far - stay tuned for more!) - we have 17 students being run by 3 study group leaders right now, and the quality of work coming back is outstanding. We are extremely excited to look at the positive educational and personal impacts these classes have, and move into a broader educational offer to our members and beyond. If you have any suggestions in terms of educational content we could look at, or you or anyone you know have classes they have designed - we are on the lookout to introduce member designed programs into our curriculum, so please do reach out!


FACEBOOK LIVE - THURSDAY MAY 9TH - 7:30PM-8:30PM
Following the success of our first Facebook Live in April, we are hosting another Live Thursday May 9th from 7:30pm. We have one spot available from 8:10pm-8:30pm for a member to call in and speak on an area of interest (think excessive lockdowns, health & wellness, program access) - so if this is something you'd like to be a part of, please use that reply stamp and make sure you let Kirsten know that you'd like to be part of the Facebook Live to speak to a broader audience and have your voice heard. We only have 8 days to iron this out and make sure we can tee up the times and agenda, so do not hesitate to reach out.
Whilst we can promote and communicate the issues that you all send to us, the power comes from your voices and experience. Last month, the interaction from our audience and the conversation that ensued post our guest members speaking was reformative and positive. The broader audience loved hearing from our members and have asked that we make this a permanent thing.
Please remember: you DO NOT have to be a seasoned public speaker to speak at the Live. We are here to support and guide you with prompts and conversation based on our pre-agreed topic. We understand nerves, and are here with you every step of the way.


Other than those two pieces of information, I'm loving connecting with you all each month, and look forward to hearing more from all of you as we strengthen our now over 2000 member strong family. All human, all equal.


Kirsten
_____________________________________________________________




 In Closing....


Thanks for the support and commitment to progress. Our sole purpose of what we do is to unite, inspire, and create second chances. We represent this every day in the representation of our members and we expect our members to do the same. In matters of self change we must for ourselves to self analyze. Are you becoming better as a person? Are you providing leadership to your children, family, and community? What is your purpose? We expect greatness out of our members. I wake up every day with the cause of progress on my feet. This is not physical fight so why are we fighting?!
This is about humanity in our eyes! So when we fight for you with words , actions, events, research, etc.. we want that returned in positive behavior, growth, and development. 40 Strong members do not crash we become better! Facebook live 5/9 7:30---- Chesapeake 5/25 -----Manassas community event June 1st 12pm-6pm. All info is in the newsletter---- SO ACTIONS speak the intent. Our best to you!


A very special wish and a happy mother's Day to all of our members that are  mothers. In honor of mother's Day we will be giving five special edition baskets to five deserving mothers. Please write in 200 words or less why your mother should receive a basket. All letters due by Monday May 6th at 6:00 p.m..


Chris 40 S.
The40Strong.com
the40strong@gmail.com

 April Newsletter update!

The state’s parole board, which has the authority to grant, deny and revoke parole and other powers, can have up to five members but currently only has four members.

West told 8News she’s looking forward to having a full parole board and hopes to bring stability to it, acknowledging that there is a current “backlog” because it was down to three members and saying it has been “kind of a mess.”

These are the current Parole Board members according to the Parole Board website and reports.

Honorable Judge Patricia West, Chairman
Lloyd Banks, Vice-Chairman
Michelle Dermyer, Member
Samuel L. Boone Jr., Member
___________________________________________
40 Strong T Shirt Spring Sale!!!

PLEASE support the organization by purchasing our Limited Edition Anniversary
T shirts. Please have your family reach out to us to buy a t-shirt all proceeds being used for the newsletter and upcoming events. Here is our cash app information and PO box. If they order by cash app please tell them to put the size, name, and address on the FOR line. All shirts are $20 + $2.50 shipping. Thanks for the support!!!!
Cash App: 40Strongdonations
Forty Strong pops up

The 40 Strong
P.O. box 6731
Chesapeake, Virginia 23323

* We will be starting the 40 strong clothing on our website coming in May
__________________________________________
News You Can Use

Patricia West is the current chair of the Virginia Parole Board. West is a former judge and state director of juvenile justice. You can contact her by email at patricia.west@vpb.virginia.gov, or by phone at (804) 674-3081

Organizations to Assist Your Kids

Prison Fellowship Angel Tree
A nationwide program that gives Christmas gifts to children in the name of incarcerated parents, and also sends children to summer camp and hosts sports camps. Local church volunteers usually purchase and deliver gifts.
*44180 Riverside Pkwy, Lansdowne, VA 20176

Milk and Cookies Children's Program
A free program that serves residents of Amelia, Caroline, Charles City, Chesterfield, Colonial Heights, and Dinwiddie counties in Virginia.
*804-643-2401

OAR Collecting Toys for Children of Incarcerated Parents
A program that allows people to purchase gifts for teens via OAR's Amazon wish list, or purchase gift cards and drop them off at OAR's office. OAR also sets up toy donation boxes at businesses, faith communities, and civic organizations during October.
*1400 N Uhle St UNIT 704, Arlington, VA 22201

Re-Entry Services

*Phone: 540-342.9344
Email: jcarter@vacares.org
Fax: 540-342-9427

Mailing Address:
Virginia CARES, Inc.
P.O. Box 13206
Roanoke, VA 24032-3206
Physical Office Location:
Virginia CARES, Inc.
108 Henry St. NW
Third Floor
Roanoke, VA 24016

*Total Action for Progress
302 2nd Street SW, Roanoke, VA 24011

540.777.HOPE

_______________________________________________

In Closing......

We would like to thank you again for reading on April newsletter and we hope that it was information that you needed. Please don't forget our Facebook live next Thursday April 11th at 7:30 p.m. please have your family go to our Facebook at: TheForty Strong

Please don't forget the Inthrive Film Festival on April 14th at George Mason University please have your family email us if they would like tickets. We will be notified all of our facility leaders that were chosen on April 15th and please continue to progress. We all know that the days are not easy dealing with, but you have control of the narrative and you have control of what happens next. Please stay inspired and we leave you with kindness.

Angela 40 S.
The40Strong.com
TheForty Strong@Facebook.com

The40Strong.com
TheForty Strong@Facebook.com
the40strong@gmail.com

 Greetings Members, Families, and Friends,

We hope that you are doing well. The 40 Strong is here reporting to you live from Advocacy Life. I would say that this General Assembly session was one of mixed emotions with a few exhilarating moments.
The Wins for Ending Solitary Confinement was a peak because we know the fight that Kimberly Jenkins -Snodgrass and Natasha White have put out year after year. So there's really no way to measure all the energy and time that it takes to do advocacy. With that said we would like to say thank you to Sisters in Prison Reform,
The Humanization Project, ACLU Richmond, NOLEFTURNS, FAMM, Virginia Justice Alliance, RIHD, The Life Unit, and so many other organizations and advocates who pushed hard this year. When I say that we were United--- it was on a level that was not experienced in previous years. So yes, we were all disappointed at the abrupt end of
Second Look, but we also agreed that the bill as it stood was not a FAIR vehicle to a second chance. We agree that the victim and the Commonwealth Attorney should have a voice in the second look process, but we also believe that the judge should have the discretion to make the final judgment on if one deserves a second chance. So even though it wasn't the result that we all wanted, we will be ready January of 2025 to finish the job! The full consensus from all organizations that we spoke to and the Delegates themselves, is that this was the most Impactful General Assembly session ever for the Virginia Reform Community. We are also excited that we will have three more years with the current majority in the House and Senate. Also know that we will be pushing accountability to the Dems who we co-signed to vote for to get change. We are however compassionate to the fact that many newly elected leaders from November were entering their first general assembly session unseasoned. That means we will be reaching out to them throughout the year to continue building those relationships, and to express why Second Chances are so important to the moral fabric of Virginia. So yeah this is a tough job and I know you guys have many expectations of us, but all we can do is give 100% and represent you guys with integrity. We have told the truth when it was needed while also challenging DOC to get better--- so you know where we stand. The key now is to continue getting your families involved, and please act on all of our upcoming newsletters. That means that if your family lives in Portsmouth and their delegate office is in Portsmouth, we're going to need them to stop by there and have a 10-minute meeting to have their voice heard this year. The real work starts TODAY--- we can't wait until November and December to start talking about reform. So the groundwork has been laid, and now it's on our you to continue elevating and creating through action the second chance that you desire. With that said, I want to share the letter that Attorney General Jason Miyares sent to the House of Delegates just days before Second Look and Earned Sentence Credits was scheduled to be heard in committee. You better bet that that letter made an impact on the minds of delegates, but this is the business of advocacy and how quick it can change. I'm sending this letter to you so that you can see exactly what was said and why we have to change the narrative. I want this to motivate you to be better and to understand that once you are released anything you do could affect thousands of other people seeking that second chance. We do not agree with all the numbers in his letter, and the ACLU responded and those numbers are being verified. But numbers aside, it's time to get to work! If we send you information you have to send it to your family and friends. If you're on the power phone all day you have to tell them to get involved by going to The40Strong.com As hard as it is sometimes to be optimistic ,vit is imperative that everyone stays focused and eyes forward on the future. With that said, stay optimistic because change is coming!
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E NEWS
Attorney General Miyares Calls for Reevaluation of Sentence Reductions for Violent Offenders Due to Public Safety ConcernsPublished 1 week ago on February 27, 2024By Royal Examiner
RICHMOND, Va. – Attorney General Jason Miyares has formally addressed the Virginia General Assembly, advocating for the retention of limitations on the enhanced earned sentence credit law. This law currently allows for the possibility of sentence reductions for violent offenders. Through a letter directed to both the Virginia House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate, Attorney General Miyares expressed significant public safety concerns and highlighted the potential financial impact of continuing to allow sentence reductions under this law.

In 2020, Virginia expanded its earned sentence credit program, enabling certain inmates to receive sentence reductions. However, data since the expansion has illuminated potential risks associated with the program, particularly concerning recidivism among violent offenders. The Attorney General pointed to alarming statistics that underscore the danger these individuals could pose upon early release:

A notable increase in recidivism rates among inmates released under the enhanced earned sentence credits compared to those under the original program.
In 2023 alone, 2,725 offenders released through the program were arrested for new crimes, including severe offenses such as capital murder, first and second-degree murder, abduction, and sexual assault.
A significant portion of these offenders were previously identified as high risks for both general and violent recidivism.
Attorney General Miyares supports the Governor’s proposed budget amendment (item 390 R.2.), aiming to maintain restrictions on sentence reductions for individuals convicted of violent crimes. He emphasized the crucial balance between ensuring justice for past and future victims and maintaining public safety.

The proposed continuation of restrictions comes as a temporary measure in the current budget, preventing sentence reductions for offenders convicted of both violent and nonviolent offenses in the same act, nears its expiration on July 1, 2024. Without further legislative action, an estimated 8,300 offenders could become eligible for reduced sentences, with the overwhelming majority having been convicted of violent felonies.

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Welcoming Our Director of Litigation

We are happy to announce that we are adding Abdul Akbar as our director of litigation. Mr Akbar is very knowledgeable of the law and process of said law, and we want to support him and assistant our members. If you are in the stage of litigation or need advice on moving forward on possible litigation, please direct your email to director of litigation Akbar, and he will work through your requests. We are firm believers and knowledge regarding anything that we do and it's important that we extend that to you as well. Big Respects to Director of Litigation Abdul Akbar!!

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Special Shout To 40 Strong Ladies

I've been very impressed with the Unity and growth of our lady members. When we put out the call for College Guild leaders the ladies were ready. So Big Respects ladies for Standing Tall.
Angela -----
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Inthrive Film Festival Tickets & Submissions

Thank everyone who've submitted poetry so far. We are very impressed with the talent in our members. Please let your families know that FREE TICKETS are now available if they email us at the40strong@gmail.com
Everyone who's art or poetry that's included in the Film Festival will receive a letter of acknowledgement and contribution. The Deadline for submissions is March 15th.
*Please have your families to come out we'll have a section and are collaborating with the Humanization Project on a presentation.

Inthrive Film Festival
April 14 12,pm-5pm

George Mason University
VanMetre Auditorium
Mason Square
3351 Fairfax Dr.
Arlington, VA 22201

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40 Strong Mail

When sending us mail please be patient and understanding with response time. Please do not send us 4-5 pages of reading about things more appropriate for a lawyer. We are not Attorneys and cannot provide lawyer recommendations. PLEASE ALSO UTILIZE THE RESOURCES YOU HAVE: Counselor,
Court Legal, Law Library, etc.... We will try our best to assist but things we don't know we will not speak on. Please keep requests to 2-3 paragraphs cause our time of responsibilities is tight. Thank You----
Director of Education Kirsten
Director of Litigation Abdul
Director of Communication Chris
Director of 40 Strong Women Nairobi
Director of Community Events Angela
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Call For Facility Leaders

We are hiring our first 10 facility Leaders and this is a monthly job with pay. If you believe that you could be a 40 Strong facility leader, please send us your name, facility, programs completed, and 250 words or less " why you would be a good facility leader. Some of the responsibilities of a facility leader would be: #1 Be a Positive voice and presence in representation of The 40 Strong. #2 Receive Important updates and get that info fluidly ( getting copies/word of mouth) to other members at your facility. #3 Create Fundraisers and Other positive bridges to society that we can support and help plan. All Submissions for Facility Leaders must be received by April 3, 2024
* As I said this position will pay but we want your best foot forward.
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College Guild Success & Thanks

Opportunities for Change Update with Kirsten

Happy March! I want to thank everyone that came back with such enthusiasm regarding the rollout pilot College Guild 40 Strong Study Club program. I have made a list of all those interested, and your respective facilities. At this stage, we have started the rollout in 3 facilities - including one womens' facility.

This is not to say that we won't expand. Right now, we are funding and running this from a grassroots level, and we need to make sure we get it right and effective before going wide. These facilities will be the case studies we put forward when going wide, and pitching our case for grants and support. So please don't be disheartened if I haven't been in contact in reply to your expression of interest.

For those that are located in Red Onion, Pocahontas, or State Farm Womens', there are study groups in those three facilities - so if you are interested in participating in the study group, please let me know and we can put you in touch with the group leaders in those facilities.

This is a really exciting program, and I am dedicated to making sure that as many of you can access this as possible. It is imperative to us as an organization, and myself, that we are able to provide opportunities for growth to those that yearn for it - without all the hoops that you currently have to jump through. These programs are self paced, free, and fully supported by us. This is the way we want to keep it.

Change is happening - I promise you that. And I am always humbled and filled with joy at the level of interaction and support from our beautiful family. Please keep communicating, sharing information, and most importantly, maintaining faith. We never lose sight of what it is we are fighting for, and you aren't forgotten. Every step we take is informed and implemented, with you all at the forefront.

--
Kirsten
Personal Advocate & Director of Education
The 40 Strong
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Free Speaks.....

The cost of freedom is high. The fear of the unknown even greater. Let's be real for a moment; we are trying to tell people who have no connection to OUR plight WHO WE ARE! We believe in our HEART OF HEARTS that we can return to society and do great things. Many of us are already doing great things and it goes unnoticed. So as we scream IM READY it's still a fractured message to someone who can't imagine your bad decision, past, trauma, addiction, wrong place wrong time, actually innocent etc... reality. Each story is different and The 40 Strong strives to share your stories. Tell your families to go on our Facebook our stories are there. If the go to the website Words From Inside is there. People hear us! The key now is stepping up the Good noise and REACH HIGHER! You still playing follow the leader or you STANDING as a man or woman? Give up?? Who would say something so foolish? For if one would give up on their life their soul is already gone! God blessed you with LIFE and quit was not in that handbook. If I said I was writing this with tears on my face would you understand? Does that make me less of a man or does it show what MY life means to me? Many would never understand the burden of leadership and how great the wins feel and how bitter heartbreaking are the losses. One thing I can say is that the 40 Strong will not be quitting. The WINS from this General Assembly ARE BIG! History was set on many fronts and all the delegates and Senators know the 40 Strong name. The 40 Strong families came from all over on a 28° day. Whenever we had action alerts countless people all over the country called, emailed, and spoke. The work by all the organizations including our very own Angela, Nairobi, Kirsten, Chris, Nasir, and families was AMAZING! I'm not giving up on that. This was the first year for this new majority. Second Look was not just defeated embarrassingly ---- it crossed over and was entering it's final stages---- so why we quitting? The wins of Ending Solitary, Oversight, Earned Sentence Credits for jail time, Free Phone Calls ( or reduced prices) and so much more! The Delegates said they were impressed by the reform community and we quitting??? I say we get better---- more organized and more accountable. Did you write Governor Youngkin and Delegate Don Scott about your change? Did you get your family to attend the General Assembly? Have you gotten your friends and family to volunteer with us? Have you donated $5 to the 40 Strong or any of the other great organizations? Because from where I'm sitting 1600 stamps once or twice a month is real! So have you given 100%? Have you signed up for programs? Created a program? Are we getting better for the freedom we want. So many people were mad by Attorney General Miyares decision to release a letter to the Delegates days before Second Look and Earned Sentence Credits went to Committee with steam ----
I ask why? His title is the Attorney General that means he's the head law enforcement officer in Virginia ---- he's protecting his interest. As disappointing as that was we can only get better. Let's do facility fundraising this year. Let's do College Guild and sign up for College. Get your family more involved because the 2025 session is less than 10 months away. How much time is 10 minutes??? We're all doing time so we know that value of time. Now ask yourself....
" Is my life worth 10 months of fighting and getting better? " Of course it is! So if you wanna quit please delete the 40 Strong from JPay. If you are in and know your life is worth it ----- Let's Go!
Free----24'
__________________________________________ 40 Strong Atlanta and DC

We are happy to announce growth in Atlanta, Georgia and Washington DC uniting with Virginia. Christopher Willars of Atlanta and Keith Robinson of Washington DC we are thankful. The vision is always the same;
Second Chances, Education, and Progress
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Greetings Forty Strong family,

As some of you are aware already, AFOI (assisting families of inmates) began their annual quarterly transportation services this past Saturday. I utilized their services for the first time to visit a loved one at Pocahontas State Correctional Center and highly recommend them; and will use them in the future.

They provide a variety of services to families with an incarcerated loved one. These include quarterly transportation to visit each of our state facilities (in the months of March, June, September and December) . They also help with video visitation for those without access to high speed internet; and various other services for children with incarcerated parents.

The process was very simple for setting up transportation with them. Contact them at their website www.afoi.org and send them your contact information to request an intake appointment; or call (804) 643-2401. The intake appointment is over the phone and takes 15 minutes or less. They will give you your AFOI member number and let you know when the next trip to visit your loved one is. Call back or visit their website at that time and reserve your spot . (You must already be registered as a visitor with VADOC) . The cost is $10 for adults and free for minors. They provide a grab and go breakfast before leaving Richmond and dinner upon your return. They also schedule your visit, so you can skip the process through GTL. And the best part of all is you’re allowed a 4 hour visitation with your loved one when going with AFOI. They are non profit and run off donations and fund raising events throughout the year. I highly recommend both utilizing their services and helping fund them if you’re in a position to do so. They are a wonderful group and provide many opportunities to keep families connected as we navigate through these hardships of not having our loved ones home with us.

