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CSSJ Monthly Newsletter: We Are Survivors June 2024
Hi Survivor,
I’m Jonathon Lewis, National Training Director for Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice. For the past seven years, I’ve been traveling the country, training our members online and in person to be organizers and advocates to build community, build skills, and build power.
Welcome to the inaugural issue of our new monthly newsletter, “ We Are Survivors.” Whether you're a long-time CSSJ member, a supporter, a dedicated volunteer, or new to our community, we're glad to have you with us. In this issue, you'll find stories highlighting crime survivors' strength and resilience, updates on our ongoing advocacy efforts, and information about events and resources designed to support survivors and their families. Our mission is to ensure that survivors' voices are heard and shape the policies and practices that affect their lives.
We're incredibly excited to share news about the Crime Survivors Speak March on Washington, D.C., and National Gun Violence Awareness Month this month. As we roll out this monthly newsletter we look forward to hearing your feedback.
Onward together,
Jonathon Lewis
National Training Director
Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice
What We’ve Been Doing in 2024
As we reach the halfway mark of 2024, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to all our members for your dedication, advocacy, and unwavering support. The first half of the year has been incredibly productive, with significant strides in policy advocacy, community building, organizing, training and supporting survivors.
CSSJ kicked off the year in Tallahassee for Survivors Speak Florida, with over 300 members from across the state coming together. Since then, we have hosted advocacy days in Illinois and California, where our CSSJ leaders spent a whole day meeting with elected officials to share our stories and advocate for policies impacting crime survivors. Lastly, we closed out National Crime Victims Rights Week in April with over 35 healing vigils nationwide.
Training survivors as organizers and advocates through education and skill-building is essential to our work. From leadership development workshops in-person and online, we are equipping our community of survivors with the tools needed to drive meaningful change. So far this year we’ve held 30 trainings and trained 395 survivors in organizing, policy advocacy, and storytelling.
The CSSJ local chapters have been consistently hosting hundreds of chapter meetings and events demonstrating the power of community building and peer to peer support in local communities. Across the country, members have been organizing and participating in a variety of events designed to support survivors, build connections, and keep members engaged. From healing vigils, resource fairs to chapter meetings, our chapters hosted 105 activities in-person and online engaging over 5,270 volunteers.
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CSSJ Policy Updates
This month has been a busy period for our policy advocacy efforts at Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice. We are thrilled to share significant advancements in our mission to create systemic change for crime survivors. From pivotal legislative victories to impactful advocacy events, our advocacy is making a difference. These achievements are a testament to the dedication and hard work of our members and partner organizations. Here’s a brief summary about our survivor policies in each state.
Arizona: We continue to work closely with the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission on victims compensation reform with anticipated listening and rulemaking sessions over the summer.
California: We are currently advancing 9 new bills including reforms to victim compensation housing and employment protections for crime survivors and their families.
Florida: We are actively working to expand Trauma Recovery Centers and advocating for additional funding for community-based organizations to expand victim services in local communities.
Illinois: In the 2024 session, we worked alongside the Attorney General and other victim's organizations to pass victim's compensation reform and continue to advocate to expand Trauma Recovery Centers in additional cities.
Michigan: We’re continuing our advocacy to advance our multi-year productivity credits campaign to prioritize rehabilitation. We’re also advancing safe leave and housing protection bills that will afford survivors of violent crime the same housing protections granted to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, resulting in more equitable access to community safety protections and advocating for expanded safety investments, supporting implementation of HB 4674 & 4675 (our landmark victim’s compensation reform package from 2022), and advocating to establish Trauma Recovery Centers in Detroit, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Flint.
Ohio: We’re advocating for expanded public safety investments and expanded civil protections for crime survivors, including expanding the address confidentiality program to include all victims of violent crime and strengthening eviction protections for hospitalized crime survivors who fall behind on rent due to victimization.
Pennsylvania: We are actively working on several other bills: HB 1441, which would provide victims of violent crime a pathway to terminate their leases or change locks if their safety is compromised; HB 2162, which would bring parity to public housing relocation (which currently only supports victims of domestic violence, but not other victimizations), safe leave protections and advocating to establishing Trauma Recovery Centers in four cities across the Commonwealth.
