All of Us or None

All of Us or None
Name	All of Us or None
Type	Civil rights advocacy group
Founded	2003
Founders	[Founders not linked per instructions]
Location	United States
Area served	United States
Focus	Criminal justice reform, reentry, voting rights, civil rights

All of Us or None is a grassroots civil rights advocacy organization originating in the United States that focuses on criminal justice reform, reentry rights, and restoration of civil and voting rights for people with felony convictions. The group has been active in coalition-building with national and local organizations, participating in campaigns, litigation support, and public education efforts to change laws and public perceptions affecting formerly incarcerated people. Through alliances with labor unions, civil rights groups, and legal advocacy organizations, the organization has influenced policy debates in state legislatures and at the federal level.

History

The organization emerged in the early 2000s amid broader national movements addressing mass incarceration, recidivism, and felon disenfranchisement following high-profile advocacy by groups such as National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, American Civil Liberties Union, Southern Poverty Law Center, Brennan Center for Justice, and NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Founders and early leaders drew on networks that included activists from Just Detention International, Legal Services Corporation, and community organizers associated with Black Lives Matter, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, and Ella Baker Center for Human Rights. The organization coordinated with municipal and state campaigns in regions including California, New York, Illinois, Florida, and Texas to challenge pervasive legal barriers to reintegration. Over time, it formed strategic partnerships with national unions such as the Service Employees International Union and civil rights coalitions like the National Council of Churches.

Mission and Activities

The stated mission centers on ensuring full civil participation for people with felony records by removing legal, regulatory, and social barriers. Activities have included community organizing, know-your-rights workshops, reentry support, voter education, and litigation referrals in collaboration with groups like Human Rights Watch, MacArthur Foundation, Open Society Foundations, and Ford Foundation-funded projects. The organization has produced reports and testimony presented to bodies such as the United States Congress, state legislatures, and municipal councils, collaborating with policy research organizations including the Urban Institute, Prison Policy Initiative, and Sentencing Project to advance data-driven reforms. It also engages with academic partners at institutions like Columbia University, New York University, and University of California, Berkeley.

Membership and Organization

Membership is composed primarily of people with prior incarceration experience, family members, and allied activists. The group organizes chapters or affiliates in metropolitan areas that coordinate with local legal aid providers such as Legal Aid Society (New York City), Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, and state public interest law offices. Leadership structures have been influenced by organizing traditions from groups like Mujeres Unidas y Activas, Coalition for Juvenile Justice, and The Sentencing Project alumni networks. Funding streams and fiscal sponsorship have intersected with charitable intermediaries including National Network for Arab American Communities-style fiscal hosts, foundations, and grassroots fundraising.

Advocacy and Campaigns

Campaigns have targeted ballot initiatives, legislative reforms, and administrative rule changes to restore voting rights, expand employment access, and reduce collateral consequences of convictions. Notable campaign partners have included ACLU Campaign for Smart Justice, Fair Fight Action, Color Of Change, Make the Road New York, and Voto Latino. The organization has worked on state ballot measures similar to initiatives in Florida, Maine, Virginia, and Nevada, and collaborated with civic coalitions active in cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Seattle. Its tactics combine direct action, strategic litigation, and coordinated media efforts with outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, ProPublica, and The Atlantic covering reform efforts.

Legal and Policy Impact

Through advocacy and partnerships with litigators from firms and organizations like ACLU, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and public interest law clinics at Harvard Law School and Georgetown University Law Center, the group has contributed to legal arguments used in cases addressing voting restoration, employment discrimination, and driver’s license suspensions. Policy victories at the state level have mirrored reforms seen in states such as Colorado, Michigan, and New Jersey, influencing executive orders, legislative bills, and administrative guidance. The organization’s policy proposals have been cited in testimony before bodies including the United States Senate and state legislative committees.

Controversies and Criticism

Critics have challenged the organization on strategy, coalition choices, and priorities, with disputes arising over endorsements of particular ballot language and alliances with labor and philanthropic entities such as SEIU and major foundations. Some criminal justice reform advocates and victims’ rights organizations like National Organization for Victim Assistance have publicly disagreed over timing and scope of enfranchisement measures. Debates have also centered on resource allocation between direct services and policy advocacy, reflecting tensions evident in broader movements that include groups such as Prison Fellowship and conservative legal networks.

Cultural and Media Representation

The organization and its members have been profiled in national and local media, documentary films, and academic studies produced by scholars affiliated with Princeton University, Yale University, and University of Michigan. Coverage has appeared in documentaries and journalistic projects alongside storytelling platforms like NPR, PBS, and independent filmmakers featured at festivals such as Sundance Film Festival and Tribeca Film Festival. Cultural partnerships have linked it with artists and cultural institutions including Sister Outsider Project-style collectives, touring spoken-word events, and community theater programs collaborating with arts organizations in cities like Oakland, Brooklyn, and Detroit.

Category:Civil rights organizations in the United States