Jessica Davis
Forty Strong Chapter Leader
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The40Strong.com Website Update

We are happy to announce that the website has been updated. Please have your family and friends visit the website to get all info, coming events and a Legislator contact list
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In Closing.....

We want to thank everyone for the support and let's keep moving forward. Our April newsletter will have initiatives and a plan for what's next. In the meantime keep your head up and focused on the prize. I leave you with this saying, " many can talk about the fight outside the ring, but only the brave will step in the ring to fight!" Our best to you

Chris 40 S.
The40Strong.com
TheForty Strong@Facebook.com
the40strong@gmail.com

The40Strong.com
TheForty Strong@Facebook.com
the40strong@gmail.com

 February 28, 2024

Greetings Members, Families, and Friends!
We hope that you are doing well. We've now entered the hallway point of the 2024 General Assembly Session. It has been agreed on by many Advocates and organizations that this so far has been the most successful General Assembly session ever for Prison Reform. As you well may know, we stay inspired but we are never satisfied! There were certain qualifiers attached to Second Look but it did not disqualify anyone. These qualifiers are increased times of 20 or 25 years for certain crimes. We do not know which crimes require more time to be served so please be patient as we follow everything down to the end of the session. We having clothes a Midway point wrap up summary to help you understand more. The term" Crossover " simply means that bills that were either in the house or Senate that were successful, well now go to the other chamber for the final steps to either pass as law and head to Governor Youngkins desk, or not be passed into law. So we would love to predict the future but we refuse to lie to our members. So please stay patient and wants the general assembly concludes with all info that you need we will put that in the next newsletter. The good news is Our Members and Families made a difference at the 2024 session. The even better news is we still have three more sessions 2025, 2026, and 2027 with this NEW MAJORITY that is willing to make change. This year was a little bit rushed with all of the new delegates and Senators that were just elected in November, but that leaves us the rest of this year to educate them on why BIG changes are needed in 2025.__________________________________Old Law Parole Update
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – Days after moving to block Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s pick to lead the Virginia Parole Board, Senate Democrats reversed course and confirmed her appointment.On Feb. 5, the Democrat-controlled Virginia Senate moved to reject a Democrat-led Senate committee’s decision from Jan. 30 to remove Patricia West’s appointment as Virginia Parole Board chair from a joint resolution with several of Youngkin’s appointees to key state posts.
West said that she felt Democrats were initially hesitant about her nomination because they were unfamiliar with her, telling 8News that she met with leaders to introduce herself. This included discussions with Senate Majority Leader Scott A. Surovell (D-Fairfax) and House Speaker Don L. Scott Jr. (D-Portsmouth), she said.
“Once I was able to talk to them and tell them about myself, I think that’s what changed their minds,” West told 8News in an interview.
READ MORE: Senate Democrats move to block Youngkin’s pick for Virginia Parole Board chairWest told 8News she believes Democrats were able to assess her thoughts on parole and trusted her when she said that she was going to be “fair” with her parole decisions, a view she said she also expressed to Youngkin before taking over the role last September.
Youngkin appointed West, a former Virginia Beach circuit court judge, as parole board chair after the former chair, Chadwick Dotson, took over as the director of the Virginia Department of Corrections.
The state’s parole board , which has the authority to grant, deny and revoke parole and other powers, can have up to five members but currently only has four members.
West told 8News she’s looking forward to having a full parole board and hopes to bring stability to it, acknowledging that there is a current “backlog” because it was down to three members and saying it has been “kind of a mess.
West was a judge on the State Corporation Commission after serving as secretary of public safety under former Gov. George Allen (R) and as a chief deputy attorney general under Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli (R).
She was also an associate dean and law and government professor at Regent University, a private Christian university in Virginia Beach.
When she was picked to be a State Corporation Commission judge, Virginia Democrats labeled her “ a conspiracy theorist ,” claiming then that she has “a long history of endorsing and promoting far-right, sexist, Islamophobic conspiracy theories.”
The initial move to remove West’s name came after Senate Democrats blocked high-profile Youngkin appointees last year . A spokesperson for Senate Democrats did not respond to a request for comment for this story by publication.
*This does show that Democrats challenged Ms. West's confirmation and she spoke with high ranking Dems expressing her vision for the 2024 Parole Board. All we can do now is look for accountability by way of FAIR Parole Hearings. We've been fighting for this and will follow it through._
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40 Strong Members Opportunity!!!!!
We are currently on the planning team for the In thrive Film Festival in April. We are looking for poetry submissions through JPay or you can have your family record your poem over the phone and record it. Please speak on your experience incarcerated, life, family, or how you feel. If your problem is selected to be read at the film festival you will receive a monetary contribution and letter of involvement. Please have your families send the recordings to our email: the40strong@gmail.com
We're also looking for original artwork done in pen, pencil, or color. All artwork can be sent to our PO box: The 40 Strong p.o. box 6731 Chesapeake Virginia 23323
All Submissions Deadline March 21st!!!!!!!
Inthrive Film festivalApril 14, 2024 12pm-5pm
George Mason University4400 University DriveFairfax, Virginia 22030
*Please let your families know about the film festival as we are trying to fill it up!!!! We're also looking at the possibility of having family members read The poetry entries._________________________________________Lawrenceville OpportunityWe are very aware of the opportunity for parole eligible and military veterans to be transferred to Lawrenceville. We are currently trying to be a part of the initiative with our mentors and members plan an important role. We will find out more information on this and let you guys know in the next newsletter.____________________________________LIST & FIT Programs Homework
We were contacted by a few members about their facility being on lock in regards to homework. We are extending the homework deadline to 2 weeks when receiving LIST or FIT out of consideration for facility lockdowns and kiosk problems._________________________________________40 Strong LIVE and Podcast
We are currently looking to have LIVE interviews with our members to discuss second chances and the current conditions in DOC. This could be started as soon as March and we will be looking for members to interview live from our Facebook as a way to edify the voices that are not being heard.* We are already posting many of your Jpay emails on our page so please have your family's follow: TheForty Strong (Facebook)_________________________________________The Forty Strong College Guild Club


IMPORTANT UPDATE AND OPPORTUNITY!!!!!


We are excited to announce that following an incredibly productive meeting with College Guild, Kirsten and Chris were able to facilitate an ongoing partnership that would mean more opportunities for our members in terms of leadership and learning.
We are looking at facilitating study groups in 2-3 facilities as a test initiative, in which we are looking for volunteer group mentors who can encourage learning, answer questions, lead others, and have thought provoking conversations as a method of group study. Our students will be expected to try their best to respond and submit all assignments, and our mentors will be expected to treat fellow students with respect and provide constructive feedback.
We will provide all learnings materials to those enrolled in the study groups, and the study group leader would be our main point of contact.
What does this mean for you? If you are interested in being a study group leader in your pod/facility – reach out to us, and we can engage in conversation around what this might look like. Have conversations with those around you and engage others with a passion for further learning. Programs like these can help when being assessed for Second Look petitions, and we would be prepared to write supporting statements of your mentoring and leadership efforts.
We would be looking at running two courses to begin with, these would be Creative Language (a writing and creative focused course) and U.S. Education which breaks down the education system in America with the pros and cons and how you can benefit from it.
Upon completion of courses, each participant will receive a certificate acknowledging their participation in the course. Reminder – these courses are NOT accredited, but provide accessibility and equity in application, are completely free, and are accessible for all individuals. Our mission here is to encourage learning, promote rehabilitation and re-entry, prepare individuals for successful and meaningful relationships, and foster positive social relationships through collaboration.
Following this trial, we want to expand this into other facilities through partnership with the DOC and your help in these study groups will provide a positive case study to present to decision makers.
*We are looking at compensating our group leaders with money, stamps, media credits, or even gifts out the 40 Strong Gift Shop. We always like to support our members! PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU'D LIKE TO BE GROUP LEADER. PLEASE STATE YOUR FACILITY. WE NEED GOOD COMMUNICATORS AND THOSE WHO CAN MAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY WORK!
Courses Available: Creative Writing/U.S. Education
___________________________________________Crossover Conclusion:
Mostly Sunny with Scattered Frustrations
Great Progress Across Justice Reform

The bills that we have worked most devotedly on and that our community has been tracking most closely have been largely successful so far, albeit with some nuance and frustration.,
Second Look (HB834/SB427) would provide the first real opportunity for those who have earned it after decades to have their lengthy sentences reviewed by the courts. Amounting to systemic change that a JLARC study recently found would have huge impacts in fighting discriminatory sentencing patterns, we are extremely proud to have seen the Senate clear HB427 without any carve outs. At the same time, we recognize that adding unwanted limitations to get it that far and having the House version fail to make the floor are not quite where we hoped to be. Still, progress has been made and the bill moves forward.
We are absolutely thrilled about the overwhelmingly bipartisan support for the DOC Oversight/Ombudsman bill (HB555/SB456), which cleared the House 98-0 and Senate 38-2. The Governor already has it in his budget, so we foresee a law. That alone would be justice reform progress for the year, given the 25,000 families impacted everyday by the lack of transparency in DOC historically. Better yet, VADOC Director Chadwick Dotson has repeatedly signaled his support, a sign of improved leadership, too.
The bills to end extended solitary confinement (and improve safety, rehabilitation, and accountability when it is used, HB1244/SB719) have both cleared their respective chambers, and they did so remarkably close to how they were originally written. Please stay tuned to help us push for the Governor’s signature to end the torture of putting people alone in boxes for months and years when they are in crisis.
No Cost Prison Communications (HB801/SB378) managed to pass the House yesterday, albeit in a slimmed down form that would make the communications cheaper and eliminate profiteering. Not quite no cost, and we’re working to ensure full access in the meantime, but already progress that Delegate Rasoul and our coalition promise to continue.
Helping cement Delegate Seibold’s status as a beloved advocate for our community, bipartisan votes pushed her justice bills across the House finish line. Providing appropriate earned sentence credits for pretrial time at jails (HB45) passed 59-39, severely restricting canine attacks in DOC (HB159) passed 82-15, and providing safe harbor for reporting overdoses inside (HB161) went through 63-34. With less fanfare than others, these bills would reunite families, avoid often-racialized physical and psychological trauma, and save lives.
We have succeeded in pushing back against and killing a bunch of bad bills, including those to allow incarceration for initial technical violations during probation (HB849) and to permanently disqualify “mixed” and “inchoate” (incomplete acts, such as attempt, solicitation, and conspiracy) convictions (SB476), ensuring that past reforms that work have been kept in place. We have also watched and provided whatever assistance we could as our allies passed an enormous number of justice reform bills through at least one chamber. Thus, it has been one of our most successful first halves. A lot of these haven’t gotten the fanfare they deserve as they stand to make a big difference in real lives.
Pretrial, we are most especially excited about drug policy reform moving forward. The option of treating small possession cases as misdemeanors instead of felonies is great policy, reducing harms from criminalizing addiction and experimentation. Likewise, increasing eligibility for first offense drug programs (HB452) will keep people out of the system.
In the reentry space, there has been great success finding (often bipartisan) practical solutions to reduce the collateral consequences of incarceration. Forcing jails and prisons to set up systems for facilitating IDs upon emergence (HB1405) is an often overlooked but hugely impactful change that Delegates Cousins and Walker worked on across the aisle. Can’t get housing or a job without ID, and the initial time back in a community is so crucial. Eliminating fines and fees assessed on juveniles (HB 1263) will stop pushing our most vulnerable youth away from education and saddling them with debt upon release from any incarceration. Putting a time limit of 10 years on collecting fines and fees will stop putting unnecessary stressors that drive people towards addiction and recidivism when already emerging with the burden of a record (SB514).
It's also hugely important to see that we are moving towards a probation system that has a system of credits for education, employment, and treatment (HB457), letting folks earn their way off supervision sooner as a reward for growth. Making it possible for some people in the Department of Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse to hire those with lived experience despite barrier crimes from long ago (SB626) will help improve peer recovery outcomes in all our communities hard hit by addiction.
Keep in mind: All of these are legislative successes. To make them law, we have to also convince the governor to sign them. Could not realistically do much better than we did so far, but we still have steps before these great bills are statute._________________________________________Second Look Truths
As you all may know, we have been big supporters of second look and the possibilities for Second Chances. We are concerned about the new changes which allow the victim to deny a petition as well as the prosecutor if they fail to respond or write a letter against the petitioner receiving Second Look. With that said we are not getting bitter we are getting better! The next General Assembly session starts in about 10 months and there's no time to waste. If second look is passed as it is I do encourage everyone that it applies to to pursue your freedom. No bill will be perfect but if it presents an opportunity for you please apply it.__________________________________________2025 Good Time Initiative
In light of the adjustments made to Second Look we are already beginning our 2025 campaign for Good Time. If it was up to us we would be going for the 1995 abolishment of good time to be repealed, but it seems like things have a way of moving too slow. So with that being said, we are in full belief that if a person serves 365 days doing right, then they should get more than 55 days a year of good time. We have spoken to many lawmakers, churches, etc... And nobody thinks that this is right. If you serve 31 days you should get more than 4 days of good time. For those who don't have Earned Sentence Credit, Parole eligibility, or any other vehicle for second chances they need help. So get ready and be ready--- get your families ready, for it will take all of us to get change that's needed!* For us to really be successful you have to tell your families to prepare to make calls and emails. We'll also need families to visit their District lawmakers to express the need for change in 2025. So PLEASE be prepared for action and upcoming newsletters.___________________________________________* This is a letter that Angela recently sent all the delegates and senators that we supported. Just letting you know that we are working and pushing.
February 15, 2024
Greetings and Kindness,
Hoping everyone is well. Our organization sincerely thanks everyone who's worked so hard up to this Crossover point to better the Commonwealth. With Prison Reform being our vision and focus we've been encouraged and filled with anxiety at different points. A Round of Applause for the great work to End Solitary Confinement. In matters of Second Chances we still feel unheard in many ways. If a mistake was made, contrition in remorse expressed, and rehabilitation successful, there should be second chances.
The reality says that 1,000's and 1,000's of men and women are in Virginia DOC seeking hope! Many of these men and women have been infraction free for years, graduated, accomplished programs, and so much more. However they ONLY EARN 4 DAYS of good time a month----- 4 DAYS!!!I will never pretend to be a math specialist but that reality just doesn't sit right in my spirit. Does Second Chances lie in the moral defeat of 4 Days a month?
When we encouraged the men and women of doc to get their 25,000 families to vote, it was with promises of change. We had events all over Virginia echoing this promise right up until the November 7th election day. They showed up! Now I'm praying we can keep our part of that promise. Virginia NEEDS A REAL SECOND LOOK. Virginia needs a FAIR good time system, fair parole hearings, and fair justice. This letter officially kicks off our 2025 Initiative forF. A. I. R.Fair Accountable Invested Rehabilitation We will be seeking a fair good time system and REAL change for the 25,000 families missing a loved one.___________________________________________In Closing
Tell your family to Follow us on Facebook at The Forty Strong Please have them support the website at: The40Strong.com the last thing is when you're going to commissary make sure that you order 5 to 10 stamps because we will be doing a lot of letter writing in the near future. Tell those around you to buy stamps because getting real change is going to take some work. Thank everyone for reading the newsletter and please stay inspired because change is coming!

Chris 40 S.The40Strong.comTheForty Strong@Facebook.comthe40strong@gmail.com
The40Strong.com
TheForty Strong@Facebook.com
the40strong@gmail.com .

 We have enclosed pictures of G.A. day and pictures of our special edition T-shirts on sale to support our newsletter that goes to 1100 members and upcoming events. If you would like to support please reach out via email and shirts are ready to ship! Thank You.

January 24, 2024

Greetings Members, Families and Friends!

The 2024 reform week General Assembly Lobby day was great! It was kicked off last Saturday with second look training by Sistas in Prison Reform and The Humanization Project at the Richmond public library. Then on MLK DAY we held our training with IAHR and host Natasha White in Norfolk which was free to the families. Then yesterday (Tuesday) Sistas in Prison Reform,ACLU Richmond, The Humanization Project, NOLEFTURNS, and others ascended on the Virginia General Assembly for the official Second Look Lobby Day. A press conference was held where Juanita from Sistas in Prison Reform gave a wonderful introduction of the Second Look Bill and why legislators should support it. The official Second Look Lobby day on Tuesday was a great success! Then today the 40 Strong, IAHR, and Virginia Justice Alliance hell our lobby days to great success again! Our organizations combined had over 25 meetings with various Delegates and Senators. I would definitely say that it went well and that the families showed up. The halls were packed and we sent four different groups FREEDOM, UNITY, JUSTICE, and EQUALITY to meetings from 9:45 am - 3:00 pm. The Big takeaway from this reform week so far is that people are showing up and the organizations are united! The 40 Strong is barely the seasoned organization that many of these others are but the other organizations  have always  made us feel welcome and apart of the process. We have to thank Natasha White, Jennifer Dalton, Ruth Henson, Ninenette Henson, Taj  Gibson, Sheba Williams, Paul Taylor, Chenoa Young, Shawn Waneta, Paulettra James,  Allison Kay, Santia, Nance, Jacque,  and so many others who helped with Reform Week. We will now be presenting the bills that are up and what we you can do to support them. A special shout out to Senator Creigh Deeds for being lead patron on the Second Look Bill and Delegate Holly Seibold for supporting and being the patron on several bills. Bills are nothing without support and that's what we have to do. Let's Go!!!!!

A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO Ms. Kennedy,
Margaret Breslau of CFJ, and Phil Wilayto for Being Pillars in this reform fight. We NEVER forget the years of work you put in when many didn't know how to fight!
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L.I.ST.  and  F.I.T Programs Update

We still have our participants for both programs and both will be sent out by February 7th. We really put ALL of our attention into the General Assembly. So programs are coming!!