Texas: While Texas does not have a legislative session in 2024, we are exploring potential survivor policies to bring to the legislative session in 2025.
Federal Advocacy: We supported the creation of a new Trauma Recovery Center Demonstration Project grant program through the Office of Victims of Crime. This grant program will invest up to $5 million over three years to establish new TRCs, with a focus on communities most impacted by violence and underserved by traditional victims services. This was years in the making as we introduced the TRC model to federal leaders who were not familiar with it. We organized site visits for them to understand the model, educated federal leaders on the outcomes of TRCs as compared to traditional victim services, the role of the National Association of Trauma Recovery Centers in providing technical assistance to existing and new TRCs, and informed the language of the grant. We also placed high-impact media stories on TRCs. After years of advocacy, we are excited to see the Office of Victims of Crime make this first-of-its-kind bold investment in Trauma Recovery Centers.
Stay connected with us as we continue to roll into the summer with more opportunities for you to get involved in legislative policy.
Volunteer of the Month: Kristy Standford - Phoenix, AZ
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We are thrilled to recognize Kristy Standford as our Volunteer of the Month. Kristy Stanford is one of our CSSJ Phoenix Chapter leaders in Arizona. Kristy is a survivor who has experienced the devastating impact of gun violence since childhood. Kristy suffered a heart-wrenching loss when her husband, Detrick Stanford, was murdered in her apartment complex parking lot. They were high school sweethearts sharing 31 years of love and memories. Navigating through the grief and trauma of losing her husband was haunting, but amidst the darkness, she received an invitation to CSSJ's first Survivors Speak AZ event in 2022, which offered her a glimmer of hope.
Summoning the courage to attend the first-ever Survivors Speak AZ, Kristy discovered a community unlike any other – a diverse group of survivors bound by shared experiences and unwavering resilience. Finding a sense of belonging among fellow survivors was transformative. Inspired by their stories, Kristy immersed herself in the work of CSSJ Arizona, documenting and sharing the work of CSSJ to other survivors.
Since that first Survivors Speak event, Kristy’s involvement with CSSJ deepened, as she became more engaged in advocacy efforts by meeting with AZ state leaders to champion legislation. Kristy’s work has helped CSSJ win seven policy victories and funding for two trauma recovery centers in Arizona. She is currently working on reforming AZ’s victims compensation fund and ensuring survivors of crime have access to critical services by sharing her story and advocating the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission.
Kristy has felt empowered by CSSJ to create change and provide healing to so many survivors in Arizona. She continues to lead by engaging local community members and partners to support our work. She also utilizes social media and other networks to bring more awareness to the issues impacting survivors and ensure people know about our campaigns and events.
“Though challenges lie ahead, I'm grateful for the opportunity to be a voice for change. In a world marked by violence and injustice, our collective resilience stands as a testament to the enduring power of the human spirit” - Kristy Stanford
Thank you Kristy for your dedication and passion.
Crime Survivors Speak March on Washington D.C. 2024 - “Road to D.C.”
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Ten years ago, Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice started hosting an annual advocacy day at the state capitol called “Survivors Speak.” We’ve hosted Survivors Speak at state capitols in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
We are excited to announce that Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice and the Alliance for Safety and Justice are hosting the first-ever Crime Survivors Speak March on Washington, DC [[link removed]] , on September 23 & 24, 2024. We are bringing together thousands of crime survivors from across the country — Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington D.C., and more.
The Crime Survivors Speak March on Washington is not just a gathering. It's a celebration of resilience and strength. This convening serves as a platform to not only amplify survivor voices and advocate for policy change but additionally to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Victims of Crime Act, the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act, and the 20th anniversary of the Crime Victims Rights Act, all while advocating for the next era of victims rights and public safety priorities rooted in crime prevention, community health, rehabilitation, economic mobility, and trauma recovery for all.
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Upcoming Activities
Summit for Justice - June 4, 2024
The Alliance for Safety and Justice and Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice, in collaboration with the National Center for Victims of Crime and JustLeadershipUSA, hosted a first-of-its-kind Summit for Justice this summer in Chicago, IL. Dozens of CSSJ members attended the summit to elevate the voices and perspectives of survivors. This summit aimed to provide a space where criminal justice reformers and survivor advocates can reach shared priorities, build strong networks, and develop ways to implement these ideas in their local communities.
