Essie Justice Group

Okha spends $850 per prison visit to see her father.

Are you a woman with an incarcerated loved one who's faced a similar price tag? We want to hear from you. Share your untold story with us at pillars.com/untold.

#PillarsPod #Women #Podcast #PrisonStories

TUNE IN NOW: Ep. 2 of Pillars Podcast — Okha’s Story.

In this episode, Okha shares what it’s like to be the daughter and primary caregiver of an incarcerated parent. Available now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/watchpillars

#PillarsPod #Women #Podcast

With so much at stake in this political climate, now more than ever, investing in the leadership of women who can organize and hold space for our communities is critical. It's one of the ways we can ensure that our communities stay safe, strong, and connected. (3/3)

Our Facilitator's Training Program 201 works to support women with incarcerated loved ones in holding space for our communities, both regularly and in moments of rapid response. (2/3)

Earlier this month, 14 member leaders came together for advanced facilitation training through our Facilitator's Training Program 201! ✊🏾 (1/3)

In our debut episode of Pillars: Untold Stories of Women with Incarcerated Loved Ones, Carmen shares what it’s like to be one of the 1 in 4 women in the U.S. with an incarcerated loved one.

Watch: bit.ly/watchpillars
Listen: bit.ly/pillarspod

#PillarsPod #Women #Podcast

We stand in unwavering solidarity with immigrant communities and families impacted by the Los Angeles ICE raids. 🧡

cc: @chirla-org.bsky.social, Black Alliance for Just Immigration

#Immigration #NoICE #WeKeepUsSafe #LosAngeles #Community

Reminder: We keep us safe!

🛑 If you see ICE in LA, don’t stay silent. Report it to the LA Rapid Response Network. 📲

#ImmigrantsBelong #NoDeportations #SomosCHIRLA

Black mothers are at the mercy of California's negligent jail system  It took 96 hours and more than $230,000 for members of Essie Justice Group to secure the release of four Black mothers from a California jail

Leading the Black Mama’s Bail Out campaign, ‪@essie4justice.bsky.social‬ has bailed out 21 Black mothers & caregivers from CA jails. Every year, we experience intentional, onerous, & negligent tactics inside CA's jail system, writes Tanasia Newman in an op-ed.
prismreports.org/2025/06/02/b...

PASADENA & LOS ANGELES: Register for State of the People POWER Tour June 6 & 7! Show up for two days of action powered by community and rooted in local solutions. Register now at stateoftheppl.com! ✊🏾

@stateoftheppl.bsky.social #StateOfThePeople #PowerTour2025 #LosAngeles #Pasadena #Altadena

"It’s always the expertise of women with incarcerated loved ones that ensures safe homecomings for all of the Black mothers and caregivers we’ve bailed out."

Shout out to @prismreports.org for publishing our op-ed on the impact of CA's jail system on Black mothers. cc: @nationalbailout.bsky.social

The State of the People POWER Tour is a national campaign to meet Black communities where they are with truth, care, and power—and it’s coming to Los Angeles June 6 & 7!

Register today: stateoftheppl.com/los-angeles/

#StateOfThePeople #PowerTour2025

Are you a woman with an incarcerated loved one? Nominate yourself for our Fall 2025 Healing to Advocacy Program! essiejusticegroup.org/nominate (4/4)

"A lot of times I hold the crown of strength to my family, but this cohort of [Essie] Sisters helped me see that I don't have to [always] be strong. I can have vulnerable moments." — Tangela, Spring 2025 Los Angeles Healing to Advocacy Graduate 💐(3/4)

Thank you to our Sister panelists for sharing your stories, and to our Advocacy Spotlight, Bleu Watkins from the Success Stories Program, for reiterating the power of women who support loved ones on the inside. (2/4)

Earlier this week we held our Spring 2025 Los Angeles Healing to Advocacy Graduation, welcoming 21 more women with incarcerated loved ones into our loving and powerful Sisterhood! 🧡(1/4)

Big shoutout to @blkpowernetwork.bsky.social and Neighborhood Housing Services of Los Angeles County for partnering with us for this event! (4/4)

Among some of the most pressing needs our community members shared were better evacuation plans, temporary and long-term housing, and emergency financial assistance. Despite the introduction of several California state looting bills, increased prison time for looting was ranked last (3/4)

During this community event, Essie Sisters Gea and Jess facilitated wellness modalities including massage, yoga, and sound healing. Community members shared how crucial spaces like this are for healing and also ranked the priority of their ongoing post-wildfire needs and concerns (2/4)

Led by our Campaign Team, this weekend we hosted Moment to Breathe, a day of healing and connection for our wildfire-impacted Altadena and Pasadena neighbors 🧡 (1/4)

Community members who joined us also talked about the need for affordable housing, investment in mental health services, and how building power together makes these changes possible! #SisterhoodIsPowerful #Community #Oakland #BayArea #TheBay (3/3)

We heard directly from our neighbors about their lived experiences with safety in Oakland and discussed issues like homelessness, job loss, and crime that has remained steady despite Oakland's police budget increasing yearly since 2020. (2/3)

Last night we hosted Raise the Bay in Your Voice—a listening session focused on identifying community-centered solutions for a better Oakland. ✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾 (1/2)

Read our latest report, The Hidden Heart of Reentry, in partnership with @nbwji.bsky.social: bit.ly/HiddenHeartR...

cc: @nationalbailout.bsky.social

#BlackWomen #Reentry #GenderJustice #NBWJI #SisterhoodIsPowerful #FreeBlackMamas (2/2)

“[The Hidden Heart of Reentry report] really underscores the ways that women with incarcerated loved ones are the invisible leaders at the heart of care and reentry." — Tanasia Newman, Essie’s Sr. Communications Manager for Davis Vanguard News Group

Read here davisvanguard.org/2025/05/essi... (1/2)

We also brought to Senator Allen’s attention the need for natural disaster evacuation plans in CDCR facilities to keep our loved ones safe. #SisterhoodIsPowerful #LAWildfires #California (3/3)

Essie Sisters Sadio and Gea shared frontline insights on community needs after the #LAWildfires, and discussed a handful of bills that would better prepare us for the ongoing climate crisis in #California. (2/3)

Last week, we spoke to elected officials in Sacramento during California Black Power Network's Legislative Day of Action. ✊🏾🧡 #California (1/3)

Women with incarcerated loved ones are building power at Essie Justice Group because together, we can safeguard our communities. And by bringing home a record number of mamas this Black Mama’s Bail Out season, we’re doing just that. (4/4)

Today, we’re on the ground fighting for Mama A, who is trying to see her son graduate from high school. (3/4)