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   Understanding Bills and Legislation     

The process of a bill being passed has many levels. The bill must first be written and shopped to a Delegate or Senator. After a Delegate or Senator agrees to be the patron of the bill it's pre filled. That same bill is this recommended to a committee such as Public Safety to be considered. Once it's received in a committee a hearing is set to hear bill and to let the public support it. If it passes it's then sent to the house or Senate for a vote. If it passes by a majority vote in both houses it's sent to Governor Youngkin to be signed into law.  The Governor can either sign or veto the law. If he signs it into law it will take  effect on July 1st of that year. 
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   Gossip and Rumors

We are asking everyone to quell the rumors of 65% passing, and earned sentence credits expanding. Nothing has been signed into law yet. Just wanted to address the rumors and untruths floating around. WHEN THINGS PASS IT WILL BE IN OUR NEWSLETTER.
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                             House Bills (HB)

HB 1244 Restorative housing and isolated confinement; restrictions on use. Solitary Confinement bill HB1244 Joshua G. Cole (D) Yes Public Safety
Email--- DelJCole@house.virginia.gov

HB 834 Second Look Bill Petition the courts after 15 years of incarceration  Rae Cousins(D)
Yes Passed Courts of Justice
Email-- DelRCousins@house.virginia.gov

HB 801 Electronic communication systems within state correctional facilities; free telephone calls. Free communications!! Delegate Sam Rasoul (D)
Yes Passed Public Safety Subcomittee
Email- DelSRasoul@house.virginia.gov

HB 45 Earned sentence credits; incarceration prior to entry of final order of conviction. Provides that any period of incarceration in any correctional facility for which a person was held on the charge of conviction, including any period of incarceration prior to conviction, shall be used in calculating such person's earned sentence credits. Delegate Holly Seibold (D) Yes Passed Courts of Justice
Email -DelHSeibold@house.virginia.gov

                    Senate Bills (SB)

SB 427 Second Look Bill allows one to  Petition the courts after 15+ years served for reduced sentence Senator Criegh Deeds (D) 
Yes Passed Courts of Justice Committee
senatordeeds@senate.virginia.gov

SB 378 Free Communications Requires the Department of Corrections to provide telephone systems and web-based or electronic communications systems free of charge to any person, whether such person is initiating or receiving the communication SB378 Senator Jennifer Boysko (D) 
Yes Passed Passed Finance/Appropriations Committee
senatorboysko@senate.virginia.gov
* This would be for pod phone and Jp6 players

SB 80 Prisoner reentry; Department of Corrections
Requires the Department of Corrections to develop and implement a certificate of rehabilitation program for the purposes of assisting an inmate's successful transition from prison to society upon the person's discharge. The bill provides that no person who is awarded a certificate of rehabilitation shall have such person's criminal history constitute a barrier to employment.
The bill also provides that no person shall be refused a license, certificate, or registration to practice, pursue, or engage in any regulated occupation or profession within the Department of Health Professions solely because of a prior criminal conviction, unless the criminal conviction directly relates to the occupation or profession for which the license, certificate, or registration is sought.
The bill also establishes criteria for which a court must reduce a defendant's probation period, including completing qualifying educational activities, maintaining verifiable employment, and completing a mental health or substance abuse treatment program. The bill also provides that a court may decrease a defendant's probation period if warranted by the defendant's conduct and in the interests of justice and may do so without a hearing. Senator Barbara A. Favola (D) 
Yes Passed Committee
senatorfavola@senate.virginia.gov

SB 456 Oversight bill Creates, within the Office of the State Inspector General, the Office of the Department of Corrections Ombudsman (the Office) headed by an Ombudsman who is selected by a Corrections Oversight Committee (the Committee), also created by the bill. The bill provides that the Committee is made up of four members of the General Assembly and 11 nonlegislative citizen members who monitor the activities of the Ombudsman and the Department of Corrections (the Department) SB456 Senator Mardsen 
senatormarsden@senate.virginia.gov
*OVERSIGHT HAS Passed through and it's headed to Governor Youngkins desk to be signed 

SB 476 Earned sentence credits; inchoate offenses; concurrent and consecutive sentences.
Earned sentence credits; inchoate offenses; concurrent and consecutive sentences. Provides that a person who is convicted of an inchoate offense will earn sentence credits at the same rate as someone who is convicted of the completed offense for certain enumerated offenses. Senator Mark Peake
senatorpeake@senate.virginia.gov

SB 482 Expungement and sealing of juvenile court records. Expungement and sealing of juvenile court records. Provides for the sealing of juvenile court records in those instances where a juvenile was found guilty of a delinquent act that would be a felony if committed by an adult and such juvenile has attained the age of 18 years and three years have elapsed since the date of the last hearing in the case of such juvenile. Under current law, such records are open to the public. Senator Lashrecse D. Aird 
senatoraird@senate.virginia.gov

SB 23 Juveniles; adjudication of delinquency. Specifies that a delinquent child is a child 11 years of age or older who has committed a delinquent act. Currently, there is no minimum age for a child to be adjudicated delinquent. Senator Mamie E. Locke (D) 
senatorlocke@senate.virginia.gov

SB 334 Plea agreements; prohibited provisions. Prohibits plea agreements from containing any provision that purports to waive, release, or extinguish a defendant's (i) rights under the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article I, Section 10 of the Constitution of Virginia; (ii) right to file a petition requesting expungement of the police records and the court records; or (iii) right to have criminal history record information and court records sealed. Senator Saddam Azlan Salim Yes
senatorsalim@senate.virginia.gov

SB 449 Juvenile parole; juvenile correctional centers. Juvenile parole; juvenile correctional centers. Provides that any person sentenced to a term of life imprisonment or who has a cumulative term of active sentences that total more than 20 years, regardless of whether such sentences were imposed during a single sentencing hearing or multiple sentencing hearings, SB449 Senator Mardsen (D) Yes
senatormarsden@senate.virginia.gov

Note: There is also a bill that would require DOC to provide educational opportunities and college courses on your Jp6 players. We will update.
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  How To Support Bills

All bills listed has the bill patron listed and their email address. PLEASE have your family reach out to them via email to support the bill and ask how they can further support it. Here's the language to support a bill:
Hello Senator Deeds, my name is __________
and as a Taxpayer in Virginia I support 
SB 427 Second Look and how else can I support Second Look? I am willing to speak on behalf of Second Look for my loved one if needed. That's it! That's how your family will support a bill.
* Please have them follow us on Facebook
@TheForty Strong for info on how to support pending bills. 
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     General Assembly  Sunday Updates 

Okay so we are over 1100 members which means we will not be able to update you after each and every bill. So here's what you can do; have your family go to The Humanization Project on  Facebook every Sunday at 8pm for weekly updates and what's next. This session will be led by Shawn Waneta of the ACLU Richmond.
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         TheForty Strong @Facebook

Please have your family and friends follow us on Facebook. We ALWAYS have what's next and they'll have all the info needed to assist you. 
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            ANNOUNCEMENT FOR 2025

We have already announced on our social media platforms that we will be pushing to repeal the 1995 abolishment of parole and good time. We believe that the last 30 years proves that this was a mistake by then Governor George Allen. We also want a level playing field for ALL Virginia DOC men and women! There's the Old Law, New Law, Fish Back Law, Earned Sentence Credit Law, Juvenile Law, Geriatric Law, Etc... That's not equal for ALL. Repealing the 1995 abolishment of parole law would not only be fair to all but it would also save Virginia taxpayers millions! This is a REAL task that will have to start very soon. We just believe that 2 people who committed the same offense should not be serving two different sentencing statutes, or one is eligible for parole and the other isn't, or one gets 30 days good time for 30 days served while the other gets 4 1/2 days a month. That's not right and we wanna fix this! THIS WILL TAKE A ALL HANDS ON DECK APPROACH. We will need you involved getting your families to call/email or visit the local district office to speak with your legislator about this. We will have more on this soon
stay ready!
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                    Be on Point!

As this new legislator works its way through this session, be aware that they will have 3 more years. That means that in 4 years Criminal Justice in Virginia will be completely overhauled. With that said this is the time to tighten up! Get in school, start a program, take a trade. When we say stay in positive, that's for a reason. There's no need in all us out here fighting for change if you got dumb charges and not doing nothing. We not telling you what to do but we are saying that change may come with requirements--- GED, Programs, Trade. This next 4 years is time to get it together if you haven't already. Silly beefs and wasting time is over! Listen to this...   We don't need 
NOBODY going home to do nothing stupid!!!
Listen again.... We don't need NOBODY going home to do nothing stupid!!! Because when you do something stupid it feeds the narrative, " keep them locked up!" " throw away the key!" etc.... So this is BIG picture cause there's 25,000 men and women who will be judged for what a few do. 
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       Support The 40 Strong T Shirts

As you know we do not solicit money or ask for donations. We would rather sell our 1st Edition one of a kind T Shirts and hats with proceeds being used to fund the newsletter
(1200 members), and upcoming events. PLEASE HAVE YOUR FAMILY EMAIL US AT
the40strong@gmail.com or follow our Facebook page TheForty Strong. 

To order your family a T-SHIRT  please send a $20 money order + $2.75 shipping and handling to:
                         The 40 Strong
                          p.o. box 6731
                 Chesapeake, Virginia 23323

*PLEASE WRITE ON A SHEET OF PAPER
Name, Address, T shirt size and we will ship one of our limited edition t shirts to your loved one from you. Thank you for your support!!! 
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                      In Closing 

As this General Assembly session continues, PLEASE search for accurate information. Your family can go to The Humanization Project on Facebook every Sunday at 8pm for weekly wrap ups until the session is over. In the meantime rally your supporters to prepare for our journey the 
Abolishment of Parole and Good Time on its 30 year anniversary in 2025. The 2025 General Assembly is only 11 MONTHS away so don't take it lightly. Some may say we're looking too far ahead but we'll say we're 30 years too far behind to not be looking ahead. Is it fair for some to get parole and while some don't? Or for some to get 15 days good time while someone else gets 
4 1/2 days? Both people committed the same crime! Is it okay for men and women to be charge free for years, go to school, graduate programs, acquire a trade and only gets 4 1/2 days good time a month? You're doing everything right and that should have incentives. So our focus is set---  be encouraged!

Chris 40 S.
The40Strong.com
TheForty Strong@Facebook.com
the40strong@gmail.com

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   November 27, 2023

Greetings Members, Families and Friends,

    Sending everyone great energy and positive vibes. We hope that the holiday were well for you and your family. We also want to thank everyone who has been pushing with us and supporting the movement and words, action, or deeds. As we've always said, it's all about UNITY when it comes to change. That's why we've always saluted other great organizations like RIHD, Justice Blacksburg, ACLU Richmond, The Humanization Project, Sistas In Prison Reform, The Defenders, The Unity Group, Justice Alliance, Voice of the Voiceless, Freedom Over Everything, NoLefTurns, Virginia Prisons Accountability,Incarcerated Lives Matter Virginia foundation, Virginia Coalition of Solitary Confinement,  Ketchmore Kids, P.E.A.C.E., Natasha White, Paul Taylor, Chenoa Young, Angela Antoine,  and anyone I forgot please forgive me... The point being, there are many organizations in great people who are fighting this fight. Many are returning citizens and many are just average American citizens who disagree with how the criminal justice system works. So the 40 strong and all of our members give them thanks and big salutes!!! ___________________________________________    Humanization Project Town Hall
The Humanization Project is having a town hall on the upcoming General Assembly focus and ideas. This town hall will be on Facebook on Monday November 27th at 8:00 p.m.. we are hoping that if you get this that you can get your mother or your girl or somebody to check it out and get the information that will be provided. The 40 strong will be there virtually to support and listen to the direction of the 2024 General Assembly. Pass This On!___________________________________________    40 Strong Advocacy Training
PLEASE get your family/friends involved in our advocacy day. We have partnered with Natasha White to give families of Tidewatertraining before our January 17th Advocacy day. The training will also be live streamed for those who can't make it to Tidewater. LISTEN!!!! DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THIS TRAINING. This will prepare your families to speak to lawmakers and how to act on your behalf. Here's the info:           January 16th 2024 10am-2pm                     Designer Depot                      3676 Sewell's Point Road                      Norfolk, Virginia * If your families have questions please call  #318-295-5343 Natasha --------------------------------------------------------------------- Membership and Our Website
We are still adding those who were kicked out of our last contact. We are asking our members to get others involved and to stay active. If someone in your part has a voice and wants change, please send their state number. If there are members who were previously contacts please send their state number so that we can add them again.---------------------------------------------------------------------             40 Strong Advocacy Day
Our official advocacy day will be January 17, 2024 9am-3pm. We will have breakfast, lunch, and gas cards for your families. As of now we are hoping to meet at offices of ACLU Richmond but will have official location in December 15th Special EditionGeneral Assembly Call to Action newsletter. We are also happy to announce that candidate for delegate Susana Gibson had reached out to join us on January 17th! We will be happy to have her and we also have a couple delegates reaching out to meet families on that date. So mark January 17th on your calendar!!___________________________________________
 Our 5 Legislative Initiatives for 2024
What's The changing of the guard after the election, we have been trying to put together a priority list. We thought about pro, fishback, conditions, reentry, earn sentence credits etc... We also know that we will not accomplish everything in January but we do have four years to make progress. With that said, we also don't want to tread lightly because our voting block spoke and people want change. So these will be at 5 points of focus for the general assembly.#1 REINSTATING PAROLE~ we believe that this has to be on top of the list, because more than anything people want freedom! Our opinion on this is that Virginia has too many laws; hola new law fits back law juvenile law earn since credit law etc... We found this to be unconstitutional to have 25,000 men and women serving different sentences of the same crimes. We believe that one law reinstating parole in 30 for 30 good time will be fair and impartial to all. That can be accomplished simply by voting to remove the 1995 statue which will automatically reinstate parole and make it retroactive.#2 SECOND LOOK~ we Believe family that Second look will be a beautiful opportunity for those who've done to work to gain Second Chances. Second Look gained a lot of steam last year and even passed the Senate but had trouble in the house. Second look will provide for judges to reconsider sentences and shorten the time of those who deserve it. This sort of reconsideration by judges has been tried in Maryland and many other states with great success. Why not and trust a judge who sent someone to also modify their sentence because of that person's great behavior or steps to change?#3 PAROLE PROCESS OVERHAUL~ one of the biggest issues we have with our members is not receiving a fair parole hearing. This also applies to FISHBACK, JUVENILE, and GERIATRIC! We will be asking legislators to look at the parole process and address issues like serious nature of the crime being stated 15, 20, 25 times as reason for denial. The mistake that a person made will never change, but their life and choice to change themselves can. We want a fair and impartial parole board that will grant parole on a person's remorse, rehabilitation, and potential to reintegrate into society. #4 VIRGINIA DOC HEALTH AND WELLNESSWe will be asking DOC and lawmakers as well, to look at the style of corrections currently. That means is everything about punishment? Are there adequate enough programs that match today's society? Can doing time be more incentive based? Can jp6 players with phone compatibility be provided to stop violence over the phones? More mental health professionals be hired to deal with the trauma and emotional effects of incarceration. We don't believe that people are just using drugs. Much of this is due to incarceration, the current system of no incentive to do good, and even things like covid and not being able to see family for periods of time. Can the newly formed ombudsman office secure more structure in regards to food, medical, and rehabilitation?#5 ENDING SOLITARY ~ in the past we have been biased to approaching reform from a freedom only objective. Although our primary goal is second chances, we have grown to realize that conditions do matter! And one of those conditions that have done the most harm, has been the prolong time in solitary confinement. We are thankful to Natasha White and the Virginia Coalition on Solitary Confinement on the real effects of physical isolation. So we will be asking lawmakers to cap the amount of time and solitary or restrictive housing to 14 days if you are not a threat or did not commit an act of violence. We would like people who do not pose a threat to be returned to housing and population within 14 days or transferred to a suitable facility. We do understand that if someone's a threat that solitary confinement might have to be used for a period of time for the safety of the facility. However, it matters of simple infractions or things not deemed a violent threat, prolonged segregation is not a good for them or the facility.
      In Closing on 5 Legislative Initiatives
We do understand that there are vital things that we may have missed. Especially things like expanding the earned sentence credit good time law, and even things like 65% or a meaningful good time law to promote good behavior. However, initiatives like reinstating parole and even second look can provide those same opportunities for good time and second chances. We are very sympathetic to all the individual issues from fish back, to juvenile, excessive sentencing, and even those facing the mandatory minimum law. We can assure you that there are many other organizations and advocates who will be addressing some of these in this year's general Assembly. It was our goal to pick the top five that we feel could affect the most people. We do want you guys opinion please keep in mind that this first general assembly session is less than 2 months away so we're in a crunch. I will say this though---- change will come!___________________________________________Active Dad's and Father's Initiative Training
A HUGE Congrats to all those who have signed up for the active days and fathers initiative training program. You will receive your first lesson on December 1st and we will be providing your child/children a gift at Christmas from you. Once you complete the first two sessions, we will get your child's info and their gift will arrive before Christmas. Anyone who is not signed up yet we will start a new class February 1st. Let's keep in mind that your physical removement from your child's life, does not alter the impact that you can still have. Talk to them, give them advice, tell them you love them, please stay involved.___________________________________________ 40 Gift Store Catalog
We have been sending the catalog to the facilities and we are unsure if they're being held by doc. The 40 strong gift store is a licensed LLC and we are providing a much-needed service. We do know about the new policy regarding mail being sent to the receiving center, but we also know that that starts on January 1st 2024. So the catalog that we are sending you should be able to receive them. If you are still interested please send your name, state number, and address so that we can get one out to you for Christmas. *For those who participated in our free Christmas gift initiative, we do have your information----------------------------------------------------------------------

 National Alliance on Mental Illness
Great news!!! We have reached out and currently looking to form a partnership with NAMI which is the National Alliance on Mental Illness to get resources for members of DOC. If you are struggling with mental health please reach out to them and let them know your situation and that you need resources to help you. Please let them know that you are 40 strong member or if you refer someone please tell them to express that the 40 strong refer them                           NAMI         4301 Wilson Blvd suite#300            Arlington, Virginia 22203
*And do whatever is best to maintain your thinking and emotions.----------------------------------------------------------------------   Education is Key
As of July 1, 2023, all provisions of the FAFSA Simplification Act related to incarcerated students are active. This means that the Pell Grant is now available to all qualified incarcerated people to further pursue post-secondary education for jobs with livable wages.
Contact:1-800-433-3243 please have your family call to receive application As many of you may know, education is very high on our list. We will be sending all the education information that we've had in past newsletters for those who were deleted from our previous contact.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------                Second Chance Letter Initiative
Please continue letters to Governor Youngkin andlead speaker of the General Assembly Don Scott.We are asking for how you've changed, your sincere remorse for the mistake, and all the positive things you'll do when released. Please state that you are a 40 Strong member and will be involved in community outreach and mentorship to our to youth. You should be able to get 15-20 letters out of your pod. That comes down to focus, paper, pen, and a 65¢ stamp--- Let's Go!
Governor Glenn Youngkin
Office of the Governor
p.o. box 1475
Richmond, VA 23218

Honorable Don Scott
355 Crawford street
Portsmouth, VA 23704
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                            Final Words from Angela 
Hello to everyone... I'm thankful for all the great messages and well wishes that I received. I am resting and following the orders of my doctor. I did want to speak today though on being ready! Because if you stay ready you won't have to get ready. Are you ready??? If legislation is passed providing Second Chances in January are you ready for freedom? Are you ready to go home and be a productive member of society? Are you ready to be a husband or wife? Are you ready to work 8 to 10 hours a day and stay focused? Are you ready to be a parent and guide your children the right way? These all the things that we have to think about when we're talking about Second Chances. Because we cannot afford for anyone to go home and do something that will set Second Chances behind. So I'm asking you if you are not ready PLEASE get ready! I'm amazed by all of the returning citizens that I see during the work. These men and women have returned to society to open businesses, run nonprofits, and make an impact on their community. We have to keep that up! For those who are ready please stay ready. My best to you and your families.