Survivors Speak Pennsylvania Advocacy Day - June 11, 2024
On June 11th, CSSJ Pennsylvania leaders from across the state will come together at the PA State Capitol in Harrisburg and spend a whole day meeting with legislators to share their survivor experiences and advocate for legislation supporting crime victims.
National Gun Violence Awareness Month - June 13, 2024
June is marked annually as National Gun Violence Awareness Month. In 2013, Hadiya Pendleton was just 15 years old when she was shot and killed by a stray bullet just days after performing at President Obama’s second inauguration. Hadiya’s friends and other teenagers started to organize to raise awareness about the impact of gun violence and officially launched the #WearOrange Campaign. Each year, the first Friday in June is now dedicated to National Gun Violence Awareness Day.
In recognition of National Gun Violence Awareness Month, we are excited to host a virtual town hall titled "Beyond the Bullet Part 2: A National Town Hall on Policies & Programs That’s Been Implemented to Better Support Communities Most Impacted by Gun Violence. " Click Here to Register. [[link removed]]
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Crime Survivors Speak: Right to Heal Tour - June 18 - August 19, 2024
This summer, Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice is hosting a multi-city community event tour featuring Aswad Thomas, a survivor of gun violence and the National Director of Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice. This multi-city event offers a unique opportunity to engage in an intimate conversation with Aswad, who will share his powerful story of survival and resilience.
The event is part of Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice's 'Right to Heal' Tour. This multi-city community event provides a unique platform for survivors, advocates, community organizations, and stakeholders to share their experiences and insights about healing and safety. Together, we will discuss the Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice draft 'Right to Heal' policy platform and prepare for the first-ever Crime Survivors Speak March on Washington, D.C., on September 23-24, 2024. The first event will be held in Hartford, CT, on June 18, Newark, NY on June 20, and Atlanta, GA on June 29.
Community Crisis Response Training - June 25 - 27, 2024
The National Organization for Victim Advocacy (NOVA), in collaboration with Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice, will facilitate a three-day Community Crisis Response Team Training for CSSJ leaders in Chicago, East St. The training will consist of twenty-four hours of techniques and protocols for providing crisis intervention to traumatized individuals. The training focuses on the fundamentals of crisis and trauma, and how to adapt to basic techniques to individuals and groups in this area, also known as psychological first aid.
To sign up for upcoming meetings and events visit the events page at [link removed] [[link removed]]
Member Support Resources
Did you know that our Member Support Program (MSP) offers resources, activities, and perks for the CSSJ community, including free therapy through our partnership with BetterHelp? Go to this link [[link removed]] for more information on accessing free therapy, participating in our fun Wellness Wednesday events, dropping in to virtual healing spaces for survivors, and more!
MSP Monthly Highlight: My Deals Discount Program
We’re excited to offer a new CSSJ discount program, My Deals , to let you save on everyday purchases, like movies, dining, car services, clothing, electronics, and more– all from your phone! Whether you’re buying school supplies for the kids, having pizza for dinner, getting an oil change, or taking a road trip to visit family this summer, we hope My Deals will help a little financially. Download the My Deals app from your phone and use the code CSSJ .
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Crime Survivors Speak Podcast
The Crime Survivors Speak Podcast shares the stories of survivor leaders transforming our nation’s safety and justice systems. Join visionary survivor leader Aswad Thomas as he shares the mic with everyday people impacted by crime that are moving from healing to action and winning real change for communities across the country.
This month’s episode features a conversation with Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice Organizing Director Danny Montes about the power of political advocacy and relationship-building. Danny shares his personal journey, explaining how pivotal moments in his life led him to champion public safety and reform the criminal justice system. He lifts up CSSJ's Heal the Vote campaign, which mobilizes crime survivors to participate in civic engagement and voting and reflects on how his experience as an Obama leader has influenced his leadership style. This episode is a powerful reminder of how local leadership and community-driven initiatives can catalyze lasting change.
Listen to this month’s episode featuring Danny Montes at [link removed] [[link removed]] .
As we look ahead to the coming months, let’s continue to build community and build power. When Survivors Speak, Change Happens!
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Californians for Safety and Justice is a program of Alliance for Safety and Justice, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
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