Read why Michelle Alexander supports SB 966, the RISE Act

Dear Supporter,

The RISE Act, SB 966 (Mitchell), is making national headlines! This morning, Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow, writes in the Los Angeles Times about why California must pass SB 966 and begin treating our communities with care, compassion, and concern — not cages.

Read her powerful op-ed and share it widely!

The RISE Act would repeal the three-year sentence enhancement for prior drug convictions. It fell just three votes short of a majority in the Senate two weeks ago, but gets one more chance to make it through this year.

Michelle Alexander writes that “thousands of families have been broken apart and communities throughout the state have been destabilized” by our punitive drug laws.

“Automatically adding years to a drug sentence is a weapon of individual and community destruction disguised as an expression of concern,” she says.

“Passing SB 966 is an important step in the state’s belated journey toward justice and healing in our communities.”

Please share Michelle Alexander’s wise words with your friends, family, and state representatives! Our primary targets are the five Democrats who abstained from the vote: Sens. Hueso, Jackson, Hertzberg, Wolk, and Mendoza. Find out who your Senator is by clicking here.

In solidarity,

Lizzie Buchen