Chris 40 S.The40Strong.com
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 November 2, 2023
Greetings Members, Family, & Friends----
    I hope this reaches you well and I wish the same for your family. It's been a trying week but that all comes with the job. So last week while we were sending out 865 newsletters, we did not find out we were blocked until an hour later. When we spoke to JPay it was said you are not allowed to have more than one contact. When we reached out to the corporate office and let them know that we are a licensed organization, they said there's nothing wrong with reaching out to multiple people. So we reached out to Director Dotson and several other DOC admin, and just explain what we do. We explain the hundreds of emails we've gotten of our members doing great things. We explained that we are only trying to add positive and motivational input to our members in DOC. We even expressed that we are not anti-DOC and we do not ask our members to do anything negative. We did not receive any resistance so we are loading names back up on this account to reach out to you. We unfortunately did not get to keep our whole contact list, so we will say you guys are the golden members! So with that said we'll keep this short and brief and give y'all some information.....___________________________________________
Please continue to tell your family to vote because Tuesday is coming fast. That means hit people up on the phone or on jpay and just let him know that their voice counts. I feel like we have exhausted our voice on telling you guys to vote and now that choice is on you. If your family needs more information on voting please have them go to the website at:The40STRONG.COM___________________________________________
    The 40 Strong Fundraiser Focus
We will be doing several fundraisers leading into Christmas to help children and families in need. If you have something in mind close to your facility and can organize the contact, we will definitely support. That could be in elementary school, a seniors facility, or anyone else who would need help during the holidays. Our focus for 2024 is taking the 40 Strong to the next level by impacting our communities. That means we will be doing more fundraising, youth mentorship, informing partnerships in our communities with our members. We hope that you are ready for this challenge and this is going to be a beautiful partnership involving your passion for a second chance in the need for positivity in society. We will have more info on this in December's newsletter.___________________________________________         Our Last Event of 2023!!!!!!
We have partnered with our women members to have our last event of the year. Here's the info and get your family to come out!                  Locust Shade Park               4701 locust shade drive                Triangle, Virginia 22172
* Great speakers, community enrichment, food, and families will speak for their loved ones. If your family comes they will get to speak on your behalf or read something from you.---------------------------------------------------------------------                General Assembly Call
We all know that the general assembly is only 2 1/2 months away. We are asking you to get your families involved now. If they would like to come out for one day to advocate on your behalf at the general assembly please have them reach us at:the40strong@gmail.comJust let them know to let us know that they're interested and we will start the process. The general assembly is where the laws and bills are voted on in past. So the more support that we have there it will have a direct effect on lawmakers decisions.----------------------------------------------------------------------               

Vote to Create Change

Vote for equal Justice

Vote with Hope for a better future

Vote for Freedom

Vote because everyone deserves a Second chance

Vote with Determination

Vote with Desperation

JUST VOTE!               Nairobi___________________________________________
      Needing more from our members
In light of us pretty much starting over for 150 people, we are now asking more for my members. We are looking to start sending in printed newsletters that you could get copies and get some more people at your facility. We are looking for our members to be mentors and have more impact at their facilities. We are looking at ways to help you all be it JPay stamps media or trust fund that could help. Our first go now though is organizing positive things with the community. The second thing is getting the families to reach out to us about coming to the General Assembly. If you would like more responsibility and is ready to take that next step please let us know. Also, please let us know if you received your catalogs. ___________________________________________                           Final Thoughts....
This will conclude our newsletter for November. Please feel free to review it again and make sure that you tell all those around you to vote. If I was around you would like to receive the newsletters ( especially current members ) please send their names to be added. Please stay safe and positive for help is on the way! 
Chris40.STHE40STRONGLLCThe40Strong.comReplyForwardAdd reaction
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 Greetings Members, Families and Friends!

    WE ARE HAPPY ABOUT THE EARNED SENTENCE CREDITS VICTORY!!! Of course, we all remember the heartbreak of 2022 when the amendments by Governor Youngkin stopped mixed charges Earned Sentence Credits from becoming law. Now just 2 years later this will be law on July 1st! This is expected to release 800-850 people immediately and 1,000's more in the future.

This was achieved by hard work and a REFORM COMMUNITY that stood tall. We are thankful for the families that came out, voted, participated, emailed, questioned, and cheered. We get several emails a day from your families looking for information. We love to help them learn more on how to help you. So, with Earned Sentence Credits passing I think we all know what the next step is----- REENTRY!!!! We need everybody returning to society ready to leave and be that pillar to the community and your family. We have never lied to y'all or have it any way but across the table; WE HAVE TO MAKE REENTRY A SUCCESS!  This allows for Second Look, 21 under parole, and other things possible. What the First Wave does in July will affect reform for the next 5-10 years. We canceled our Stonewall event to focus exclusively on Reentry Resources. 
*WE will have ALL Reentry Resources on our website The40Strong.com on June 20th and will keep it updated! FREEDOM IS PRICELESS! 

  This newsletter will have REENTRY info to help. If someone around, you are going home soon share the info. We will post a more completed list on our website:                The40Strong.com on June 20th to help assist you further. Do not be afraid to reach out to places like the Salvation Army, O.A.R, Virginia Cure, and even YMCA/YWCA. Just like reaching out to your family's church or place of worship. Be a VOLUNTEER when you can MANY jobs originate from volunteering or community service. We are just really excited about the results that continue to show the hard work. We still have to stay focused. There are still many men and women in Virginia DOC without that chance. We want Parole to be more attainable.
 

STARTING JULY 1ST PAROLE REFORM

#1. The board will only be required to have 3 of 4 votes to approve a parole application. This is GREAT NEWS that could be the reason for a second chance.

#2. The Parole Board must notify you of their decision via in person visit (face to face), or via video visit.

This will make huge impact on the possibilities so stay encouraged!

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  Earned Sentence Credits Confirmation 

 When the earned sentence credits news first broke two years ago, I was personally devastated. It felt like the organization had let everyone down. I know that may sound crazy but that's how it felt. It gets very difficult trying to impact the organization from behind the wall and it shows you the limitations on you. However, there was nothing in me that said this was gonna be the end of it. So after days of little sleep and mental anxiety, the word VOTE popped in my head. The next day the Virginia DOC voting block was ignited. When I heard that the Delegate Majority was debating the budget with Governor Youngkin I thought of those votes. I thought of hitting the yard and passing out flyers. I thought about telling everyone around me to get their people to vote. I thought about winning!!! So, it was the numbers that permitted debate which brought change. NEVER underestimate the power of votes! Now to those going home

PLEASE stand on business out there so others like me can follow.

                          Free(founder)

___________________________________________
              SECOND LOOK PUSH

For those of you that have family members who are active Prison Reform and criminal justice advocates, this is just a quick reminder regarding the upcoming Second Look Recap 2024, and workshop on the next steps moving forward. SIP (Sisters in Prison Reform), Nolef Turns, and the Humanization Project will be conducting this free event June 8, 2024, 1-4pm at the Richmond Public Library- 101 East Franklin Street Richmond, VA 23219. Food, drinks, and some very helpful education will be provided at this event. The event is free, and all are not only welcome but encouraged to attend, but you will need to register ahead of time at the link below. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdJR2b27yaCV6JDRg4jbeOYmqXwEaqvkD02Z5ieTaR4Q5JTQA/viewform?usp=sf_link&usp=embed_facebook as a quick back story; I first began my advocacy journey December 2023 by signing up for a training course regarding Second Look. I had no political background or experience with advocacy or lobbying. However, I did have something in common with each of you. I had someone very dear to me in VADOC, and I wanted to help. From that day on, I continued to learn, I showed up, and I made my voice heard. That’s really all that’s required to advocate for not only your loved ones, but everyone affected by incarceration in Virginia. I’m proud to be donating my time and knowledge to my 40 Strong Family and continuing to build bonds with our other selfless organizations and individuals that are making a difference. Please consider joining in the fight and encouraging your family and friends to do so as well. I hope to see many familiar faces as well as new ones on June 8th. 

Jessica D 40 Strong

____________________________________NEVER STOP WORKING!!!!!
If you're looking to receive Second Look or Parole in the future don't stop working! Here is a great skills school that offers a collection of programs that have been respected by the Parole Board and others. The courses do cost (respectable fee) but the benefits are enormous. You can write them or have your family contact them to get a brochure. Keep Pushing!ACCI LIFESKILLS165 N. FREEDOM BLVD, STE 5BPROVO, UT 840604PH#800-316-0246FAX#866-550-9132EMAILinfo@lifeskills.com_______________________

Founder Free Speaks Commentary

After almost 3 1/2 years of doing the work, I had no idea how tired I was. I can remember arriving at Greensville almost 2 weeks ago still exuberant from the great news on the victory of EXPANDING EARNED SENTENCE CREDITS. It was a little bit surreal after all of the strategy, networking, events, emails, action calls and everything else over the last two years. Did I ever doubt that we would win---- NOT AT ALL! There's something sobering about men and women being told that they would in fact be reuniting with their families, only to be told a couple weeks prior to that July 2022 date that
they wouldn't be. It was painful and heartbreaking to say the least. However, I used that pain, and those tears to fuel motivation. So, when I arrived here at Greensville I came with the baggage of many sleepless nights and the fatigue of reform. When I laid my head on my pillow the first night here, I slept like I hadn't slept in years! I would do the same the next night, and the next night and nights after that. Now, after almost two weeks here I feel somewhat like myself. It feels like I was in isolation at Lawrenceville almost. With Lawrenceville being privately owned, it was hard to tell what influence 40 Strong was really having in Virginia DOC. It wasn't until I was moved in population that it became crystal clear. I was greeted with so many hugs and smiles from members that it overwhelmed me. I TRULY HAD NO IDEA!!! Nevertheless, I gave hugs and listened to the stories of hope and newfound belief. Then the other day when I heard the nurse call 7 men to sign discharge papers of upcoming releases unbeknownst to them, it was surreal again. Many had release dates next year, or 2026 and even 2028. Their faces said it all! So yes, the hard work was paying off by us and all the organizations and advocates on the ground. This is a pivotal moment in Prison Reform in Virginia. Now, the focus shifts to the fight for Second Look in General Assembly session 25. I still believe and the motivation is there. As I look around Greensville, I see aged faces who've been here for decades begging for the chance for a Second Chance. I see the eyes of men who want to reunite with their families. So, the story continues... I am thankful for this journey and for our close to 2500 members that we give hope. I am humbled to serve and believe that Second Look is next. Let's GO!!!!

Free 40 Strong

_____________________________________________

The WellnessWarriors group- Who we are?

An idea born in 2021 when one of us became more aware of the truth about the conditions our

inside communities faced and a passionate desire to find a way to improve it with tools one

couldn't have taken away, A Warrior Within US Project began a 21-day mindset-reset beta

program, it received positive reviews however soon after- the project was temporarily put on

hold to deal with and handle a re-entry situation, we share that for true transparency because it

was a situation that took another year and a half of focus. So, fall of 2023 excited to pick up

where we left off, we began creating a focus group dedicated to wellness & mindset, with goal of

an inside newsletter and outside workshop. We have grown to a solid diverse group with

members from Virginia, Florida, Missouri, West Virginia and even The Caribbean, our group

includes the formerly incarcerated, a mom with a degree in psychology, A Neurodivergent Yoga

instructor and a few of us with existing wellness geared programs or groups. All passionate

about the betterment of our community's youth to adult both inside and outside those walls. Our

goal here is to provide information, resources, tips and guidance to help improve the mental and

physical health and also one’s mindset. Together, we aim to create a positive impact and

promote overall wellness within correctional facilities and at re-entry to assist in reintegration.

Tools you have within you just waiting to be realized & utilized, Tools that no one can take from you.

Education is empowering! – Wellness Warriors Editorial

To empower yourself in the advocacy of your health care & mental health care with knowledge of common medications is important. Advocating for proper evaluations, checkups and medicine is within your right. Wellness Warriors has provided a general overview of 10 categories of the most commonly used physical & mental health medications prescribed within Correctional facilities, keep in mind some overlap.

Example: •Ability is an antipsychotic, but it is often also used for mood stabilization

•Seroquel- depending on one's physician could be used to treat agitation, mood and also those with sleep or memory disorders

•Gabapentin, though most often used for nerve pain, has been used for moderate general pain, and an anti-seizure therapy and also off label for anxiety.

1. **Antipsychotics**: These medications are used to treat conditions such as schizophrenia/effective, bipolar disorder, and severe depression w/psychotic features. - Risperidone (Risperdal) - Olanzapine (Zyprexa) - Quetiapine (Seroquel) - Aripiprazole (Abilify)

2. **Antidepressants**: These medications are used to treat various types of depression and anxiety disorders and fall under a few categories. The difference matters because some meds are not to be taken with SSRIs or MAOIs. •Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): -Fluoxetine (Prozac) -Sertraline (Zoloft) •Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs): -Venlafaxine (Effexor) -Duloxetine (Cymbalta) •Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs) -Amitriptyline -Nortriptyline •Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) -Phenelzine (Nardil), -Tranylcypromine (Paranet) •Antidepressant/Anti-Anxiety: -Lexapro (increases serotonin)

3. **Mood Stabilizers**: These medications are primarily used to treat bipolar/mood disorder. - Lithium - Valproate (Depakote) - Lamotrigine (Lamictal) 4. **Anxiolytics** These medications are used to treat anxiety disorders. •Benzodiazepines: -Lorazepam (Ativan) -Alprazolam (Xanax) - Buspirone (Buspar)

5. **Pain relievers/Analgesics** -Gabapentin (Neurontin) -hydrocodone (Vicodin) -oxycodone (Percocet) •Anti-inflammatory (Arthritis, Injury etc.) - Naproxen (This could be prescription or over the counter as Aleve) - Ibuprofen (both prescription strength 600&800mg or over the counter 200mg)

6.**Antihypertensives** Medications that help lower high blood pressure. -Lisinopril -Amlodipine 7. **Antidiabetic drugs** Medications used to manage diabetes and regulate blood sugar levels. - Metformin (type 2 diabetics) -Insulin (type 1 and 2 diabetics)

8.**Anticonvulsants** Drugs that help control seizures in conditions like epilepsy. -Neurontin (gabapentin) -Phenytoin

9.**Antacids** Medications that help reduce stomach acid and treat digestive issues. -Nexium -Prilosec

10.**Antibiotics** Drugs that help fight bacterial infections. -Amoxicillin -Penicillin -Doxycycline -Clindamycin Some side effects to the different meds above are weight gain, upset stomach, excessive sleepiness, brain fog/memory issues, digestive issues, rapid movements and more please make sure to report any adverse effects to your nurse/physician, Helpful definition: Serotonin's a brain chemical that affects mood and emotions, influencing feelings of well-being. Imbalances can lead to conditions like depression and anxiety, treated with medications that increase serotonin levels. We hope this helps empower you in navigating and advocating your healthcare, if there's another medicine you need information on, please let us know.
______________________________________________
               IMPORTANT NUMBERS

 Chesapeake Law Library
298 Cedar Road
Chesapeake, Va. 23322
757-382-8301

Va. Appeal Court
Clerk John Vollino
109 N. 8th Street
Rich., Va. 23219
804-786-5651

Alexandria Law Library
530 King Street LL34
Alex.  Va. 22314
703-746-4077

Library of Congress
Dr. Carla Hayden appointed by Pres. Obama
101 Independence Ave, SE
Wash., DC 20540
202-707-5000 or 8000

VA. DOC ADA
Barry. Marano@vadoc.virginia.gov
6900 Atmore Drive
Rich., Va. 23225
804-763-9960

DOJ ADA
US Dept. of Justice
Disability Rights Section
950 Penn. Ave NW
Wash., DC 20530
800-514-0301

VA DOC Ombudsman (s)
1100 H Street NW
Wash., DC 20005
202-506-3333
VDSS OCR Office

 ______________________________________________

REENTRY PROGRAM PROVIDERS

Colonial Comm. Corr. Transitional Services

4093 Ironbound Rd., Suite B

Williamsburg, VA 23188

Phone: (757) 564-2311, FAX: (757) 229-8963

Email: hal.diggs@jamescitycountyva.gov

Northern Neck Reg. Jail Reentry &

Transition Services

P.O. Box 1090

Warsaw, VA 22572

Phone: (804) 333-6005; Fax: (804) 333-6029

email: awalker@nnrj.state.va.us

jsegar@nnrj.state.va.us

Northwestern Regional Adult Detention

Center

143 Fort Collier Road

Winchester, VA 22603

Phone:(540) 535-3851, Fax: 540-524-6192

Email: jwhitley@fcva.us

krodri@fcva.us

OAR-Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church

1400 N. Uhle Street, Suite 704

Arlington, VA 22201

Phone: (703) 228-7030; Fax: (703) 228-3981

email: ejones@oaronline.org

ksteinbruck@oaronline.org

OAR-Fairfax

10640 Page Avenue, Suite 250

Fairfax, VA 22030-4015

Phone: (703) 246-3033; Fax: (703) 273-7554

Email: doverton@oarnova.org

dhayden@oarnova.org

OAR-Jefferson Area

750 Harris St., Suite 207

Charlottesville, VA 22903

Phone: (434) 296-2441; Fax: (434) 979-4038

email: psmith@oar-jacc.org

rcarew@oar-jacc.org

gspry@oar-jacc.org

OAR-Richmond

3111 West Clay Street

Richmond, VA 23230

Phone: (804) 643-2746; Fax: (804) 643-1187

email: sdimick@oarric.org

website: http://www.oarric.org/

STEP-UP, Inc.

5900 E. Virginia Beach Blvd., Suite 102

Norfolk, VA 23502

Phone: (757) 588-3151; Fax: (757) 587-4507

Email: sbrandt@stepupincorporated.org

Virginia CARES, Inc.

108 Henry St., NW, 3rd floor

Roanoke, VA 24016

Phone: (540) 342-9344; Fax: (540) 342-9427

Email: afisher@vacares.org

Arlington – SCA Community Reentry Program

Offender Aid & Restoration of Arlington

Elizabeth Jones Valderrama

(703) 228-7441

Statewide – VADOC Career Employment Reentry Project

Cleon Ross

(804) 887-8344

Richmond – Enhanced Vocational Training, Career Planning and Job Placement Program

Bart Blanks

(804) 646-5438

Local – Community Based Re-entry – WOMEN

Jennifer Jacovitch

(540) 434-1690

Local – Comprehensive Corrections TTA

Hank Heflin

hheflin@air.org

Virginia’s Reentry Portal: https://virginiareentry.org/

Virginia Reentry Resources: https://www.reentryessentials.org/virginia.html

Virginia Reentry Programs: https://www.felonyrecordhub.com/programs/virginia-reentry-programs/

Virginia Reentry and Assistance: https://exoffenders.net/reentry-programs-assistance/virginia/

Virginia Career Works – Northern Region - https://vcwnorthern.com/jobseekers/reentry-resources/

Tap Into Hope - https://tapintohope.org/program/reentry-program/

Loudon County - https://www.loudoun.gov/4929/Re-Entry-Services

Norfolk Reentry Council - https://www.norfolk.gov/3508/Prisoner-Re-Entry-Council

Medicaid and CHIP in Virginia - https://www.medicaid.gov/state-overviews/stateprofile.html?state=virginia
DC Central Kitchen2121 First Street SW Suite 140Washington DC 20024202-234-0707Coordinator Jeffrey Rustin
___________________________________________      Companies That Hire Felons
Ace Hardware, Macey's, Domino's, AT&T, Wendy's,  Best Western, Dollar Tree Kohl's, Walgreens,  Dennys,  Huddle House, Family Dollar, Kmart, Caterpillar, Goodwill, Lowe's,  Chick-fil-A,  Chili's,  Red Lobster, Menards Pilot Flying J, Walmart, Home Depot, Pepsi,Greyhound, Great Clips, Papa John's,  Sprint,Ashley Furniture, Goodyear Tires, Sam's Club,Dairy Queen, Steak N Shake, I Hop, Golden Corral, Pizza Hut, Buffalo Wild Wings, KFC, General Mills, Blue Cross Blue Shield* As we find out more we'll post on our website. _____________________________________________
 In Closing......

 PLEASE share all the info in the newsletter especially the REENTRY and Second Look details. PLEASE have someone show up June 8th at The Richmond public library as the push for Second Look 2025 begins. The key to our continued success is Truth, Accountability, and Actions.  What we do from here will affect our progress at the 2025 General Assembly. We only have 7 months so PLEASE BE ON POINT! Go home and reconnect with life and it's simplicity. DO NOT forget the pain, disappointments, and frustration on Incarceration.  Our next stop is Second Look and we all have to Stand on Business! We are happy to announce that Nairobi X has launched a women's website for the movement  titled

                  HearHerVoice.Blog

  PLEASE have your mothers, wives, daughters, nieces etc... support the women's voices that are the backbone of the movement. We are now over 2500 members and growing! If you are going home Love your family, enhance your community and give back! You'll never imagine the joy of giving back until you feel it. Let's keep pushing and moving forward in Progress!

Chris 40 S
The40strong@gmail.com
The40Strong.com
TheForty Strong@Facebook

Kirsten Knights
Personal Advocate & Director of Education
The 40 Strong

Jessica Davis 
Personal advocate & Chapter Leader
The 40 Strong
 

 We still have a few tables left for our Manassas events and we are so thankful for your continued support. In spite of everything that's happened with Governor Youngkin and the vetoes, we believe that we are one governor's race away from sweep and reforms. That means we intend on challenging the next candidates for Governor on their stance and position on criminal Justice reform. We also intend on continuing to build a consensus with the current delegate/senators to build a framework of those sweeping reforms coming January 2026. 

                        May 1, 2024

Greetings members families and friends!

   We hope that everyone is well and we send you and yours nothing but the best. This is the May newsletter and we are going to provide you with some information that will be helpful, and there will be more information coming on the budget amendment and vetoes. Unfortunately we would not be able to say anything affirmative until after the special session in the middle of this month. Please refrain from gossip and rumors and only seek to find real information that you can pass on to others.

We are so happy for everyone who showed up at The Inthrive Film Festival on April 14th at George Mason University. It was a beautiful event and all of our members poems were displayed too much admiration.  We are also excited about the upcoming event in Manassas on June 1st from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Stonewall Park. We have all the info in the newsletter and we are hoping that your family and friends can show up and support! 

We are very excited about the recent victory for the ACLU and regards to the Vasquez case and earned sentence credits. It has been ruled by the Virginia supreme Court that Vasquez must be immediately released because his urn sentence credits were held back from him. We are told that the Vasquez case was anything involving attempted, solicitation, or conspiracy to murder. We do not want to speculate who this applies to or what cases will be eligible for this, we have been told by doc that time is being recalculated and there will be new updates sheets passed out in the future. In the meantime please stay patient, and more information will come out following the special session later on this month.
___________________________________________
       DOC  Health and Wellness Approach

The whole month of April we had an initiative reaching out to doc to request that they take a more health and wellness approach to operations. It is our belief that if the men and women have more recreation, meditation classes, yoga classes, poetry/art contest etc... that an increase in morale and behavior will follow. We also have to take accountability with our behavior and reducing the violence and facility incidents that cologne better conditions. We will continue to reach out to director Dotson and DOC staff to try to the facilities more safe and conducive to Rehabilitation. We are so thankful to all your families and friends who's reached out to us to send in their email about Health and Wellness. If you guys have ideas on this issue you can reach out to your Warden or send it to us to be considered
_______________________________________
      MANASSAS WE  COMING!!!!!!

If your family is in Northern Virginia, Central Virginia, DC, Richmond etc .. tell them to come on out because we will be in Manassas on June 1st. This will be a community event full of great speakers, DJ, games for kids, food, resources, swimming pool, giveaways, other great organizations and more!!!! You already know 40 STRONG are no joke, so tell your family to come out and enjoy! 

        Saturday June 1st 12pm-6pm 
                 Stonewall Park
                 8300 Stonewall Rd.
                Manassas, Virginia 20110

*We will be in DC, Richmond, and Norfolk coming up!
______________________________________
 

           RE-ENTRY RESOURCES FOR RETURNING CITIZENS
LOC Family Services
Farmville - (434) 547-2545

Colonial Community Corrections Transitional Services - Williamsburg & Surrounds
(757) 564-2311

Northern Neck Regional Jail Reentry & Transition Services - Richmond & Surrounds
(804) 333-6006

OAR - Arlington & Surrounds
(703) 228-7519
www.oaronline.org

OAR - Fairfax & Surrounds
(703) 246-3033
www.oarfairfax.org

OAR - Jefferson Area - Charlottesville & Surrounds
(434) 296-2441
www.oar-jacc.org

OAR - Richmond & Surrounds
(804) 643-2746
www.oarric.org

Step-Up Inc. - Chesapeake & Surrounds
(757) 588-3151
www.stepupincorporated.org

______________________________
    Inthrive Film Festival

We are so thankful for everyone who supported us at the Inthrive Film Festival on April 14th. We thank the families who came out to recite our members poetry, and all those who loved the presentation that we presented. We would like to thank Sincere, Angel "Poppy" , Deuce, Brother Khalid, and other return citizens who came out to support. We will be getting those letters out to those who participated and we would like to thank everyone again for being a part of such a great event! Inthrive will be headed to Emporia and a couple other stops so stay ready!
* To all those who submitted poetry or spoken word work, your voice will be on display at all of our upcoming events and we are excited about that._________________________________________
                   40 Strong Giving!!!!

During the month of April in which we celebrated our third year anniversary, we continually found causes to support. On behalf of our members we donated $200 each to two prisoner led organizations
20/20 Clear Vision Ministries and Prisoners Rights Clinic. We found it important to support these two prisoner-led organizations because of our own founding by DOC prisoner Free. Please get your families to follow these two organizations on Facebook and let's support each other!
We also donated $150 on behalf of our members to support the men at Norway fundraising for the Victims Network. We absolutely love the idea and on behalf of our members $150 donation was made. There is no movement without giving.


_________________________________________


NEWS YOU CAN USE

It was recently brought to our attention by one of our original members William White Jr. who has been fighting his conviction for over 22 years that the Commonwealth may have been committing Constitutional violations related to the filing of numerous individuals confined in the department of corrections arrest and search warrants related to their criminal convictions. By law under Va. Code 19.2-54 the magistrate who issues your arrest or search warrant has 30 days to file what is known as the affidavit of probable cause. This document is used to obtain your arrest warrant by having a police officer present evidence of probable cause in a sworn affidavit to a magistrate detailing what evidence the Commonwealth has to believe you committed the offense(s) you are charged with. By law 19.2-54 states that the magistrates failure to file this affidavit of probable cause within the required 30 days invalidates the warrant. This means you may have been arrested and tried for a crime in which the state never had a valid arrest warrant. This violates both the fourth and fifth amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Which under the fourth amendment states that "no warrant shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation (or an affidavit in this case) and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be searched." This means the Commonwealth must have a valid affidavit of probable cause to support each arrest or search warrant. In the case of the arrest warrant if this affidavit was not filed in the Circuit Court where you were convicted within 30 days from the date your arrest warrant was issued. Your Constitutional rights were violated and your arrest warrant is most likely invalid. This is where it gets interesting because without a valid arrest warrant it is likely the Commonwealth never had jurisdiction over your case(s) and did not legally have a right to enter any judgments or orders against you. Simply put it could mean your sentencing order is likely void (or void ab initio which means from the beginning) because the Commonwealth never had jurisdiction to enter a sentencing order in the first place because you were denied due process under the fifth amendment and deprived of life and liberty without a valid arrest warrant. Without proper jurisdiction over your case there is a possibility your conviction can be vacated by filing a Motion to Vacate or Habeas Corpus in the Circuit Court where you were convicted. For those of you who are willing to put in the work you can fact check all of this information like I did and see it in black and white for your self. For those of you who have filed a Habeas Corpus in the past QUIT LISTENING TO RUMORS!!! There are men who will tell you you can only file one habeas corpus. THIS IS NOT TRUE!!! When it comes to filing a Habeas Corpus in state and federal court you can file MULTIPLE Habeas Corpus application or petitions!!!! The law says until you've had an evidentiary hearing granted NONE of your Habeas Corpus applications or petitions legally qualify as a "first" Habeas Corpus. So stop listening to rumors and put your own work in!!!! Don't just read the law. STUDY the law because there are always exceptions to every rule. For those of you who have filed a Habeas Corpus and had an evidentiary hearing don't give up. You can still file a Habeas Corpus in federal court by filing a motion under U.S.C. 2244 and request permission from the court to file a successive Habeas Corpus. I'm including a section below with several cases you can use to fact check this article and the information I've provided because we deal in proofs.
Cases challenging the affidavit:
1.) Franks v. Delaware, 438 U.S. 154
2.) United States ex rel. Irons v. Montanye, 520 F.2d 646
3.) Wilson v. Russo, 212 F.3d 781
(*the law for the search and arrest warrants is the same)
Cases on jurisdiction
1.) Matthews v. Commonwealth, 216 Va. 358
2.) Rook v. Rook, 233 Va. 92
3.) United States v. Cotton, 535 U.S. 625
4.) Evans v. Smyth-Wythe Airport Comm'n, 255 Va. 69
Successive Habeas Corpus Cases
1.)Sanders v. United States, 373 U.S. 1 (1963)
2.) Green v. Reynolds, 57 F.3d 956, 957-58 & n.3 (10th Cir. 1995)
3.) Slack v. McDaniels, 529 U.S. 473 (2003)
Also study Va. Sup. Ct. Rule 1:1 which control a courts jurisdiction and has an exception which allows you to challenge the court's orders after 21 days when it lacked jurisdiction. See Mathews above. All of this information can be obtained from your prison law library.
I have had 10 people including myself request their affidavits from Circuit Courts across the state and out of 10 people the state had zero affidavits related to the arrest warrants. These are the facts what you do with this information is up to you.
Written by: William White Jr.

____________________________________
EDUCATIONAL UPDATE WITH KIRSTEN


Happy May 40 Strong Family! 
I'm excited to provide updates and some key information you can use this month. We have had a lot of members reach out asking for specific colleges and universities that accept Pell Grants - so I wanted to make sure this was included in the newsletter update for this month. 
Don't forget that you need to complete FAFSA forms for the Pell Grants in order to get Federal Funding for any study. From there, you receive an amount in grant, and can further apply for scholarship funding after you establish your standing with the school itself. 
The colleges in Virginia that accept Pell Grants are: Virginia State University, Norfolk State University, Radford University, Old Dominion University, George Mason University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Longwood University, University of Mary Washington, Virginia Tech, James Madison University, William & Mary, University of Virginia, Christopher Newport University, Virginia Military Institute.


In terms of our College Guild Study Group pilot that we are running at 3 facilities (so far - stay tuned for more!) - we have 17 students being run by 3 study group leaders right now, and the quality of work coming back is outstanding. We are extremely excited to look at the positive educational and personal impacts these classes have, and move into a broader educational offer to our members and beyond. If you have any suggestions in terms of educational content we could look at, or you or anyone you know have classes they have designed - we are on the lookout to introduce member designed programs into our curriculum, so please do reach out!


FACEBOOK LIVE - THURSDAY MAY 9TH - 7:30PM-8:30PM
Following the success of our first Facebook Live in April, we are hosting another Live Thursday May 9th from 7:30pm. We have one spot available from 8:10pm-8:30pm for a member to call in and speak on an area of interest (think excessive lockdowns, health & wellness, program access) - so if this is something you'd like to be a part of, please use that reply stamp and make sure you let Kirsten know that you'd like to be part of the Facebook Live to speak to a broader audience and have your voice heard. We only have 8 days to iron this out and make sure we can tee up the times and agenda, so do not hesitate to reach out.
Whilst we can promote and communicate the issues that you all send to us, the power comes from your voices and experience. Last month, the interaction from our audience and the conversation that ensued post our guest members speaking was reformative and positive. The broader audience loved hearing from our members and have asked that we make this a permanent thing.
Please remember: you DO NOT have to be a seasoned public speaker to speak at the Live. We are here to support and guide you with prompts and conversation based on our pre-agreed topic. We understand nerves, and are here with you every step of the way.


Other than those two pieces of information, I'm loving connecting with you all each month, and look forward to hearing more from all of you as we strengthen our now over 2000 member strong family. All human, all equal.


Kirsten
_____________________________________________________________




 In Closing....


Thanks for the support and commitment to progress. Our sole purpose of what we do is to unite, inspire, and create second chances. We represent this every day in the representation of our members and we expect our members to do the same. In matters of self change we must for ourselves to self analyze. Are you becoming better as a person? Are you providing leadership to your children, family, and community? What is your purpose? We expect greatness out of our members. I wake up every day with the cause of progress on my feet. This is not physical fight so why are we fighting?!
This is about humanity in our eyes! So when we fight for you with words , actions, events, research, etc.. we want that returned in positive behavior, growth, and development. 40 Strong members do not crash we become better! Facebook live 5/9 7:30---- Chesapeake 5/25 -----Manassas community event June 1st 12pm-6pm. All info is in the newsletter---- SO ACTIONS speak the intent. Our best to you!


A very special wish and a happy mother's Day to all of our members that are  mothers. In honor of mother's Day we will be giving five special edition baskets to five deserving mothers. Please write in 200 words or less why your mother should receive a basket. All letters due by Monday May 6th at 6:00 p.m..


Chris 40 S.
The40Strong.com
the40strong@gmail.com

 April Newsletter update!

The state’s parole board, which has the authority to grant, deny and revoke parole and other powers, can have up to five members but currently only has four members.

West told 8News she’s looking forward to having a full parole board and hopes to bring stability to it, acknowledging that there is a current “backlog” because it was down to three members and saying it has been “kind of a mess.”

These are the current Parole Board members according to the Parole Board website and reports.

Honorable Judge Patricia West, Chairman
Lloyd Banks, Vice-Chairman
Michelle Dermyer, Member
Samuel L. Boone Jr., Member
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40 Strong T Shirt Spring Sale!!!

PLEASE support the organization by purchasing our Limited Edition Anniversary
T shirts. Please have your family reach out to us to buy a t-shirt all proceeds being used for the newsletter and upcoming events. Here is our cash app information and PO box. If they order by cash app please tell them to put the size, name, and address on the FOR line. All shirts are $20 + $2.50 shipping. Thanks for the support!!!!
Cash App: 40Strongdonations
Forty Strong pops up

The 40 Strong
P.O. box 6731
Chesapeake, Virginia 23323

* We will be starting the 40 strong clothing on our website coming in May
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News You Can Use

Patricia West is the current chair of the Virginia Parole Board. West is a former judge and state director of juvenile justice. You can contact her by email at patricia.west@vpb.virginia.gov, or by phone at (804) 674-3081

Organizations to Assist Your Kids

Prison Fellowship Angel Tree
A nationwide program that gives Christmas gifts to children in the name of incarcerated parents, and also sends children to summer camp and hosts sports camps. Local church volunteers usually purchase and deliver gifts.
*44180 Riverside Pkwy, Lansdowne, VA 20176

Milk and Cookies Children's Program
A free program that serves residents of Amelia, Caroline, Charles City, Chesterfield, Colonial Heights, and Dinwiddie counties in Virginia.
*804-643-2401

OAR Collecting Toys for Children of Incarcerated Parents
A program that allows people to purchase gifts for teens via OAR's Amazon wish list, or purchase gift cards and drop them off at OAR's office. OAR also sets up toy donation boxes at businesses, faith communities, and civic organizations during October.
*1400 N Uhle St UNIT 704, Arlington, VA 22201

Re-Entry Services

*Phone: 540-342.9344
Email: jcarter@vacares.org
Fax: 540-342-9427

Mailing Address:
Virginia CARES, Inc.
P.O. Box 13206
Roanoke, VA 24032-3206
Physical Office Location:
Virginia CARES, Inc.
108 Henry St. NW
Third Floor
Roanoke, VA 24016

*Total Action for Progress
302 2nd Street SW, Roanoke, VA 24011

540.777.HOPE

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In Closing......

We would like to thank you again for reading on April newsletter and we hope that it was information that you needed. Please don't forget our Facebook live next Thursday April 11th at 7:30 p.m. please have your family go to our Facebook at: TheForty Strong

Please don't forget the Inthrive Film Festival on April 14th at George Mason University please have your family email us if they would like tickets. We will be notified all of our facility leaders that were chosen on April 15th and please continue to progress. We all know that the days are not easy dealing with, but you have control of the narrative and you have control of what happens next. Please stay inspired and we leave you with kindness.

Angela 40 S.
The40Strong.com
TheForty Strong@Facebook.com

The40Strong.com
TheForty Strong@Facebook.com
the40strong@gmail.com

 Greetings Members, Families, and Friends,

We hope that you are doing well. The 40 Strong is here reporting to you live from Advocacy Life. I would say that this General Assembly session was one of mixed emotions with a few exhilarating moments.
The Wins for Ending Solitary Confinement was a peak because we know the fight that Kimberly Jenkins -Snodgrass and Natasha White have put out year after year. So there's really no way to measure all the energy and time that it takes to do advocacy. With that said we would like to say thank you to Sisters in Prison Reform,
The Humanization Project, ACLU Richmond, NOLEFTURNS, FAMM, Virginia Justice Alliance, RIHD, The Life Unit, and so many other organizations and advocates who pushed hard this year. When I say that we were United--- it was on a level that was not experienced in previous years. So yes, we were all disappointed at the abrupt end of
Second Look, but we also agreed that the bill as it stood was not a FAIR vehicle to a second chance. We agree that the victim and the Commonwealth Attorney should have a voice in the second look process, but we also believe that the judge should have the discretion to make the final judgment on if one deserves a second chance. So even though it wasn't the result that we all wanted, we will be ready January of 2025 to finish the job! The full consensus from all organizations that we spoke to and the Delegates themselves, is that this was the most Impactful General Assembly session ever for the Virginia Reform Community. We are also excited that we will have three more years with the current majority in the House and Senate. Also know that we will be pushing accountability to the Dems who we co-signed to vote for to get change. We are however compassionate to the fact that many newly elected leaders from November were entering their first general assembly session unseasoned. That means we will be reaching out to them throughout the year to continue building those relationships, and to express why Second Chances are so important to the moral fabric of Virginia. So yeah this is a tough job and I know you guys have many expectations of us, but all we can do is give 100% and represent you guys with integrity. We have told the truth when it was needed while also challenging DOC to get better--- so you know where we stand. The key now is to continue getting your families involved, and please act on all of our upcoming newsletters. That means that if your family lives in Portsmouth and their delegate office is in Portsmouth, we're going to need them to stop by there and have a 10-minute meeting to have their voice heard this year. The real work starts TODAY--- we can't wait until November and December to start talking about reform. So the groundwork has been laid, and now it's on our you to continue elevating and creating through action the second chance that you desire. With that said, I want to share the letter that Attorney General Jason Miyares sent to the House of Delegates just days before Second Look and Earned Sentence Credits was scheduled to be heard in committee. You better bet that that letter made an impact on the minds of delegates, but this is the business of advocacy and how quick it can change. I'm sending this letter to you so that you can see exactly what was said and why we have to change the narrative. I want this to motivate you to be better and to understand that once you are released anything you do could affect thousands of other people seeking that second chance. We do not agree with all the numbers in his letter, and the ACLU responded and those numbers are being verified. But numbers aside, it's time to get to work! If we send you information you have to send it to your family and friends. If you're on the power phone all day you have to tell them to get involved by going to The40Strong.com As hard as it is sometimes to be optimistic ,vit is imperative that everyone stays focused and eyes forward on the future. With that said, stay optimistic because change is coming!
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E NEWS
Attorney General Miyares Calls for Reevaluation of Sentence Reductions for Violent Offenders Due to Public Safety ConcernsPublished 1 week ago on February 27, 2024By Royal Examiner
RICHMOND, Va. – Attorney General Jason Miyares has formally addressed the Virginia General Assembly, advocating for the retention of limitations on the enhanced earned sentence credit law. This law currently allows for the possibility of sentence reductions for violent offenders. Through a letter directed to both the Virginia House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate, Attorney General Miyares expressed significant public safety concerns and highlighted the potential financial impact of continuing to allow sentence reductions under this law.

In 2020, Virginia expanded its earned sentence credit program, enabling certain inmates to receive sentence reductions. However, data since the expansion has illuminated potential risks associated with the program, particularly concerning recidivism among violent offenders. The Attorney General pointed to alarming statistics that underscore the danger these individuals could pose upon early release:

A notable increase in recidivism rates among inmates released under the enhanced earned sentence credits compared to those under the original program.
In 2023 alone, 2,725 offenders released through the program were arrested for new crimes, including severe offenses such as capital murder, first and second-degree murder, abduction, and sexual assault.
A significant portion of these offenders were previously identified as high risks for both general and violent recidivism.
Attorney General Miyares supports the Governor’s proposed budget amendment (item 390 R.2.), aiming to maintain restrictions on sentence reductions for individuals convicted of violent crimes. He emphasized the crucial balance between ensuring justice for past and future victims and maintaining public safety.

The proposed continuation of restrictions comes as a temporary measure in the current budget, preventing sentence reductions for offenders convicted of both violent and nonviolent offenses in the same act, nears its expiration on July 1, 2024. Without further legislative action, an estimated 8,300 offenders could become eligible for reduced sentences, with the overwhelming majority having been convicted of violent felonies.

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Welcoming Our Director of Litigation

We are happy to announce that we are adding Abdul Akbar as our director of litigation. Mr Akbar is very knowledgeable of the law and process of said law, and we want to support him and assistant our members. If you are in the stage of litigation or need advice on moving forward on possible litigation, please direct your email to director of litigation Akbar, and he will work through your requests. We are firm believers and knowledge regarding anything that we do and it's important that we extend that to you as well. Big Respects to Director of Litigation Abdul Akbar!!

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Special Shout To 40 Strong Ladies

I've been very impressed with the Unity and growth of our lady members. When we put out the call for College Guild leaders the ladies were ready. So Big Respects ladies for Standing Tall.
Angela -----
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Inthrive Film Festival Tickets & Submissions

Thank everyone who've submitted poetry so far. We are very impressed with the talent in our members. Please let your families know that FREE TICKETS are now available if they email us at the40strong@gmail.com
Everyone who's art or poetry that's included in the Film Festival will receive a letter of acknowledgement and contribution. The Deadline for submissions is March 15th.
*Please have your families to come out we'll have a section and are collaborating with the Humanization Project on a presentation.

Inthrive Film Festival
April 14 12,pm-5pm

George Mason University
VanMetre Auditorium
Mason Square
3351 Fairfax Dr.
Arlington, VA 22201

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40 Strong Mail

When sending us mail please be patient and understanding with response time. Please do not send us 4-5 pages of reading about things more appropriate for a lawyer. We are not Attorneys and cannot provide lawyer recommendations. PLEASE ALSO UTILIZE THE RESOURCES YOU HAVE: Counselor,
Court Legal, Law Library, etc.... We will try our best to assist but things we don't know we will not speak on. Please keep requests to 2-3 paragraphs cause our time of responsibilities is tight. Thank You----
Director of Education Kirsten
Director of Litigation Abdul
Director of Communication Chris
Director of 40 Strong Women Nairobi
Director of Community Events Angela
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Call For Facility Leaders

We are hiring our first 10 facility Leaders and this is a monthly job with pay. If you believe that you could be a 40 Strong facility leader, please send us your name, facility, programs completed, and 250 words or less " why you would be a good facility leader. Some of the responsibilities of a facility leader would be: #1 Be a Positive voice and presence in representation of The 40 Strong. #2 Receive Important updates and get that info fluidly ( getting copies/word of mouth) to other members at your facility. #3 Create Fundraisers and Other positive bridges to society that we can support and help plan. All Submissions for Facility Leaders must be received by April 3, 2024
* As I said this position will pay but we want your best foot forward.
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College Guild Success & Thanks

Opportunities for Change Update with Kirsten

Happy March! I want to thank everyone that came back with such enthusiasm regarding the rollout pilot College Guild 40 Strong Study Club program. I have made a list of all those interested, and your respective facilities. At this stage, we have started the rollout in 3 facilities - including one womens' facility.

This is not to say that we won't expand. Right now, we are funding and running this from a grassroots level, and we need to make sure we get it right and effective before going wide. These facilities will be the case studies we put forward when going wide, and pitching our case for grants and support. So please don't be disheartened if I haven't been in contact in reply to your expression of interest.

For those that are located in Red Onion, Pocahontas, or State Farm Womens', there are study groups in those three facilities - so if you are interested in participating in the study group, please let me know and we can put you in touch with the group leaders in those facilities.

This is a really exciting program, and I am dedicated to making sure that as many of you can access this as possible. It is imperative to us as an organization, and myself, that we are able to provide opportunities for growth to those that yearn for it - without all the hoops that you currently have to jump through. These programs are self paced, free, and fully supported by us. This is the way we want to keep it.

Change is happening - I promise you that. And I am always humbled and filled with joy at the level of interaction and support from our beautiful family. Please keep communicating, sharing information, and most importantly, maintaining faith. We never lose sight of what it is we are fighting for, and you aren't forgotten. Every step we take is informed and implemented, with you all at the forefront.

--
Kirsten
Personal Advocate & Director of Education
The 40 Strong
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Free Speaks.....

The cost of freedom is high. The fear of the unknown even greater. Let's be real for a moment; we are trying to tell people who have no connection to OUR plight WHO WE ARE! We believe in our HEART OF HEARTS that we can return to society and do great things. Many of us are already doing great things and it goes unnoticed. So as we scream IM READY it's still a fractured message to someone who can't imagine your bad decision, past, trauma, addiction, wrong place wrong time, actually innocent etc... reality. Each story is different and The 40 Strong strives to share your stories. Tell your families to go on our Facebook our stories are there. If the go to the website Words From Inside is there. People hear us! The key now is stepping up the Good noise and REACH HIGHER! You still playing follow the leader or you STANDING as a man or woman? Give up?? Who would say something so foolish? For if one would give up on their life their soul is already gone! God blessed you with LIFE and quit was not in that handbook. If I said I was writing this with tears on my face would you understand? Does that make me less of a man or does it show what MY life means to me? Many would never understand the burden of leadership and how great the wins feel and how bitter heartbreaking are the losses. One thing I can say is that the 40 Strong will not be quitting. The WINS from this General Assembly ARE BIG! History was set on many fronts and all the delegates and Senators know the 40 Strong name. The 40 Strong families came from all over on a 28° day. Whenever we had action alerts countless people all over the country called, emailed, and spoke. The work by all the organizations including our very own Angela, Nairobi, Kirsten, Chris, Nasir, and families was AMAZING! I'm not giving up on that. This was the first year for this new majority. Second Look was not just defeated embarrassingly ---- it crossed over and was entering it's final stages---- so why we quitting? The wins of Ending Solitary, Oversight, Earned Sentence Credits for jail time, Free Phone Calls ( or reduced prices) and so much more! The Delegates said they were impressed by the reform community and we quitting??? I say we get better---- more organized and more accountable. Did you write Governor Youngkin and Delegate Don Scott about your change? Did you get your family to attend the General Assembly? Have you gotten your friends and family to volunteer with us? Have you donated $5 to the 40 Strong or any of the other great organizations? Because from where I'm sitting 1600 stamps once or twice a month is real! So have you given 100%? Have you signed up for programs? Created a program? Are we getting better for the freedom we want. So many people were mad by Attorney General Miyares decision to release a letter to the Delegates days before Second Look and Earned Sentence Credits went to Committee with steam ----
I ask why? His title is the Attorney General that means he's the head law enforcement officer in Virginia ---- he's protecting his interest. As disappointing as that was we can only get better. Let's do facility fundraising this year. Let's do College Guild and sign up for College. Get your family more involved because the 2025 session is less than 10 months away. How much time is 10 minutes??? We're all doing time so we know that value of time. Now ask yourself....
" Is my life worth 10 months of fighting and getting better? " Of course it is! So if you wanna quit please delete the 40 Strong from JPay. If you are in and know your life is worth it ----- Let's Go!
Free----24'
__________________________________________ 40 Strong Atlanta and DC

We are happy to announce growth in Atlanta, Georgia and Washington DC uniting with Virginia. Christopher Willars of Atlanta and Keith Robinson of Washington DC we are thankful. The vision is always the same;
Second Chances, Education, and Progress
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Greetings Forty Strong family,

As some of you are aware already, AFOI (assisting families of inmates) began their annual quarterly transportation services this past Saturday. I utilized their services for the first time to visit a loved one at Pocahontas State Correctional Center and highly recommend them; and will use them in the future.

They provide a variety of services to families with an incarcerated loved one. These include quarterly transportation to visit each of our state facilities (in the months of March, June, September and December) . They also help with video visitation for those without access to high speed internet; and various other services for children with incarcerated parents.

The process was very simple for setting up transportation with them. Contact them at their website www.afoi.org and send them your contact information to request an intake appointment; or call (804) 643-2401. The intake appointment is over the phone and takes 15 minutes or less. They will give you your AFOI member number and let you know when the next trip to visit your loved one is. Call back or visit their website at that time and reserve your spot . (You must already be registered as a visitor with VADOC) . The cost is $10 for adults and free for minors. They provide a grab and go breakfast before leaving Richmond and dinner upon your return. They also schedule your visit, so you can skip the process through GTL. And the best part of all is you’re allowed a 4 hour visitation with your loved one when going with AFOI. They are non profit and run off donations and fund raising events throughout the year. I highly recommend both utilizing their services and helping fund them if you’re in a position to do so. They are a wonderful group and provide many opportunities to keep families connected as we navigate through these hardships of not having our loved ones home with us.

Jessica Davis
Forty Strong Chapter Leader
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The40Strong.com Website Update

We are happy to announce that the website has been updated. Please have your family and friends visit the website to get all info, coming events and a Legislator contact list
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In Closing.....

We want to thank everyone for the support and let's keep moving forward. Our April newsletter will have initiatives and a plan for what's next. In the meantime keep your head up and focused on the prize. I leave you with this saying, " many can talk about the fight outside the ring, but only the brave will step in the ring to fight!" Our best to you

Chris 40 S.
The40Strong.com
TheForty Strong@Facebook.com
the40strong@gmail.com

The40Strong.com
TheForty Strong@Facebook.com
the40strong@gmail.com

 February 28, 2024

Greetings Members, Families, and Friends!
We hope that you are doing well. We've now entered the hallway point of the 2024 General Assembly Session. It has been agreed on by many Advocates and organizations that this so far has been the most successful General Assembly session ever for Prison Reform. As you well may know, we stay inspired but we are never satisfied! There were certain qualifiers attached to Second Look but it did not disqualify anyone. These qualifiers are increased times of 20 or 25 years for certain crimes. We do not know which crimes require more time to be served so please be patient as we follow everything down to the end of the session. We having clothes a Midway point wrap up summary to help you understand more. The term" Crossover " simply means that bills that were either in the house or Senate that were successful, well now go to the other chamber for the final steps to either pass as law and head to Governor Youngkins desk, or not be passed into law. So we would love to predict the future but we refuse to lie to our members. So please stay patient and wants the general assembly concludes with all info that you need we will put that in the next newsletter. The good news is Our Members and Families made a difference at the 2024 session. The even better news is we still have three more sessions 2025, 2026, and 2027 with this NEW MAJORITY that is willing to make change. This year was a little bit rushed with all of the new delegates and Senators that were just elected in November, but that leaves us the rest of this year to educate them on why BIG changes are needed in 2025.__________________________________Old Law Parole Update
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – Days after moving to block Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s pick to lead the Virginia Parole Board, Senate Democrats reversed course and confirmed her appointment.On Feb. 5, the Democrat-controlled Virginia Senate moved to reject a Democrat-led Senate committee’s decision from Jan. 30 to remove Patricia West’s appointment as Virginia Parole Board chair from a joint resolution with several of Youngkin’s appointees to key state posts.
West said that she felt Democrats were initially hesitant about her nomination because they were unfamiliar with her, telling 8News that she met with leaders to introduce herself. This included discussions with Senate Majority Leader Scott A. Surovell (D-Fairfax) and House Speaker Don L. Scott Jr. (D-Portsmouth), she said.
“Once I was able to talk to them and tell them about myself, I think that’s what changed their minds,” West told 8News in an interview.
READ MORE: Senate Democrats move to block Youngkin’s pick for Virginia Parole Board chairWest told 8News she believes Democrats were able to assess her thoughts on parole and trusted her when she said that she was going to be “fair” with her parole decisions, a view she said she also expressed to Youngkin before taking over the role last September.
Youngkin appointed West, a former Virginia Beach circuit court judge, as parole board chair after the former chair, Chadwick Dotson, took over as the director of the Virginia Department of Corrections.
The state’s parole board , which has the authority to grant, deny and revoke parole and other powers, can have up to five members but currently only has four members.
West told 8News she’s looking forward to having a full parole board and hopes to bring stability to it, acknowledging that there is a current “backlog” because it was down to three members and saying it has been “kind of a mess.
West was a judge on the State Corporation Commission after serving as secretary of public safety under former Gov. George Allen (R) and as a chief deputy attorney general under Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli (R).
She was also an associate dean and law and government professor at Regent University, a private Christian university in Virginia Beach.
When she was picked to be a State Corporation Commission judge, Virginia Democrats labeled her “ a conspiracy theorist ,” claiming then that she has “a long history of endorsing and promoting far-right, sexist, Islamophobic conspiracy theories.”
The initial move to remove West’s name came after Senate Democrats blocked high-profile Youngkin appointees last year . A spokesperson for Senate Democrats did not respond to a request for comment for this story by publication.
*This does show that Democrats challenged Ms. West's confirmation and she spoke with high ranking Dems expressing her vision for the 2024 Parole Board. All we can do now is look for accountability by way of FAIR Parole Hearings. We've been fighting for this and will follow it through._
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40 Strong Members Opportunity!!!!!
We are currently on the planning team for the In thrive Film Festival in April. We are looking for poetry submissions through JPay or you can have your family record your poem over the phone and record it. Please speak on your experience incarcerated, life, family, or how you feel. If your problem is selected to be read at the film festival you will receive a monetary contribution and letter of involvement. Please have your families send the recordings to our email: the40strong@gmail.com
We're also looking for original artwork done in pen, pencil, or color. All artwork can be sent to our PO box: The 40 Strong p.o. box 6731 Chesapeake Virginia 23323
All Submissions Deadline March 21st!!!!!!!
Inthrive Film festivalApril 14, 2024 12pm-5pm
George Mason University4400 University DriveFairfax, Virginia 22030
*Please let your families know about the film festival as we are trying to fill it up!!!! We're also looking at the possibility of having family members read The poetry entries._________________________________________Lawrenceville OpportunityWe are very aware of the opportunity for parole eligible and military veterans to be transferred to Lawrenceville. We are currently trying to be a part of the initiative with our mentors and members plan an important role. We will find out more information on this and let you guys know in the next newsletter.____________________________________LIST & FIT Programs Homework
We were contacted by a few members about their facility being on lock in regards to homework. We are extending the homework deadline to 2 weeks when receiving LIST or FIT out of consideration for facility lockdowns and kiosk problems._________________________________________40 Strong LIVE and Podcast
We are currently looking to have LIVE interviews with our members to discuss second chances and the current conditions in DOC. This could be started as soon as March and we will be looking for members to interview live from our Facebook as a way to edify the voices that are not being heard.* We are already posting many of your Jpay emails on our page so please have your family's follow: TheForty Strong (Facebook)_________________________________________The Forty Strong College Guild Club


IMPORTANT UPDATE AND OPPORTUNITY!!!!!


We are excited to announce that following an incredibly productive meeting with College Guild, Kirsten and Chris were able to facilitate an ongoing partnership that would mean more opportunities for our members in terms of leadership and learning.
We are looking at facilitating study groups in 2-3 facilities as a test initiative, in which we are looking for volunteer group mentors who can encourage learning, answer questions, lead others, and have thought provoking conversations as a method of group study. Our students will be expected to try their best to respond and submit all assignments, and our mentors will be expected to treat fellow students with respect and provide constructive feedback.
We will provide all learnings materials to those enrolled in the study groups, and the study group leader would be our main point of contact.
What does this mean for you? If you are interested in being a study group leader in your pod/facility – reach out to us, and we can engage in conversation around what this might look like. Have conversations with those around you and engage others with a passion for further learning. Programs like these can help when being assessed for Second Look petitions, and we would be prepared to write supporting statements of your mentoring and leadership efforts.
We would be looking at running two courses to begin with, these would be Creative Language (a writing and creative focused course) and U.S. Education which breaks down the education system in America with the pros and cons and how you can benefit from it.
Upon completion of courses, each participant will receive a certificate acknowledging their participation in the course. Reminder – these courses are NOT accredited, but provide accessibility and equity in application, are completely free, and are accessible for all individuals. Our mission here is to encourage learning, promote rehabilitation and re-entry, prepare individuals for successful and meaningful relationships, and foster positive social relationships through collaboration.
Following this trial, we want to expand this into other facilities through partnership with the DOC and your help in these study groups will provide a positive case study to present to decision makers.
*We are looking at compensating our group leaders with money, stamps, media credits, or even gifts out the 40 Strong Gift Shop. We always like to support our members! PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU'D LIKE TO BE GROUP LEADER. PLEASE STATE YOUR FACILITY. WE NEED GOOD COMMUNICATORS AND THOSE WHO CAN MAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY WORK!
Courses Available: Creative Writing/U.S. Education
___________________________________________Crossover Conclusion:
Mostly Sunny with Scattered Frustrations
Great Progress Across Justice Reform

The bills that we have worked most devotedly on and that our community has been tracking most closely have been largely successful so far, albeit with some nuance and frustration.,
Second Look (HB834/SB427) would provide the first real opportunity for those who have earned it after decades to have their lengthy sentences reviewed by the courts. Amounting to systemic change that a JLARC study recently found would have huge impacts in fighting discriminatory sentencing patterns, we are extremely proud to have seen the Senate clear HB427 without any carve outs. At the same time, we recognize that adding unwanted limitations to get it that far and having the House version fail to make the floor are not quite where we hoped to be. Still, progress has been made and the bill moves forward.
We are absolutely thrilled about the overwhelmingly bipartisan support for the DOC Oversight/Ombudsman bill (HB555/SB456), which cleared the House 98-0 and Senate 38-2. The Governor already has it in his budget, so we foresee a law. That alone would be justice reform progress for the year, given the 25,000 families impacted everyday by the lack of transparency in DOC historically. Better yet, VADOC Director Chadwick Dotson has repeatedly signaled his support, a sign of improved leadership, too.
The bills to end extended solitary confinement (and improve safety, rehabilitation, and accountability when it is used, HB1244/SB719) have both cleared their respective chambers, and they did so remarkably close to how they were originally written. Please stay tuned to help us push for the Governor’s signature to end the torture of putting people alone in boxes for months and years when they are in crisis.
No Cost Prison Communications (HB801/SB378) managed to pass the House yesterday, albeit in a slimmed down form that would make the communications cheaper and eliminate profiteering. Not quite no cost, and we’re working to ensure full access in the meantime, but already progress that Delegate Rasoul and our coalition promise to continue.
Helping cement Delegate Seibold’s status as a beloved advocate for our community, bipartisan votes pushed her justice bills across the House finish line. Providing appropriate earned sentence credits for pretrial time at jails (HB45) passed 59-39, severely restricting canine attacks in DOC (HB159) passed 82-15, and providing safe harbor for reporting overdoses inside (HB161) went through 63-34. With less fanfare than others, these bills would reunite families, avoid often-racialized physical and psychological trauma, and save lives.
We have succeeded in pushing back against and killing a bunch of bad bills, including those to allow incarceration for initial technical violations during probation (HB849) and to permanently disqualify “mixed” and “inchoate” (incomplete acts, such as attempt, solicitation, and conspiracy) convictions (SB476), ensuring that past reforms that work have been kept in place. We have also watched and provided whatever assistance we could as our allies passed an enormous number of justice reform bills through at least one chamber. Thus, it has been one of our most successful first halves. A lot of these haven’t gotten the fanfare they deserve as they stand to make a big difference in real lives.
Pretrial, we are most especially excited about drug policy reform moving forward. The option of treating small possession cases as misdemeanors instead of felonies is great policy, reducing harms from criminalizing addiction and experimentation. Likewise, increasing eligibility for first offense drug programs (HB452) will keep people out of the system.
In the reentry space, there has been great success finding (often bipartisan) practical solutions to reduce the collateral consequences of incarceration. Forcing jails and prisons to set up systems for facilitating IDs upon emergence (HB1405) is an often overlooked but hugely impactful change that Delegates Cousins and Walker worked on across the aisle. Can’t get housing or a job without ID, and the initial time back in a community is so crucial. Eliminating fines and fees assessed on juveniles (HB 1263) will stop pushing our most vulnerable youth away from education and saddling them with debt upon release from any incarceration. Putting a time limit of 10 years on collecting fines and fees will stop putting unnecessary stressors that drive people towards addiction and recidivism when already emerging with the burden of a record (SB514).
It's also hugely important to see that we are moving towards a probation system that has a system of credits for education, employment, and treatment (HB457), letting folks earn their way off supervision sooner as a reward for growth. Making it possible for some people in the Department of Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse to hire those with lived experience despite barrier crimes from long ago (SB626) will help improve peer recovery outcomes in all our communities hard hit by addiction.
Keep in mind: All of these are legislative successes. To make them law, we have to also convince the governor to sign them. Could not realistically do much better than we did so far, but we still have steps before these great bills are statute._________________________________________Second Look Truths
As you all may know, we have been big supporters of second look and the possibilities for Second Chances. We are concerned about the new changes which allow the victim to deny a petition as well as the prosecutor if they fail to respond or write a letter against the petitioner receiving Second Look. With that said we are not getting bitter we are getting better! The next General Assembly session starts in about 10 months and there's no time to waste. If second look is passed as it is I do encourage everyone that it applies to to pursue your freedom. No bill will be perfect but if it presents an opportunity for you please apply it.__________________________________________2025 Good Time Initiative
In light of the adjustments made to Second Look we are already beginning our 2025 campaign for Good Time. If it was up to us we would be going for the 1995 abolishment of good time to be repealed, but it seems like things have a way of moving too slow. So with that being said, we are in full belief that if a person serves 365 days doing right, then they should get more than 55 days a year of good time. We have spoken to many lawmakers, churches, etc... And nobody thinks that this is right. If you serve 31 days you should get more than 4 days of good time. For those who don't have Earned Sentence Credit, Parole eligibility, or any other vehicle for second chances they need help. So get ready and be ready--- get your families ready, for it will take all of us to get change that's needed!* For us to really be successful you have to tell your families to prepare to make calls and emails. We'll also need families to visit their District lawmakers to express the need for change in 2025. So PLEASE be prepared for action and upcoming newsletters.___________________________________________* This is a letter that Angela recently sent all the delegates and senators that we supported. Just letting you know that we are working and pushing.
February 15, 2024
Greetings and Kindness,
Hoping everyone is well. Our organization sincerely thanks everyone who's worked so hard up to this Crossover point to better the Commonwealth. With Prison Reform being our vision and focus we've been encouraged and filled with anxiety at different points. A Round of Applause for the great work to End Solitary Confinement. In matters of Second Chances we still feel unheard in many ways. If a mistake was made, contrition in remorse expressed, and rehabilitation successful, there should be second chances.
The reality says that 1,000's and 1,000's of men and women are in Virginia DOC seeking hope! Many of these men and women have been infraction free for years, graduated, accomplished programs, and so much more. However they ONLY EARN 4 DAYS of good time a month----- 4 DAYS!!!I will never pretend to be a math specialist but that reality just doesn't sit right in my spirit. Does Second Chances lie in the moral defeat of 4 Days a month?
When we encouraged the men and women of doc to get their 25,000 families to vote, it was with promises of change. We had events all over Virginia echoing this promise right up until the November 7th election day. They showed up! Now I'm praying we can keep our part of that promise. Virginia NEEDS A REAL SECOND LOOK. Virginia needs a FAIR good time system, fair parole hearings, and fair justice. This letter officially kicks off our 2025 Initiative forF. A. I. R.Fair Accountable Invested Rehabilitation We will be seeking a fair good time system and REAL change for the 25,000 families missing a loved one.___________________________________________In Closing
Tell your family to Follow us on Facebook at The Forty Strong Please have them support the website at: The40Strong.com the last thing is when you're going to commissary make sure that you order 5 to 10 stamps because we will be doing a lot of letter writing in the near future. Tell those around you to buy stamps because getting real change is going to take some work. Thank everyone for reading the newsletter and please stay inspired because change is coming!

Chris 40 S.The40Strong.comTheForty Strong@Facebook.comthe40strong@gmail.com
The40Strong.com
TheForty Strong@Facebook.com
the40strong@gmail.com .

 We have enclosed pictures of G.A. day and pictures of our special edition T-shirts on sale to support our newsletter that goes to 1100 members and upcoming events. If you would like to support please reach out via email and shirts are ready to ship! Thank You.

January 24, 2024

Greetings Members, Families and Friends!

The 2024 reform week General Assembly Lobby day was great! It was kicked off last Saturday with second look training by Sistas in Prison Reform and The Humanization Project at the Richmond public library. Then on MLK DAY we held our training with IAHR and host Natasha White in Norfolk which was free to the families. Then yesterday (Tuesday) Sistas in Prison Reform,ACLU Richmond, The Humanization Project, NOLEFTURNS, and others ascended on the Virginia General Assembly for the official Second Look Lobby Day. A press conference was held where Juanita from Sistas in Prison Reform gave a wonderful introduction of the Second Look Bill and why legislators should support it. The official Second Look Lobby day on Tuesday was a great success! Then today the 40 Strong, IAHR, and Virginia Justice Alliance hell our lobby days to great success again! Our organizations combined had over 25 meetings with various Delegates and Senators. I would definitely say that it went well and that the families showed up. The halls were packed and we sent four different groups FREEDOM, UNITY, JUSTICE, and EQUALITY to meetings from 9:45 am - 3:00 pm. The Big takeaway from this reform week so far is that people are showing up and the organizations are united! The 40 Strong is barely the seasoned organization that many of these others are but the other organizations  have always  made us feel welcome and apart of the process. We have to thank Natasha White, Jennifer Dalton, Ruth Henson, Ninenette Henson, Taj  Gibson, Sheba Williams, Paul Taylor, Chenoa Young, Shawn Waneta, Paulettra James,  Allison Kay, Santia, Nance, Jacque,  and so many others who helped with Reform Week. We will now be presenting the bills that are up and what we you can do to support them. A special shout out to Senator Creigh Deeds for being lead patron on the Second Look Bill and Delegate Holly Seibold for supporting and being the patron on several bills. Bills are nothing without support and that's what we have to do. Let's Go!!!!!

A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO Ms. Kennedy,
Margaret Breslau of CFJ, and Phil Wilayto for Being Pillars in this reform fight. We NEVER forget the years of work you put in when many didn't know how to fight!
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L.I.ST.  and  F.I.T Programs Update

We still have our participants for both programs and both will be sent out by February 7th. We really put ALL of our attention into the General Assembly. So programs are coming!!

     __________________________________________________   

   Understanding Bills and Legislation     

The process of a bill being passed has many levels. The bill must first be written and shopped to a Delegate or Senator. After a Delegate or Senator agrees to be the patron of the bill it's pre filled. That same bill is this recommended to a committee such as Public Safety to be considered. Once it's received in a committee a hearing is set to hear bill and to let the public support it. If it passes it's then sent to the house or Senate for a vote. If it passes by a majority vote in both houses it's sent to Governor Youngkin to be signed into law.  The Governor can either sign or veto the law. If he signs it into law it will take  effect on July 1st of that year. 
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   Gossip and Rumors

We are asking everyone to quell the rumors of 65% passing, and earned sentence credits expanding. Nothing has been signed into law yet. Just wanted to address the rumors and untruths floating around. WHEN THINGS PASS IT WILL BE IN OUR NEWSLETTER.
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                             House Bills (HB)

HB 1244 Restorative housing and isolated confinement; restrictions on use. Solitary Confinement bill HB1244 Joshua G. Cole (D) Yes Public Safety
Email--- DelJCole@house.virginia.gov

HB 834 Second Look Bill Petition the courts after 15 years of incarceration  Rae Cousins(D)
Yes Passed Courts of Justice
Email-- DelRCousins@house.virginia.gov

HB 801 Electronic communication systems within state correctional facilities; free telephone calls. Free communications!! Delegate Sam Rasoul (D)
Yes Passed Public Safety Subcomittee
Email- DelSRasoul@house.virginia.gov

HB 45 Earned sentence credits; incarceration prior to entry of final order of conviction. Provides that any period of incarceration in any correctional facility for which a person was held on the charge of conviction, including any period of incarceration prior to conviction, shall be used in calculating such person's earned sentence credits. Delegate Holly Seibold (D) Yes Passed Courts of Justice
Email -DelHSeibold@house.virginia.gov

                    Senate Bills (SB)

SB 427 Second Look Bill allows one to  Petition the courts after 15+ years served for reduced sentence Senator Criegh Deeds (D) 
Yes Passed Courts of Justice Committee
senatordeeds@senate.virginia.gov

SB 378 Free Communications Requires the Department of Corrections to provide telephone systems and web-based or electronic communications systems free of charge to any person, whether such person is initiating or receiving the communication SB378 Senator Jennifer Boysko (D) 
Yes Passed Passed Finance/Appropriations Committee
senatorboysko@senate.virginia.gov
* This would be for pod phone and Jp6 players

SB 80 Prisoner reentry; Department of Corrections
Requires the Department of Corrections to develop and implement a certificate of rehabilitation program for the purposes of assisting an inmate's successful transition from prison to society upon the person's discharge. The bill provides that no person who is awarded a certificate of rehabilitation shall have such person's criminal history constitute a barrier to employment.
The bill also provides that no person shall be refused a license, certificate, or registration to practice, pursue, or engage in any regulated occupation or profession within the Department of Health Professions solely because of a prior criminal conviction, unless the criminal conviction directly relates to the occupation or profession for which the license, certificate, or registration is sought.
The bill also establishes criteria for which a court must reduce a defendant's probation period, including completing qualifying educational activities, maintaining verifiable employment, and completing a mental health or substance abuse treatment program. The bill also provides that a court may decrease a defendant's probation period if warranted by the defendant's conduct and in the interests of justice and may do so without a hearing. Senator Barbara A. Favola (D) 
Yes Passed Committee
senatorfavola@senate.virginia.gov

SB 456 Oversight bill Creates, within the Office of the State Inspector General, the Office of the Department of Corrections Ombudsman (the Office) headed by an Ombudsman who is selected by a Corrections Oversight Committee (the Committee), also created by the bill. The bill provides that the Committee is made up of four members of the General Assembly and 11 nonlegislative citizen members who monitor the activities of the Ombudsman and the Department of Corrections (the Department) SB456 Senator Mardsen 
senatormarsden@senate.virginia.gov
*OVERSIGHT HAS Passed through and it's headed to Governor Youngkins desk to be signed 

SB 476 Earned sentence credits; inchoate offenses; concurrent and consecutive sentences.
Earned sentence credits; inchoate offenses; concurrent and consecutive sentences. Provides that a person who is convicted of an inchoate offense will earn sentence credits at the same rate as someone who is convicted of the completed offense for certain enumerated offenses. Senator Mark Peake
senatorpeake@senate.virginia.gov

SB 482 Expungement and sealing of juvenile court records. Expungement and sealing of juvenile court records. Provides for the sealing of juvenile court records in those instances where a juvenile was found guilty of a delinquent act that would be a felony if committed by an adult and such juvenile has attained the age of 18 years and three years have elapsed since the date of the last hearing in the case of such juvenile. Under current law, such records are open to the public. Senator Lashrecse D. Aird 
senatoraird@senate.virginia.gov

SB 23 Juveniles; adjudication of delinquency. Specifies that a delinquent child is a child 11 years of age or older who has committed a delinquent act. Currently, there is no minimum age for a child to be adjudicated delinquent. Senator Mamie E. Locke (D) 
senatorlocke@senate.virginia.gov

SB 334 Plea agreements; prohibited provisions. Prohibits plea agreements from containing any provision that purports to waive, release, or extinguish a defendant's (i) rights under the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article I, Section 10 of the Constitution of Virginia; (ii) right to file a petition requesting expungement of the police records and the court records; or (iii) right to have criminal history record information and court records sealed. Senator Saddam Azlan Salim Yes
senatorsalim@senate.virginia.gov

SB 449 Juvenile parole; juvenile correctional centers. Juvenile parole; juvenile correctional centers. Provides that any person sentenced to a term of life imprisonment or who has a cumulative term of active sentences that total more than 20 years, regardless of whether such sentences were imposed during a single sentencing hearing or multiple sentencing hearings, SB449 Senator Mardsen (D) Yes
senatormarsden@senate.virginia.gov

Note: There is also a bill that would require DOC to provide educational opportunities and college courses on your Jp6 players. We will update.
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  How To Support Bills

All bills listed has the bill patron listed and their email address. PLEASE have your family reach out to them via email to support the bill and ask how they can further support it. Here's the language to support a bill:
Hello Senator Deeds, my name is __________
and as a Taxpayer in Virginia I support 
SB 427 Second Look and how else can I support Second Look? I am willing to speak on behalf of Second Look for my loved one if needed. That's it! That's how your family will support a bill.
* Please have them follow us on Facebook
@TheForty Strong for info on how to support pending bills. 
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     General Assembly  Sunday Updates 

Okay so we are over 1100 members which means we will not be able to update you after each and every bill. So here's what you can do; have your family go to The Humanization Project on  Facebook every Sunday at 8pm for weekly updates and what's next. This session will be led by Shawn Waneta of the ACLU Richmond.
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         TheForty Strong @Facebook

Please have your family and friends follow us on Facebook. We ALWAYS have what's next and they'll have all the info needed to assist you. 
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            ANNOUNCEMENT FOR 2025

We have already announced on our social media platforms that we will be pushing to repeal the 1995 abolishment of parole and good time. We believe that the last 30 years proves that this was a mistake by then Governor George Allen. We also want a level playing field for ALL Virginia DOC men and women! There's the Old Law, New Law, Fish Back Law, Earned Sentence Credit Law, Juvenile Law, Geriatric Law, Etc... That's not equal for ALL. Repealing the 1995 abolishment of parole law would not only be fair to all but it would also save Virginia taxpayers millions! This is a REAL task that will have to start very soon. We just believe that 2 people who committed the same offense should not be serving two different sentencing statutes, or one is eligible for parole and the other isn't, or one gets 30 days good time for 30 days served while the other gets 4 1/2 days a month. That's not right and we wanna fix this! THIS WILL TAKE A ALL HANDS ON DECK APPROACH. We will need you involved getting your families to call/email or visit the local district office to speak with your legislator about this. We will have more on this soon
stay ready!
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                    Be on Point!

As this new legislator works its way through this session, be aware that they will have 3 more years. That means that in 4 years Criminal Justice in Virginia will be completely overhauled. With that said this is the time to tighten up! Get in school, start a program, take a trade. When we say stay in positive, that's for a reason. There's no need in all us out here fighting for change if you got dumb charges and not doing nothing. We not telling you what to do but we are saying that change may come with requirements--- GED, Programs, Trade. This next 4 years is time to get it together if you haven't already. Silly beefs and wasting time is over! Listen to this...   We don't need 
NOBODY going home to do nothing stupid!!!
Listen again.... We don't need NOBODY going home to do nothing stupid!!! Because when you do something stupid it feeds the narrative, " keep them locked up!" " throw away the key!" etc.... So this is BIG picture cause there's 25,000 men and women who will be judged for what a few do. 
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       Support The 40 Strong T Shirts

As you know we do not solicit money or ask for donations. We would rather sell our 1st Edition one of a kind T Shirts and hats with proceeds being used to fund the newsletter
(1200 members), and upcoming events. PLEASE HAVE YOUR FAMILY EMAIL US AT
the40strong@gmail.com or follow our Facebook page TheForty Strong. 

To order your family a T-SHIRT  please send a $20 money order + $2.75 shipping and handling to:
                         The 40 Strong
                          p.o. box 6731
                 Chesapeake, Virginia 23323

*PLEASE WRITE ON A SHEET OF PAPER
Name, Address, T shirt size and we will ship one of our limited edition t shirts to your loved one from you. Thank you for your support!!! 
__________________________________________

                      In Closing 

As this General Assembly session continues, PLEASE search for accurate information. Your family can go to The Humanization Project on Facebook every Sunday at 8pm for weekly wrap ups until the session is over. In the meantime rally your supporters to prepare for our journey the 
Abolishment of Parole and Good Time on its 30 year anniversary in 2025. The 2025 General Assembly is only 11 MONTHS away so don't take it lightly. Some may say we're looking too far ahead but we'll say we're 30 years too far behind to not be looking ahead. Is it fair for some to get parole and while some don't? Or for some to get 15 days good time while someone else gets 
4 1/2 days? Both people committed the same crime! Is it okay for men and women to be charge free for years, go to school, graduate programs, acquire a trade and only gets 4 1/2 days good time a month? You're doing everything right and that should have incentives. So our focus is set---  be encouraged!

Chris 40 S.
The40Strong.com
TheForty Strong@Facebook.com
the40strong@gmail.com

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   November 27, 2023

Greetings Members, Families and Friends,

    Sending everyone great energy and positive vibes. We hope that the holiday were well for you and your family. We also want to thank everyone who has been pushing with us and supporting the movement and words, action, or deeds. As we've always said, it's all about UNITY when it comes to change. That's why we've always saluted other great organizations like RIHD, Justice Blacksburg, ACLU Richmond, The Humanization Project, Sistas In Prison Reform, The Defenders, The Unity Group, Justice Alliance, Voice of the Voiceless, Freedom Over Everything, NoLefTurns, Virginia Prisons Accountability,Incarcerated Lives Matter Virginia foundation, Virginia Coalition of Solitary Confinement,  Ketchmore Kids, P.E.A.C.E., Natasha White, Paul Taylor, Chenoa Young, Angela Antoine,  and anyone I forgot please forgive me... The point being, there are many organizations in great people who are fighting this fight. Many are returning citizens and many are just average American citizens who disagree with how the criminal justice system works. So the 40 strong and all of our members give them thanks and big salutes!!! ___________________________________________    Humanization Project Town Hall
The Humanization Project is having a town hall on the upcoming General Assembly focus and ideas. This town hall will be on Facebook on Monday November 27th at 8:00 p.m.. we are hoping that if you get this that you can get your mother or your girl or somebody to check it out and get the information that will be provided. The 40 strong will be there virtually to support and listen to the direction of the 2024 General Assembly. Pass This On!___________________________________________    40 Strong Advocacy Training
PLEASE get your family/friends involved in our advocacy day. We have partnered with Natasha White to give families of Tidewatertraining before our January 17th Advocacy day. The training will also be live streamed for those who can't make it to Tidewater. LISTEN!!!! DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THIS TRAINING. This will prepare your families to speak to lawmakers and how to act on your behalf. Here's the info:           January 16th 2024 10am-2pm                     Designer Depot                      3676 Sewell's Point Road                      Norfolk, Virginia * If your families have questions please call  #318-295-5343 Natasha --------------------------------------------------------------------- Membership and Our Website
We are still adding those who were kicked out of our last contact. We are asking our members to get others involved and to stay active. If someone in your part has a voice and wants change, please send their state number. If there are members who were previously contacts please send their state number so that we can add them again.---------------------------------------------------------------------             40 Strong Advocacy Day
Our official advocacy day will be January 17, 2024 9am-3pm. We will have breakfast, lunch, and gas cards for your families. As of now we are hoping to meet at offices of ACLU Richmond but will have official location in December 15th Special EditionGeneral Assembly Call to Action newsletter. We are also happy to announce that candidate for delegate Susana Gibson had reached out to join us on January 17th! We will be happy to have her and we also have a couple delegates reaching out to meet families on that date. So mark January 17th on your calendar!!___________________________________________
 Our 5 Legislative Initiatives for 2024
What's The changing of the guard after the election, we have been trying to put together a priority list. We thought about pro, fishback, conditions, reentry, earn sentence credits etc... We also know that we will not accomplish everything in January but we do have four years to make progress. With that said, we also don't want to tread lightly because our voting block spoke and people want change. So these will be at 5 points of focus for the general assembly.#1 REINSTATING PAROLE~ we believe that this has to be on top of the list, because more than anything people want freedom! Our opinion on this is that Virginia has too many laws; hola new law fits back law juvenile law earn since credit law etc... We found this to be unconstitutional to have 25,000 men and women serving different sentences of the same crimes. We believe that one law reinstating parole in 30 for 30 good time will be fair and impartial to all. That can be accomplished simply by voting to remove the 1995 statue which will automatically reinstate parole and make it retroactive.#2 SECOND LOOK~ we Believe family that Second look will be a beautiful opportunity for those who've done to work to gain Second Chances. Second Look gained a lot of steam last year and even passed the Senate but had trouble in the house. Second look will provide for judges to reconsider sentences and shorten the time of those who deserve it. This sort of reconsideration by judges has been tried in Maryland and many other states with great success. Why not and trust a judge who sent someone to also modify their sentence because of that person's great behavior or steps to change?#3 PAROLE PROCESS OVERHAUL~ one of the biggest issues we have with our members is not receiving a fair parole hearing. This also applies to FISHBACK, JUVENILE, and GERIATRIC! We will be asking legislators to look at the parole process and address issues like serious nature of the crime being stated 15, 20, 25 times as reason for denial. The mistake that a person made will never change, but their life and choice to change themselves can. We want a fair and impartial parole board that will grant parole on a person's remorse, rehabilitation, and potential to reintegrate into society. #4 VIRGINIA DOC HEALTH AND WELLNESSWe will be asking DOC and lawmakers as well, to look at the style of corrections currently. That means is everything about punishment? Are there adequate enough programs that match today's society? Can doing time be more incentive based? Can jp6 players with phone compatibility be provided to stop violence over the phones? More mental health professionals be hired to deal with the trauma and emotional effects of incarceration. We don't believe that people are just using drugs. Much of this is due to incarceration, the current system of no incentive to do good, and even things like covid and not being able to see family for periods of time. Can the newly formed ombudsman office secure more structure in regards to food, medical, and rehabilitation?#5 ENDING SOLITARY ~ in the past we have been biased to approaching reform from a freedom only objective. Although our primary goal is second chances, we have grown to realize that conditions do matter! And one of those conditions that have done the most harm, has been the prolong time in solitary confinement. We are thankful to Natasha White and the Virginia Coalition on Solitary Confinement on the real effects of physical isolation. So we will be asking lawmakers to cap the amount of time and solitary or restrictive housing to 14 days if you are not a threat or did not commit an act of violence. We would like people who do not pose a threat to be returned to housing and population within 14 days or transferred to a suitable facility. We do understand that if someone's a threat that solitary confinement might have to be used for a period of time for the safety of the facility. However, it matters of simple infractions or things not deemed a violent threat, prolonged segregation is not a good for them or the facility.
      In Closing on 5 Legislative Initiatives
We do understand that there are vital things that we may have missed. Especially things like expanding the earned sentence credit good time law, and even things like 65% or a meaningful good time law to promote good behavior. However, initiatives like reinstating parole and even second look can provide those same opportunities for good time and second chances. We are very sympathetic to all the individual issues from fish back, to juvenile, excessive sentencing, and even those facing the mandatory minimum law. We can assure you that there are many other organizations and advocates who will be addressing some of these in this year's general Assembly. It was our goal to pick the top five that we feel could affect the most people. We do want you guys opinion please keep in mind that this first general assembly session is less than 2 months away so we're in a crunch. I will say this though---- change will come!___________________________________________Active Dad's and Father's Initiative Training
A HUGE Congrats to all those who have signed up for the active days and fathers initiative training program. You will receive your first lesson on December 1st and we will be providing your child/children a gift at Christmas from you. Once you complete the first two sessions, we will get your child's info and their gift will arrive before Christmas. Anyone who is not signed up yet we will start a new class February 1st. Let's keep in mind that your physical removement from your child's life, does not alter the impact that you can still have. Talk to them, give them advice, tell them you love them, please stay involved.___________________________________________ 40 Gift Store Catalog
We have been sending the catalog to the facilities and we are unsure if they're being held by doc. The 40 strong gift store is a licensed LLC and we are providing a much-needed service. We do know about the new policy regarding mail being sent to the receiving center, but we also know that that starts on January 1st 2024. So the catalog that we are sending you should be able to receive them. If you are still interested please send your name, state number, and address so that we can get one out to you for Christmas. *For those who participated in our free Christmas gift initiative, we do have your information----------------------------------------------------------------------

 National Alliance on Mental Illness
Great news!!! We have reached out and currently looking to form a partnership with NAMI which is the National Alliance on Mental Illness to get resources for members of DOC. If you are struggling with mental health please reach out to them and let them know your situation and that you need resources to help you. Please let them know that you are 40 strong member or if you refer someone please tell them to express that the 40 strong refer them                           NAMI         4301 Wilson Blvd suite#300            Arlington, Virginia 22203
*And do whatever is best to maintain your thinking and emotions.----------------------------------------------------------------------   Education is Key
As of July 1, 2023, all provisions of the FAFSA Simplification Act related to incarcerated students are active. This means that the Pell Grant is now available to all qualified incarcerated people to further pursue post-secondary education for jobs with livable wages.
Contact:1-800-433-3243 please have your family call to receive application As many of you may know, education is very high on our list. We will be sending all the education information that we've had in past newsletters for those who were deleted from our previous contact.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------                Second Chance Letter Initiative
Please continue letters to Governor Youngkin andlead speaker of the General Assembly Don Scott.We are asking for how you've changed, your sincere remorse for the mistake, and all the positive things you'll do when released. Please state that you are a 40 Strong member and will be involved in community outreach and mentorship to our to youth. You should be able to get 15-20 letters out of your pod. That comes down to focus, paper, pen, and a 65¢ stamp--- Let's Go!
Governor Glenn Youngkin
Office of the Governor
p.o. box 1475
Richmond, VA 23218

Honorable Don Scott
355 Crawford street
Portsmouth, VA 23704
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                            Final Words from Angela 
Hello to everyone... I'm thankful for all the great messages and well wishes that I received. I am resting and following the orders of my doctor. I did want to speak today though on being ready! Because if you stay ready you won't have to get ready. Are you ready??? If legislation is passed providing Second Chances in January are you ready for freedom? Are you ready to go home and be a productive member of society? Are you ready to be a husband or wife? Are you ready to work 8 to 10 hours a day and stay focused? Are you ready to be a parent and guide your children the right way? These all the things that we have to think about when we're talking about Second Chances. Because we cannot afford for anyone to go home and do something that will set Second Chances behind. So I'm asking you if you are not ready PLEASE get ready! I'm amazed by all of the returning citizens that I see during the work. These men and women have returned to society to open businesses, run nonprofits, and make an impact on their community. We have to keep that up! For those who are ready please stay ready. My best to you and your families.

Chris 40 S.The40Strong.com
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 November 2, 2023
Greetings Members, Family, & Friends----
    I hope this reaches you well and I wish the same for your family. It's been a trying week but that all comes with the job. So last week while we were sending out 865 newsletters, we did not find out we were blocked until an hour later. When we spoke to JPay it was said you are not allowed to have more than one contact. When we reached out to the corporate office and let them know that we are a licensed organization, they said there's nothing wrong with reaching out to multiple people. So we reached out to Director Dotson and several other DOC admin, and just explain what we do. We explain the hundreds of emails we've gotten of our members doing great things. We explained that we are only trying to add positive and motivational input to our members in DOC. We even expressed that we are not anti-DOC and we do not ask our members to do anything negative. We did not receive any resistance so we are loading names back up on this account to reach out to you. We unfortunately did not get to keep our whole contact list, so we will say you guys are the golden members! So with that said we'll keep this short and brief and give y'all some information.....___________________________________________
Please continue to tell your family to vote because Tuesday is coming fast. That means hit people up on the phone or on jpay and just let him know that their voice counts. I feel like we have exhausted our voice on telling you guys to vote and now that choice is on you. If your family needs more information on voting please have them go to the website at:The40STRONG.COM___________________________________________
    The 40 Strong Fundraiser Focus
We will be doing several fundraisers leading into Christmas to help children and families in need. If you have something in mind close to your facility and can organize the contact, we will definitely support. That could be in elementary school, a seniors facility, or anyone else who would need help during the holidays. Our focus for 2024 is taking the 40 Strong to the next level by impacting our communities. That means we will be doing more fundraising, youth mentorship, informing partnerships in our communities with our members. We hope that you are ready for this challenge and this is going to be a beautiful partnership involving your passion for a second chance in the need for positivity in society. We will have more info on this in December's newsletter.___________________________________________         Our Last Event of 2023!!!!!!
We have partnered with our women members to have our last event of the year. Here's the info and get your family to come out!                  Locust Shade Park               4701 locust shade drive                Triangle, Virginia 22172
* Great speakers, community enrichment, food, and families will speak for their loved ones. If your family comes they will get to speak on your behalf or read something from you.---------------------------------------------------------------------                General Assembly Call
We all know that the general assembly is only 2 1/2 months away. We are asking you to get your families involved now. If they would like to come out for one day to advocate on your behalf at the general assembly please have them reach us at:the40strong@gmail.comJust let them know to let us know that they're interested and we will start the process. The general assembly is where the laws and bills are voted on in past. So the more support that we have there it will have a direct effect on lawmakers decisions.----------------------------------------------------------------------               NEWS YOU CAN USE
*We will be starting an Active Dance program in 2024. This will help younger men and fathers be more influential on their children. More info in December's newsletter.* Angela has sent her love to everyone and it's very excited about Tuesday. Angela will be taking a break though to recharge from almost 3 years of hard work. Please keep her in your prayers as she takes time to rest.*We will be sponsoring two more of our members to receive higher education in 2024. Responsor two members this year and they are doing wonderful and their courses and are receiving excellent grades.              ___________________________________________                     Nairobi Speaks
Greetings ladies of 40 strong, it’s always a pleasure to speak with you all.

 I was asked by my business partner, friend, and cofounder to write  something motivational for the upcoming women’s event. He asked me to write something that will inspire the ladies to encourage their family members to go out and vote. However, at the moment when he asked me, I didn’t feel very motivating. I struggled with the thought of do I want to force myself to write something motivational or should I just write what I really feel. I chose to write what I feel....

 You see the first thought that came to my mind when I thought about prison, women, and voting, was the eight years that I served in the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. I thought about how I struggled and fought for change,--- a change within myself. A change to be someone different than what society had created and labeled me to be. A change to be better for my community, I wanted to change to not disappoint the people that supported and believed in me. I wanted to change to show the system that the deviant young girl that came in was no longer me!
As I watch the elections every year, all I could think about is how I couldn’t wait to vote. How I would cast my vote at every opportunity I was given. After I finished parole, I couldn’t wait to stand at the polls and let my voice be heard, but not only my voice---- ALL the women's voices that I had left behind that was still fighting.
If we want to see change in our community then we must vote.  If we want change in our justice system we must vote! Do you know why there is no justice??? It’s because the right people are not in the right positions, and it is our job, our duty, our responsibility to put the right people in the right positions that will bring about CHANGE.
So ladies please encourage your family and friends to go out and vote!

Vote to Create Change

Vote for equal Justice

Vote with Hope for a better future

Vote for Freedom

Vote because everyone deserves a Second chance

Vote with Determination

Vote with Desperation

JUST VOTE!               Nairobi___________________________________________
      Needing more from our members
In light of us pretty much starting over for 150 people, we are now asking more for my members. We are looking to start sending in printed newsletters that you could get copies and get some more people at your facility. We are looking for our members to be mentors and have more impact at their facilities. We are looking at ways to help you all be it JPay stamps media or trust fund that could help. Our first go now though is organizing positive things with the community. The second thing is getting the families to reach out to us about coming to the General Assembly. If you would like more responsibility and is ready to take that next step please let us know. Also, please let us know if you received your catalogs. ___________________________________________                           Final Thoughts....
This will conclude our newsletter for November. Please feel free to review it again and make sure that you tell all those around you to vote. If I was around you would like to receive the newsletters ( especially current members ) please send their names to be added. Please stay safe and positive for help is on the way! 
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